In the latest of issue of MM+M, Barbara Peck reports that healthcare inequities are still a
major pain point within the industry, and that issue extends into the marketing of healthcare as well. With the pandemic spotlighting the significant health disparities that affect black and brown communities more severely, marketers need to change how they market to their customers in a way that is not just effective, but is inclusive of everyone.
Julia Kim, VP of Business Development at TelevisaUnivision says “That (the pandemic) was a wakeup call to the pharma industry… they need to do more to reach those communities and have their messages resonate – not just advertise to them…”. Before the pandemic, there was little push or pull in the way of diversifying advertising content, as healthcare was very much based on in-person care. The pandemic has driven the rise of virtual care, where much of what was done in an office can now be done through a phone or video call. However, in black and brown communities, in-person care facilities are not as trusted as other services within their neighborhoods. Healthcare marketing should be focused on building back that trust, and virtual care creates an option for communities that tend not to engage with traditional healthcare.
Pharma companies need to consider the value of spending on specific diverse communities, and Lili Gil Valletta, Founder and CEO of Cien+, has found that it is almost always worth the investment. When looking at the total patient population, if you are not hyper-focused on a specific group where a large portion of patients are, you’re missing an entire c
ustomer segment that could be reached. “There’s been a misunderstanding that working on diverse initiatives was an altruistic project, but in fact it’s good for business, too,” Valletta states. “People in healthcare shouldn’t be afraid of delivering what’s both good for society and good for the bottom line. And when you do those in tandem, it becomes sustainable.”
You can read the full article HERE
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