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Owning and operating a healthcare business in Australia can often feel like walking through a field of landmines. The landmines, or rather advertising regulatory standards, can seem rather complex at first. However, in this clear and simple guide by Total Medical Design, you will gain a deeper understanding of your regulatory obligations for marketing and advertising in the health sector in Australia.

We’re talking about advertising in the broadest sense of the word

Advertising standards in the health industry are set by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (APHRA). Advertising is classified as any action by your business that draws attention to itself. In practice, advertising could be conducted in endless numbers of ways. Your business could employ someone to do sign writing in the sky – that’s advertising. Or advertising could be simply adding your business details to an online directory website.

Medical practices in Australia aren’t allowed to use testimonials in their advertising

Testimonials are comments left by previous customers or patients about your medical practice. These comments recount the personal objective experiences of individuals. This means that testimonials are unlikely to be balanced and informed sources of information. Patients often place undue emphasis on testimonials because of their lack of knowledge about health and specialist medicine. These patients often lack the knowledge to properly validate any scientific claims on health websites. This means prospective customers and patients are vulnerable to being misled by testimonials in medical and healthcare advertising that is inaccurate and misleading. The regulation aims to protect these patients.

Who is responsible for advertising in a healthcare business?

It doesn’t matter if you have employed an agency to help with advertising. The responsibility for advertising still lays with the principle health practitioner at the clinic or business.

Monitoring and removing patient comments or feedback

Healthcare and medical businesses in Australia are expected to monitor all “owned” media. To clarify, owned media is media that was set up and managed by the health business themselves. Examples of owned media would be a website, e-newsletter, promotional print marketing, video or radio advertising or Google ads. Principle health practitioners will need to keep an eye out for instances where customers provide comments or feedback that could be classified as a testimonial that are located within “owned’ media.

Patient comments that aren’t owned by your business – not your problem

When a comment or customer feedback is located on a third party website or social media channel outside of the control of your business, you don’t need to request the removal of that piece of content. Although if you do decide to copy and use content from or third party sources – then the APRA regulations will apply to this content.

When you cannot use a patient comment as a testimonial

When a customer mentions a clinical aspect of your medical practice (either overtly or indirectly), then this quote or commentary cannot be used as a testimonial for advertising. More specifically:

• A patient mentions their symptoms or reason for seeking treatment.
• A patient mentions the diagnosis or treatment provided by your medical practice.
• A patient mentions treatment outcomes, or the skills and experience of a practitioner at your medical practice.

When you can use a patient comment

In certain circumstances, it’s OK to use a testimonial on your website or other media that your business owns and controls. This includes ‘owned’ media such as your social media, website, newsletters and print publications.

• A patient comment about a non-regulated health service.
• A patient comment that’s not related to an aspect of clinical care.
• A patient comment that’s a testimonial, but it’s not used in advertising.

Total Medical Design are ahead of the game regarding healthcare marketing regulations in Australia. Our team of experienced marketing, digital, design and content professionals have decades of collective experience in healthcare marketing. Total Medical Design help health and medical businesses like yours to thrive and grow online. If you have any further questions about health advertising or need some advice, give us a call today on 0433 399 294 [email protected]

Further reading

The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (APHRA) have put together some comprehensive guidelines for health practitioners to ensure that they stay within the regulatory requirements. Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) (2018) Check and Correct: Testimonial Tool Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) (2018) Advertising Resources: Check and Correct

Online booking is no longer just a nice to have, today’s patients and clients expect it. With more and more people accessing health services online, being able to book an appointment straight from the screen and bypass the need to pick up the phone is a real plus. But is it always the best option?

Online booking is big

Thanks to today’s sophisticated online booking management systems, such as Gensolve, MindBodyOnline and Cliniko, setting up online booking on your health website or even your company Facebook page is now easier than ever. MindBodyOnline even lets your patients or clients book an appointment directly via a mobile app.

Whether your business is general practice, physiotherapy, cosmetic surgery or personal training, your customers can log on, view your calendar, choose a preferred practitioner, pick a time slot, fill in their details then simply press click to book. It’s as easy as that.

Benefits of online booking

Not only is online appointment booking easy for customers it’s also convenient. They can do it anytime, e.g. they can hop on and book in the evening rather than trying to find a time to call in the day. They can also do it anywhere, e.g. on the bus or in bed via a mobile device. Plus it offers some great benefits to you.

Most importantly it reduces the time spent making bookings over the phone, freeing up staff to deal with clinic or practice footfall. In addition, it eliminates duplicate booking errors that can so easily occur when appointments are made. Because many of these systems send out SMS reminders, they can also minimise missed appointments.

Is online booking always best?

There’s no denying that online booking offers many advantages to patients and clients, and to you. If you don’t already have it set up, it’s definitely something worth doing. However, it shouldn’t be your only option. That’s because online booking many not always be the best solution in every case.

For example, while an online booking system can be very convenient for your existing clients or patients, it may not always be the most effective option for new ones.

Firstly, as it eliminates an opportunity for human contact, you’re missing out on a vital chance to connect with people on a personal level and build trust – something better achieved over the phone or in person. Because trust is such a major factor in people choosing health services, if you only offer online booking people may be wary.

Secondly, clients or patients may not know which doctor, practitioner or service would be best suited to their needs. This means they may make a booking that it unsuitable or insufficient, wasting their time and yours. This compares to having a conversation with them during which you can figure out exactly what they require.

The advantages of call back

There are a couple of ways to overcome these two drawbacks. The first is a clearly visible phone number on your website and social media pages which prospective patients can call. The second is to offer a call back option alongside your online booking facility.

Rather than getting patients or clients to call you, a call back form lets them input their name and contact details and request that you contact them. You can even include fields for extra information, such as the nature of their health issue, so you have a better understanding and can assist them more efficiently when you do call them.

Not only can this help you deliver better customer service, it’s once again taking the pressure away from your front desk as call backs can be made a more convenient time, for example, when your clinic is less busy. This will also boost your customer service by avoiding rushed conversations, voice mail diverts and unanswered calls.

It’s all about choice

Ultimately, the more options you can give your patients or clients for making an appointment, the better. Today’s customers expect choice, and if you don’t offer it they might just head off to another provider or service that does. So, as well as including your phone number on your website, include an option for online booking as well as a call back form – it’s a win, win for you and your patients.

Need some help setting up online booking and call back on your website? Contact Total Medical Design Today.

Marketing in the healthcare industry is tough.

Not only do you need to keep up with increasing competition and market developments, but you also need to stay compliant. This means following the strict and extensive set of rules and regulations which guide how health and medical services are advertised.

Not doing so can have serious implications, therefore before you embark on your next marketing related project – a new website, social media campaign, brochure – it’s important you understand exactly what’s required. Otherwise you could put both your business and patients at risk.

What rules and regulations do you need to follow?

In Australia, health practitioners, from GPs to dentists to pharmaceutical companies, should look to the following sources for guidance:

• National Law such as Australian Consumer Law
• The Guidelines for Advertising Regulated Health Services
• The relevant National Board code of ethics and professional conduct

National Law applies to all industries, not just health-related, and provides a solid foundation for best practice. The Guidelines for Advertising Regulated Health Services go one step further, explaining the obligations of National Law in the context of the health industry. Each of the 14 National Boards then has their own industry-specific guidelines.

If you sell health-related products or goods you must also comply with further legislation set out by regulators such as the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).

To get a general overview of what’s required, the Guidelines for Advertising Regulated Health Services are a good place to start.

Understanding the Guidelines for Advertising Regulated Health Services

Created by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) alongside the National Boards, these guidelines were put in place to protect the public.

As well as explaining and offering direction on the obligations of advertisers under the National Law, they also outline what is and what isn’t acceptable, the responsibilities practitioners have to conform to them and the consequences of failing to do so.

What are the underlying principles?

• Advertising is good as it helps people make informed choices
• False advertising can compromise their choices
• Using health services all the time is undesirable

Who do the guidelines apply to?

According to the guidelines they apply to ‘any person who advertises a regulated health service or business that provides a regulated health service’.

What happens if you breach them?

A breach of these advertising regulations is a criminal offence. An individual can be fined up to $5,000 or a body corporate up to $10,000. For this to happen, a concern must be raised with the AHPRA.

What are the main requirements?

 
1. Include enough factual information so people can make informed decisions

Typical information included in health services advertising (e.g. on a website) would be your contact details, opening hours, accesiblity, languages spoken, fees, qualifications of practitioners/staff, any practice accreditations and procedural warnings.

2. Don’t engage in any of the following prohibited practices:

• Provide false, misleading or inaccurate information e.g. false titles such as Dr or Specialist
• Use gifts or discounts to attract patients
• Use testimonials in your advertising
• Create an unreasonable expectation of treatment benefits
• Encourage people to use services they might not need
• Compare yourself to other providers/practitioners

In addition, the guidelines also include the ACCC’s best practices which you should always endeavour to follow when marketing your healthcare services:

• Sell your professional services on their merits
• Be honest about what you say and do commercially
• Look at the overall impression of your advertisement. Ask yourself who the audience is and what the advertisement is likely to say or mean to them

Specific guidelines for social media

Due to the unique nature of the channel, social media marketing has its own set of guidelines – the AHPRA Social Media Policy. The main takeaways from this are:

• You must have a professional account not linked to your personal one
• You are liable for your social media account and must accept responsibility for it including for comments published on it
• You should regularly review content to ensure you’re complying with the law

Whatever marketing project you are working on, sticking to these main underlying principles should keep you on track. However, always make sure you refer to all relevant sources as outlined above to ensure you stay fully compliant.

2 main underlying principles

The doctor’s primary duty is to act in the best interest of patients. To do this, doctors must maintain their professional autonomy, clinical independence, and integrity. Relationships between doctors and patients must not compromise treatment.

Advertising by doctors should never put commercial interests ahead of patients’ health and well-being – it should be objective, not persuasive, so that patients can make informed choices.

Conclusion

Medical and healthcare marketing doesn’t just have to be effective, it must also be compliant. So as well as engaging in great strategy and tactics always ensure you stay informed, keep within the rules and regulations for your industry and follow advertising best practices. Doing otherwise just isn’t worth the risk.

Want some help to ensure your healthcare marketing is compliant? Contact us today.

Healthcare has been a notoriously slow adopter of digital trends. But today, medical professionals understand the importance of keeping up in this tech-savvy age. As well as improving their level of efficiency with practice management systems, most medical providers now have a business website to promote their services.

However, whilst many have a website, not all are utilizing it to its full potential. Yes, as a digital promotional tool it should effectively showcase your team, your services and your products. But why stop there? Your website can also function to enhance your service offering. By using digital tools to help meet patient needs you can improve their experience and streamline your business.

Patients Have Grown to Trust Digital Channels

According to a 2014 survey by global research experts McKinsey, patients around the world have grown more comfortable with using digital networks and services when it comes to healthcare. In fact, 75% of respondents were happy to use digital healthcare services.

In addition, out of all the digital channels available, a website topped the patient channel preferences across all age groups. So, if patients are embracing online services, as a healthcare provider it’s time to be thinking about how you can make your website work harder.

Make Your Medical Website Work Harder

To stay one step ahead, your website should not just do your marketing, it should also be a practical business tool through which you can better deliver your service and satisfy patient needs. Being innovative in terms of employing the latest flashy website features is not important in healthcare. What is important is including features that will offer added-value to patients, and your practice or clinic.

According to the same McKinsey survey, patient’s expectations when it comes to healthcare are rather basic: efficiency, better access to information, integration with other channels and the availability of a real person if the digital service doesn’t offer them what they need. Therefore, focusing your website efforts into delivering on these fundamental needs can be extremely effective.

Use Your Site to Provide Better Access to Information

To make your website an effective service delivery tool, it should not be viewed solely as a one-way communication channel for promotional ends.

Across the healthcare industry, patients, clinicians and providers alike are realising the benefits of turning website into a go-to platform for health information specific to their field. Including quality content and useful resources can be a great way to help you deliver on the patient need for better access to information. This can be done by including some of the following on your site:

• Updates on current industry news
• Blog posts focusing on relevant topics and questions people ask
• Educational or instructional videos that explain procedures or services
• Links to external sites – for example, if you are a GP practice you could include a link to My Health Record, so people can access and update their medical information. Alternatively, if you are an independent chiropractor, dentist or physiotherapist it might be useful to add a link to any professional bodies you are accredited with so patients can check your authenticity.

Optimize Your Website with Useful Features

Making your website a valuable source of information can be a great way to attract and retain patients. But by including interactive features and turning it into a two way communication portal, through which you and your patients can exchange information efficiently, you can gain that competitive edge.  Here are two ways which are both simple and effective.

1. Embed online forms

Online forms can be added to your website using code and can be easily customized. By allowing patients to access forms before they arrive at your clinic you can save time for both your patients and staff. The types of forms you could consider including are:

• New patient forms
• Medical history forms
• Referral forms
• Prescription refills forms
• Contact messaging forms
• Billing forms

Patients expect confidentiality so ensure all your forms are secure. You could also include patient satisfaction surveys to allow patients to give feedback.

2. Add an appointment booking tool

By giving patients to power to book their own appointments, you are offering patients an efficient way to access your service, and lessening the endless stream of phone calls. Many in practice management systems, such as Cliniko, have a real-time appointment booking feature which you can easily embed into your website.

You can also set up online booking using specialist software such as Ozdocsonline and HealthEngine. As well as integrating with your practice management systems they can be added to your website quickly and efficiently using a web plug-in.

The key to a successful healthcare website today and in the future is ensuring it meets the changing needs of patients. Non-digital channels, such as phone calls and face-to-face consultations, will continue to be important in healthcare. But by leveraging the power of digital and using your website to better deliver your service and not just as a marketing channel, your business can really benefit.

For healthcare providers looking to grow their conversions, landing pages present a great opportunity. Unfortunately, they are not utilised enough. Many medical businesses that promote themselves online often direct targeted traffic straight to their website homepage rather than sending them to the information they are looking for. This is where landing pages come in.

But what exactly is a landing page? What are the essential elements needed to create a successful one? And how you can use them to grow your clinic or practice?

What is a Landing Page?

A landing page is a standalone web page that is extremely targeted and has one conversion goal in mind. It sits at the end of an online advert, email marketing campaign or keyword search and should deliver on the promise of the link.

Whilst the aim of your website is to promote and inform a general audience on your services as a whole, a landing page should focus on a particular service, target a specific patient need and work hard at persuading them to take a particular action e.g. give contact details, book a consultation.

The Elements of Success

Before you begin putting together a landing page, you need to have one clear business objective in mind. For example, perhaps you want to increase the number of enquiries you get, generate more leads or increase profits by X in 6 months. Whatever it is, your conversion goal and your business objective should focus your content.

Landing pages should have two key elements: great copy and professional design. Each of these should work together to help you achieve your end goal.

COPY

When it comes to landing page copy, you should keep it clear, concise and take potential patients from A to B without distraction.

• A strong, compelling headline – think about what will capture potential patients or clients. Be sure to push the benefits in the subhead
• Intro copy – ensure this addresses the patients issue or problem and provides a solution – a clear value preposition. Keep it focused and convincing – stick to 4-5 sentences max
• Bullet points – including the main benefits your service/product offers in this format makes it more scannable
• One specific, persuasive call to action – use short, clear action-oriented words e.g. ‘Book an appointment’, ‘Request a call back’, ‘Buy a product’ and reinforce the benefit

When creating your landing page always bear in mind the questions potential patients will have such as “Why should I trust you?”, “Do your offer the right service for me?’’, ‘’How can I access your service?”

DESIGN

Landing page design should be clean and uncluttered – it needs to let the words do the talking. Use a similar design to your website for branding purposes, but simplify it.

• Remove navigational elements – these are not needed and act as a distraction
• Stick to a simple centred column or two column format – studies have shown that the former converts best
• Make the call to action stand out – this should be the first thing people see so it needs to stand out. A strong colour on a white background is always effective.
• Don’t use more than two images – this will make the page too busy and detract from the text.
• Consider the F shape – a study by Neilsen showed that people read a web page from left to right in two horizontal lines followed by a vertical line
• Keep the most important elements above the fold (the part you see before you have to scroll down) – e.g. your intro, benefits and call to action – because people spend 80% of their time above the fold
• Use larger fonts – the ideal line length for copy readability is 39 characters

Finally, be sure to optimise your medical landing page for search by using the right keywords and other effective SEO tactics.

Don’t Forget to Test!

Most landing pages won’t be perfect first time around. Generally they will need monitoring and tweaking before they achieve maximum results. The best way to successfully optimise them is by A/B testing. Do a couple of versions, see which works best and use the results to amend your content and design to better meet your goals.

Branding is often overlooked when it comes to medical marketing. In fact, it wasn’t always necessary.  However, building a strong brand for your healthcare practice or clinic is essential in today’s competitive healthcare market.

Without branding you are missing out on an opportunity to stand out from your competitors and connect with your patients. But knowing where to apply your efforts is the key to success?

Towards Customer-Centricity

Healthcare providers used to rely on their authority to attract patients. However, due to changes in the market, customer expectations and leaps in technology, medical services have needed to become increasingly customer-centric. Because of this, it is providers who best demonstrate their unique human value as well as their expertise, who are the ones attracting most patients.

And how do they demonstrate it? Through branding.

Brand vs. Branding

It is important to make a distinction between brand and branding.

Your brand is both the personality and the perceived value of your company. It is best described as a promise that tells people who you are and what they can expect from you. It is usually expressed by a series of attributes that connect at an emotional level. BUPA, for example, defines its brand as passionate, caring, authentic, accountable, open, courageous and extraordinary.

Branding on the other hand is the activities you undertake to build this brand perception. It includes not only your visual identity – your logo, website, brochure etc. but also your pricing, your premises and how you interact with your patients. Your brand should shine through in everything you do.

Benefits of Medical Branding

When done effectively, branding can help you:

• Stand out from your competitors – strong, memorable branding sets you apart
• Communicate your service offering – it reinforces who you are and what you do
• Demonstrate credibility – it shows that you are a serious business willing to spend money where it matters
• Build trust and loyalty – when a patient relates to your brand and knows they will get the same experience every time they interact with you, they are more likely to come back
• Increase your actual value – people will pay more if they believe in your brand

How to Get it Right

Once you have your brand clearly defined, you can begin branding, or building your brand. But what are the key elements of branding you need to consider?

• Logo – although it is only a small visual element, your logo can communicate a lot. Getting it right means making it easily recognisable. A professional designer is well worth the investment.
• Tagline – placed alongside your logo this should clearly but effectively state your unique value.
• Design scheme – choosing the right colour, type face and layout right can help create the right perception of your practice. For example, if your brand is based on innovation, go for a sleek, minimalist design.
• Tone of voice – if your brand could speak what would it sound like? Once defined, this should inform all of your written content. The tried-and-tested norm for healthcare is professional but approachable.
• Images – make sure the images you choose showcase your values. Poor quality images will contradict any effort to establish yourself as a quality brand.
• Channels – once you have a logo, design, scheme and tone of voice in place, you need to apply it consistently across all your marketing channels e.g. your website, brochures, stationary etc.
• Delivery – it’s no good claiming to be one thing in your marketing collateral if the reality is different. To be effective, your staff and your practice need to deliver on your brand promise every time a patient comes into contact with your service.

To be effective, your healthcare branding efforts must be being unique, memorable, consistent and consumer-centric. Although it might start with your logo, and a great logo is critical to branding success, your brand must infiltrate everything you do. If what you say is what you deliver, you will gain the trust of your patients – vital in healthcare today.

Whilst interpreter services in Australia are highly accessible, and have been shown to improve the quality and safety of health and medical care, the same consideration is not always paid to digital channels of communication. Yet producing content, such as websites, in different languages can benefit both service provider and patient – and the process is relatively straightforward.

Multicultural society; multiple languages

Non-English speaking patients are par for the course for doctors and health practitioners in multicultural countries. There are very few who haven’t had to communicate across a language barrier – whether in promoting their service, attempting to understand symptoms or explaining to a patient what care they need. Creating a multicultural website is simply the next step.

Reach your non-native English speaking patients

For a provider practising in an area with a high Chinese population it makes sense to offer information in Mandarin or Cantonese. The same goes whatever nationality is relevant.
Not only can multilingual content lead to more appointments and enquiries but it also fulfils your obligation to provide patients with the information they need to make informed choices and give informed consent. It also helps build trust in your service.

Attract clients from overseas

If you are a private clinic offering specialist services or procedures, such as a cosmetic surgeon or a fertility clinic, you might also be looking to attract overseas clients. In these cases, a multilingual website will make you much more accessible and legitimate to a foreign market.

Research shows that if information in their own language is not easily accessible to consumers, the majority won’t buy. The same applies to medical services to an even greater degree because it is their health in question.

How to create your multilingual site

One of the reasons why health practitioners don’t offer other language versions of their website is often due to hesitation over how to effectively implement and manage it. But with the right assistance, the process can be relatively straightforward.

1. Decide what you want to translate

Before you begin, the first step is to go through your current website and decide which content you are going to translate. If you want a complete translation you need to include every element including:

• Title, HTML content, alt text images, meta descriptions etc for each page
• Other web elements e.g. menus, forms, buttons, logos, banners
• Blog posts – how far back will you go?

2. Get your content translated

When translating your web content you have two main options:

1. Utilize an online translation tool such as Google Translate

Online translation tools can be timely and cost effective. However, they present a big drawback. By making a literal translation they can miss out or misinterpret key words and meanings.

According to a study by the BMJ, Google Translate has only 57.7% accuracy when used for medical phrase translations. This could have negative consequences if a non-native patient misunderstands a service or what it entails.

2. Hire in the services of a professional medical translator

This is the recommended option. By hiring a qualified translator, which specific medical expertise, you can be more confident that the content will be accurate.

3. Translation or localisation?

If you want to go one step further, you could also look to localise your site. Consider the format, layout and images – do they match the cultural expectations of your non-native English speaking patients? Do some research. If they don’t, change them.

4. Create your website

Unless you have technical knowledge or a simple CMS system in place, enlisting the help of a digital specialist is recommended to get your new multilingual content up and running. They can input the content and set up all the links and code correctly to ensure your site runs smoothly.

One of the best ways to add and manage the new content is by using easy-to-identify links to other languages on the homepage of your current English site.

A multilingual site will set you apart as a medical service provider. It will also give your patients and clients confidence in your services and ensure they have all the information they need to make important choices.

In the previous article, we focused on human computer interfaces and how these have changed the way man and machine coexist together. As well as content strategy and how expertly crafted content can provide your business with high impact visibility. And finally how the new relationship management means that your medical business can have unprecedented connectivity with patients and clients, and to help them and build relationships in new ways.

In this second part, we will be looking at how smart phones have become a medical ‘brains trust’ that has revolutionised how patients record their healthcare data for analysis. We will also look at the ever increasing importance of privacy in healthcare in the age of the internet.

Smartphones

Smartphones are another form of technology that has become ubiquitous in our everyday lives. Although for all the technological advancement, we have only really touched the tip of the iceberg in terms of potential for patient-doctor interaction. Increased processing power, internal memory, bigger bandwidth and increasingly sophisticated devices mean that smartphones can take centre stage in providing patient-centric, outcome-driven healthcare. Not only can various apps be used as diagnostic tools or tracking devices for medical practitioners, but they can also be used to track wellness. Some apps are ‘prescription’ apps, that are recommended by doctors to patients and provide wellness information. This can be an important part of ongoing healthcare monitoring.

The Importance of Privacy

With more and more patients interacting and leaving an information footprint online, this necessitates a much more stronger control over client information. Electronic healthcare records that are stored on cloud servers or online are vulnerable to hacking by nefarious parties. The importance of healthcare privacy for this online information cannot be overstated.

Although it seems that clients want it both ways. They want to have easy access to their medical information and targeted help online, while also having the added assurance of impeccable privacy measures at the same time. This is the inherent tension that arises for healthcare businesses with the storage of healthcare information online. There is also concerns by government about the tracking of metadata and whether or not this is being used in the patients’ interests.

In the future it’s hoped that online privacy will become a well-governed, controlled and yet accessible system that will be amenable and offer patient-centric care. Along with this, medical businesses can use this data to offer targeted and relevant healthcare offerings.

Social Media and SEM

Social media marketing has historically been overlooked by conservative healthcare businesses as being irrelevant or too time consuming. Although there is a place for it, if you would like to engage with potential new clients online. And if you don’t – the next medical practice around the corner certainly will.

Creating a niche, friendly and approachable online presence may fly in the face of many serious medical practices but this is precisely what patients want. They would like to engage with healthcare businesses online before they engage them in the real world. Or they occasionally want to reserve an appointment or ask a general inquiries question. Having this social media presence allows for other avenues so that patients can get to you.

Online Video

Video has always been a favoured medium for expressing complex medical ideas in a fast, simple and easy to digest format for patients. Although with the birth of YouTube, video has become a gigantic part of online marketing for healthcare. Currently, Alexa web information rates YouTube as the third most visited site in the world. This is only topped by Google and Facebook. Along with this, Netflix makes up a significant portion of internet traffic in the US. People enjoy watching video for entertainment but also to stay informed about important issues that mean something to them – such as their health.

Video is a vital tool for healthcare marketing that has visual and aural impact as well as tells a story. It can be cross-platform, multi-device and portable. Although you must ensure that the videos are provided in the right context, to the right audience, using the right platform.

As EOFY approaches, now is a fantastic time for a rethink of your marketing outlook and prospects for growth. If you would like some more information on how to grow your healthcare business with a savvy online marketing strategy, speak with Total Medical Design today.

Technology is rapidly accelerating and changing beyond all recognition every few years. So the healthcare industry mustn’t only keep up, it must be at the forefront of these changes.

Doctors and medical practitioners everywhere would do well to stay on the pulse of these changes. So here’s everything you need to know about technology for marketing purposes in 2014 and beyond. It will help you to inform, persuade and inspire your key constituents.

For more information on comprehensive healthcare marketing strategies that encompass cutting edge technological changes, speak with Total Medical Design today.

Human Computer Interfaces

The beloved and ubiquitous iPad has actually only been around since 2010. This was closely followed by the iPad 2, 3, 3.5, mini and so on. These touch screen devices were enormously popular. This was mirrored by the equally successful Windows 8 devices. The keyboard and mouse have become a nearly extinct add-on feature. Although they don’t look like becoming redundant anytime soon. Human-computer interfaces are the latest thing with natural and realistic integrated computers that blend the digital and real world in ever more interesting ways. Think of Google’s Project Glass, Apple’s Siri and MIT’s Project Oxygen.

This means that in healthcare, there are ever more sophisticated ways to record and store data and diagnose conditions through these intuitive interfaces. This type of technology is important for biometric sensors, geotracking and collecting patient data within a fully connected home.

Content Strategy

Although not strictly considered a technology, content strategy is vital for any healthcare organisation. It’s more like a seismic shift in healthcare marketing. For GPs and medical practitioners, content can make your business a lot more viable, valuable and visible to an online audience. The rise of content marketing is demonstrated when we look at data from Google. Research conducted showed that consumers needed on average 5.3 sources of information prior ot making a purchase in 2010. This doubled in 2011 and tripled by 2012.

The art and science of creating, managing and distributing content through cross-channel methods is going to be a big linchpin for medical businesses in 2014 and beyond. If you haven’t already initiated a comprehensive content marketing strategy, then you should get on board right away.

In terms of healthcare, there is still a conservative approach to engaging with patients and potential clients online. There are now roles created specifically for creating, managing and strategising about online content. It doesn’t need to be slow and expensive, instead it can be dynamic, targeted and effective.

The New Relationship Marketing

In the age of ubiquitous connectivity, there has become a much more urgent need to be genuine and form sustaining and long term relationships with clients. Furthermore to build a customer experience rather than simply a treatment or healthcare transaction between a doctor and patient. Although in 2014 and beyond, the movement towards meaningful engagement has become ever more prominent.

There are enormous cross-channel possibilities. Not to sell to your patients, but to inform them and provide them with treatment options and vital information that they need to make the right decisions for themselves. Although do remember that any meaningful communication should be relevant, timely, personal and genuinely valuable to them and not just to your business.

This type of relationship management that can take place in both the online and offline world will revolutionise health and wellness. It can be an important avenue for customer support and information. This can be especially valuable for chronic or serious conditions that require ongoing support and interaction.

Always remember that it’s vital to balance both customer privacy and the necessity to distribute targeted healthcare information.

The end of financial year is a brilliant time to think about reorganising and shifting focus in your healthcare business towards a much more dynamic and lean marketing strategy. For all of your healthcare marketing needs, Total Medical Design have you covered. Call us, we are here for you and can create a targeted and engaging healthcare marketing strategy to get the new financial year starting on a high note.

You’re probably used to best practice procedure is your field! Did you know that the same applies to medical website design? For every single exceptional medical website – there are a dozen drab, dull and confusing doctors’ websites!

GP’s and specialist medical practitioners in Australia rarely have time to sit down and ponder their online marketing strategy. Likewise their admin staff are completely run off their feet. However it’s vital to consider that the vast majority of Australians spend a significant amount of time online. In order to stay competitive it’s vital to have strong marketing assets.

Online marketing directs patients in much the same way as word-of-mouth marketing. Except that a well-designed website is far more attuned to the modern world. Here are some essentials for a top-notch medical or healthcare website.

1. It’s an Educational Opportunity

Many medical consulting practices view marketing and healthcare as strange bedfellows. They needn’t be such polar opposites though! A website can be both a marketing tool for a medical practice, while also being educational; providing timely, relevant information to patients.

A blog with freshly updated content about your practice,can be an invaluable part of your practice!
This can include targeted information sent to patients who need it, who can read it at their own leisure.

2. Aim for Clarity, Simplicity and Honesty

Your message should be conveyed in the most simple and clear manner through words, imagery and design. This will build trust with potential clients. Remember that good websites are primarily about the end-user and making the website or other asset as easy to use as possible.

3. It’s Not About You, It’s About the User

This word ‘usability’ is bandied about constantly in marketing circles. Basically it refers to how easy your patients find the information that they are after. The end-user of the site should be able to go onto your website and not have to think about how to use it – the website should intuitive and flow logically, following well-known design conventions. Users have an expectation that a website should be this way. When it isn’t, they will leave in an instant!

User-experience is a complicated part of web design but in essence it involves elements like information architecture, site maps, colours, typography, images and content. All of these gel together so that the person browsing the site gets what they need with as minimal effort possible.

4. Content is the Key to the Online Kingdom

As a corollary to the previous points, it’s vital to have high quality content on all of your marketing assets. This may seem resource-intensive. Initially, you may not understand the point! However it’s good quality content that is a search engine’s best friend. It’s also great for human eyes to browse. No doubt you’ve unwittingly landed on a poor site yourself, leaving hastily because of poor content.

Content resonates with patients and with the broader Australian public and says ”Hey. Here we are. We are experts who clearly know what we’re talking about.” When compared to Pay Per Click Advertising, investing in great content is a longer route but ultimately more effective method for reputation building.

5. You’re Never Done: Test, Measure and Modify

The most important thing to remember is that a website is never complete, nor is it ever static and requires no tweaking. For a doctor’s website to remain be effective, it needs to be constantly updated with fresh content and then this content tested for usability. Website analytics provide in-depth insights into how pages, pieces of content and in-bound links are performing. Along with where your audience are located, what device they are using and how well particular pages are performing. In order to improve your relative positioning on search engines and improve your relevancy to the audience, analytics needs to play a part.

6. Take an Integrative Approach

It takes more than a website to get people to know about your doctor’s surgery. A website is a great start but it’s like being stranded on a desert island without a dingy. A website without any other help will not get noticed. Think of social media as a dingy or a passing freighter. This is the way to connect your site to where all of your patients are hanging out and killing time.

Pay Per Click advertising is another way to connect the dots. It provides instant visibility on search engines and drives targeted local traffic to your site using paid ads. Email marketing is another way to reach qualified and targeted audience members, who are interested in what you have to say. All of these tools are designed to complement each other and bolster each other’s effectiveness.

For a one-stop medical marketing agency that knows how to bring out the essence of your Aussie medical practice, speak with Total Medical Design today on 1300 767 441

The internet may as well come with a ‘toxic substance’ sign attached on it and flashing lights, for all that Australian medical practices care about it! There are plenty of medical practices in Australia that are simply left behind in the race for online visibility. They prefer the old-fashioned pamphlet and phone call mode of communication with patients and potential new patients. Although this is rapidly becoming outmoded. To ignore the internet and web-based communication is to severely undermine a seismic shift in society. Here are some ways to put the buzz back into your marketing efforts, while also maintaining your credibility and authority as a medical practice.

1. Ramp Up Your Website

User experience in its simplest terms means how your audience interacts with your website. And also whether or not the audience finds the website easy and intuitive to use. Recent research by Econsultancy’s Australian User Report interviewed staff at 200 digital and ecommerce companies. 96% of these respondents thought that user experience was incredibly important for clients. However 16% of these people rated the performance of websites as poor and only 37% of them rated them as excellent.

What this means is that Aussie businesses have to make some radical changes to get their websites up to speed. Here are some basic changes that make all the difference to usability.

An easy to use online form

The online form should be easy to use. Leave out the annoying questions and keep the online form as simple as possible. Alternately you can make most fields optional. The pre-appointment questionnaire on your website shouldn’t be frustrating or long-winded for the end user. Save the lengthy form for when the new patient arrives at the practice and have to wait to see the doctor.

Prominent contact details and directions

This is an obvious one, however it’s surprising how many medical practice websites forget about the essentials, as they are waylaid with details about services and procedures. Make sure the telephone number and address are listed prominently on the website, alongside Google maps and directions via public transport and car.

Include a powerful call to action

Give visitors to the site a sense of direction by telling them what you want them to do. You want them to call, or to book an appointment or to send an email inquiry. So you should make this obvious.

Optimise for search engines

Optimise the website by using SEO keywords in the metatags and throughout the body text and titles. Consider implementing a Pay Per Click campaign in order to guarantee placement on popular search engines and to drive up click-throughs to the website.

There are of course, many more ways to optimise your website for user-experience. For more information, give us a call!

2. Go Mobile

Telstra’s Smartphone Index indicates that Australia has one of the highest rates of smart phone ownership in the world. Second only to China and South Korea, 72% of Aussies have a smartphone. According to the same research, approximately 71% of these people access to the internet via their smartphone.

So that your medical practice doesn’t miss a trick, it’s important to incorporate a mobile website that is user-friendly and optimised for various platforms like iOS, Android and Windows. Also, geo-location tracking is a critical feature. This means that when people browse for a doctor’s surgery on their phone, they will be able to find you easily.

Reboot Your Social Media

According to a recent report, 12 million Australians have an active account on Facebook. Although Facebook tends to take the lion’s share of captive audience, there are still other social media favourites. LinkedIn now has 3.7 million Australian users, Pinterest 1.7 million, and YouTube has over 11 million Australian users.

So where does this leave medical practices in terms of reaching new patients? Often in the dark unfortunately. The majority of Australian medical practices rely on antiquated methods of communicating with their patients.

Change is a good thing when it comes to social media though. It’s far more cost-effective than old methods of
marketing. It’s also far more personalised and friendly than traditional marketing. So make sure that you invest in a social media manager and integrate your social media efforts with your website. This investment will pay for itself many times over.

Revitalise Your Content Marketing

For the uninitiated, content marketing is the strategy of creating content (video, audio, text and more) that is distributed to your specific audience via various platforms (PC, mobile phone, tablet). It is created to appeal to your patients and potential new clients. Each piece of content ingeniously reflects your medical practice’s values, while also entertaining and educating your audience on topics of interest to them. It’s vitally important as this fosters brand recognition, and helps to build trust between your practice and patients.

Get premium support for your Australian medical practice with Total Medical Design today! We are the one-stop-shop for healthcare sector marketing.

References

Digital Marketing Lab; ”Australian Digital Statistics Compilation”;

http://digitalmarketinglab.com.au/index.php/2013/10/27/2013-australian-digital-statistics-compilation/ 27th October, 2013.