The Impact of Mobile on Healthcare
A few months back, I was sitting in the emergency room with my parents when the ER doctor asked my mother, “what other medications is he on?” referring to my father. As she scrambled to
search for the lengthy list, I wondered, two things: why aren’t all his multiple medical records linked digitally yet? and why rely on a piece of paper, when her phone is in her lap? This
experience was a personal reminder of the impact and opportunities presented by mHealth (Mobile Health) which is becoming a central focus for
the health care industry.
Widespread
adoption of mobile devices (smartphones and tablets) among patients, caregivers and Health Care Professionals (HCPs) presents a unique opportunity to impact patient care and influence positive
outcomes. The technical power, potential and the intimacy attached to this screen demands
new rules, solutions and thinking from brands as to how they view their roles in developing solutions and
applications for healthcare.
Mobile devices are obviously used for entertainment, connection and education. They are increasingly being used to track health-related behavior, such as
exercise, weight loss, blood pressure and calorie intake. Significantly, they are also being used by HCPs for professional purposes – in between or during patient consultations for information
and diagnoses.
The mHealth (Mobile Health) industry is exploding with developers and publishers proposing solutions for patients and caregivers utilizing the power and personalization of
mobile. Yet many marketers are in the early stages of developing purpose-built solutions for these devices, or just dipping their toes
into advertising on mobile. It is time for pharma marketers
to start keeping up with our customers! The content being consumed, search behavior, and app interactions are unique to each device. So, a “one size fits all digital” really doesn’t
apply.
Think New Media Opportunities
We should be cautious to think of it as another, smaller ad opportunity.
As media buyers, we have to (re)invent. We have to be
bold in approaches and test engagement and invent new pricing models. We have to work with publishers on pricing and inventory. When looking at channel mix, how do we justify time spent on a device
vs. media spend when the creative is not optimal?
Think New Creative - The implications on creative is significant. Many marketers have moved quickly from mobile friendly, to mobile
optimized. Responsive design can be used to deliver better information but we can’t just transfer all content or solution to mobile unless it is truly designed for mobile. Resizing existing
creative to fit a tablet or smartphone isn’t exactly the answer due to both the smaller size and regulatory limitations in our industry. Just like the web itself, we should think of our creative
in terms of providing tangible value for mobile, not only in terms of messaging. The opportunities for engagement are incredible.
Think Integration. Don’t think of yet another
separate strategy for mobile. These platforms need to quickly be integrated into a broader communication plan, not as one-offs. Fit the pieces together and have them support one another. For example,
creating content to specifically influence point-of-care
conversations that end up in a real dialogue about care between a patient and a physician.
The opportunities to improve
healthcare through mobile are immense. They will add great value to healthcare marketers’ relationships with our customers. But we have to invent, integrate and think specifically for these
devices. Hopefully one day soon my mother will download that note app for her smartphone.
Christopher Andrew, Senior Vice President – Media, Digitas Health
Recent Future of Media Articles
-
Why the Digital Advertising Industry Needs to Stop Complaining Oct. 2, 4:27 p.m.
For far too long, the digital advertising industry has been griping about how it’s an afterthought ...
-
Frictionless Sharing 2.0 Oct. 2, 4:18 p.m.
We focus on multiplatform convergence, fragmented attention, and precise audience targeting when we talk about the ...
-
The world's gone mobile; it's time advertisers followed Oct. 2, 3:26 p.m.
For the last two years, there have been more mobile phones shipped in America than there ...
-
You Say You Want A Revolution Oct. 2, 1:38 p.m.
You say you want a revolutionWell, you knowWe all want to change the worldYou tell me ...
-
The Future of Radio Oct. 1, 2:47 p.m.
If the past can be helpful in predicting the future, then there’s one thing we can ...
-
Consumers Not Technology Oct. 1, 2:44 p.m.
A common belief is that technology will shape the future of media. I’d argue that the ...
-
A New Balance of Power Oct. 1, 2:39 p.m.
With new technological possibilities and new habits of media engagement entering consumers’ lives, we are seeing ...
-
The Impact of Mobile on Healthcare Oct. 1, 2:36 p.m.
A few months back, I was sitting in the emergency room with my parents when the ...
-
To Engage with Consumer, Brands Stop Following Them Sept. 28, 2:24 p.m.
We’ve watched consumers pave the way for brands on the Internet for years.First, wherever eyeballs flocked ...
-
Using The History Books as Our Crystal Ball Sept. 28, 2:20 p.m.
Surprisingly, the two driving forces that have most shaped media consumption and distribution over the past ...
Be the first to comment on "The Impact of Mobile on Healthcare"
Leave a Comment