By John Smith
The term "accountable care" grew out of studies at Dartmouth Medical School which tracked the variation of quality and cost of care across the United States. Their findings showed that cost and quality were not always in alignment and that regions that spent a lot of money on healthcare did not always reap the benefit of high quality. Hence accountable care became a fitting and useful lens through which to view healthcare delivery across the country.
It is also a useful lens for medical device companies to view their customers in a new healthcare environment. While every device company takes great pains to describe itself as a valuable partner and its products as critically beneficial to its key customers, companies’ narratives typically articulate how its products are patient- and physician-friendly, and ensure targeted and specific therapeutic answers to difficult and sometimes life-threatening circumstances. In the new healthcare environment, it will also be necessary for medical device companies to communicate to its customers that they can help them achieve the broader goals associated with Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs).
Positioning and messaging that reflect the values of accountable care and that are distributed through multiple marketing disciplines can help a device company educate its customers by broadening its messages to include achieving this new mandate of Healthcare Reform. And taking an integrated approach to communications regarding accountable care can be very effective. Integrated marketing communications has become a primary strategy in an overall marketing approach as the world of media has dramatically changed. Positioning and messaging in this new media environment has become more critical than ever. Media advertising has given way to multiple forms of communications. So called mass media has been broken up into specialized niche markets designed to target specific audiences. The consumer or end user is more in control of the information he or she accesses than ever before.
There is also unlimited 24/7 access to media and information via the Internet. Consequently, a device company’s message and brand must be reflected in its Web site design, including landing pages that enable select audiences to pinpoint the information they need; the right advertising in the right media; a public relations program targeted to the right online and offline media at the right time; a social marketing strategy and approach that utilizes the growing cadre of social media blossoming on the Web; thought leadership vehicles to elevate a company’s brand; and effective collateral to bolster the sales effort. All these channels become important communications streams that offer device companies enhanced opportunities to deliver messages on accountable care and other areas surrounding health reform.
For example, for products enabling hospitals and physicians to assess data that clearly demonstrates prevention and the promotion of wellness, it will be important to highlight those qualities as it will mean increased revenue streams for hospitals and gains sharing for physicians. Companies that provide data, either through devices or through software solutions, should articulate not only the benefits to the patient and outcomes, but benefits as they relate to promoting well-care and prevention. These qualities will become increasingly important as Accountable Care takes hold in the next few years.
In short, a medical device company’s positioning and messaging gives it a chance to enlarge its value to its key customers and audiences. This perception of augmented value will, in turn, lead to increased sales and a closer partnership between company and customer.
My next blog will discuss how a website design can reflect not only a medical device company’s brand, mission and values, but also broaden its value appeal.
John Smith, a Vice President at Dodge Communications, has more than 20 years healthcare communications and marketing experience with life science, medical technology and healthcare companies. He has developed and overseen program planning, communications and marketing strategy, media relations, positioning and Medicaid reimbursement programs for therapeutic, biotechnology and medical technology clients while serving as senior vice president and healthcare practice leader in the Boston offices of Fleishman-Hillard, Manning Selvage & Lee and Brodeur Worldwide. John can be contacted at jsmith@dodgecommunications.com.