The past twelve months has accelerated and forced almost every business to reinvent themselves, either to keep their businesses afloat or to engage their customers, employees, and vendors in new ways. Digital marketing is more important than ever as organizations endeavor to reach stakeholders on their phones, computers, and other evolving platforms to promote their goods and services.
Healthcare obviously has been impacted as well. Most hospitals and HCP offices have learned to adapt with new patient operating procedures, patient limitations, social distancing, cleaning and sanitizing guidelines, and, in some cases, more dependence on the federal, state, and local governments to help guide their business.
For 2021, we envision the possibilities of even more adaptation and innovation. As evidenced by the exceptionally rapid development of COVID-19 vaccines, the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has pressured vaccine, pharmaceutical, and other healthcare industry technologies to evolve at “Warp Speed.” Rapid change will continue as little-used technology such as telemedicine, which had struggled to gain a toehold in the care pathway, has gone mainstream in a matter of months
On the other hand, emerging technologies will rapidly gain regulatory approval and widespread acceptance in healthcare throughout 2021 and beyond. One example is novel at-home infectious disease diagnostics using established bioanalytical methods not unlike those used in over-the-counter pregnancy tests. In addition, “connected” medical devices will continue to be a vital approach as HCPs monitor their patient’s activities and treatment compliance remotely.
Although patients, HCPs, and other stakeholders have readily embraced sophisticated digital marketing and communication tools such as social media, search engine optimization, and other online digital technologies that provide access to health-related products, resources, and services, further innovation and development is still critically necessary in several areas.
Peter Worrell, National Sales Director, Artcraft Health and Gene Lysko, Medical Writer & Research, Artcraft Health
