Plain Talk

The healthcare industry faces numerous business challenges, from growing service lines and managing costs to optimizing operations and improving patient satisfaction. Amid these complexities, one of the most significant pain points is the industry's traditional reliance on provider‑centric metrics. Despite recognizing the need for a shift toward consumer‑centric models, many healthcare organizations struggle to implement such changes effectively. However, by leveraging consumer analytics, healthcare organizations can address these issues and drive meaningful improvements.

Site Selection and Market Planning
One of the primary challenges in the healthcare industry is making strategic decisions about where to open new facilities. Traditional site selection methods often rely on outdated metrics, leading to suboptimal locations that do not adequately serve patient needs. According to the 2023 report by Kaufman Hall report, only 28% of healthcare organizations use consumer‑centric metrics to guide their strategic decisions regarding physical footprint. This gap highlights the potential for consumer analytics to revolutionize site selection.

By leveraging consumer analytics, healthcare organizations can analyze trade areas more effectively, considering factors such as population demographics, healthcare demand, payor mix, and local competition. This data‑driven approach reduces the risk associated with new real estate investments and ensures that new facilities are placed in locations that maximize patient access and satisfaction.

Acquisition and Retention
Another significant pain point for healthcare organizations is patient acquisition and retention. The Kaufman Hall report reveals that while 72% of healthcare organizations use consumer insights to improve their marketing strategies, only 28% track potential lifetime patient value. This discrepancy indicates a missed opportunity to build long‑term relationships with patients.

Consumer analytics can help healthcare organizations identify and prioritize consumers with the highest likelihood of choosing their services. By understanding patient behavior and preferences, organizations can tailor their communication strategies to engage these high‑value patients effectively. Additionally, analytics can optimize ongoing communication programs, ensuring that patients remain engaged and loyal over time. This proactive approach to patient retention is crucial for maintaining a stable patient base and improving overall patient satisfaction.

Location Optimization
Healthcare organizations often struggle with determining the most appropriate service lines for each facility within their network. Traditional metrics fail to provide the nuanced insights needed to optimize service line offerings based on local consumer needs and existing provider supply. According to the Kaufman Hall report, 39% of healthcare organizations use consumer insights to guide decisions about the number of services offered, highlighting the need for more widespread adoption of these practices.

Consumer analytics can bridge this gap by providing detailed insights into the healthcare needs of specific populations. By analyzing consumer data, healthcare organizations can determine which service lines make sense for each facility, ensuring that patients have access to the services they need most. This approach not only improves patient care but also enhances the efficiency and effectiveness of healthcare delivery.

Overcoming Barriers to Consumer‑Centric Metrics
Despite the clear benefits of consumer analytics, many healthcare organizations face barriers to adopting these metrics. The Kaufman Hall report identifies the lack of available data or technology as the top barrier, with 69% of respondents citing this issue. Additionally, 34% reported a lack of staff or defined roles to manage these metrics, and 40% were unsure how to define and prioritize consumer‑centric metrics.

Partnering with a trusted data analytics company can be pivotal in overcoming these barriers. Such partnerships provide access to advanced analytic tools and technologies that might be otherwise unattainable. Moreover, these companies bring expertise in defining and prioritizing consumer‑centric metrics, ensuring that healthcare organizations can effectively leverage data insights. This collaboration not only fills the technology and skills gap but also accelerates the shift toward a consumer‑centric model, ultimately enhancing patient satisfaction, loyalty, and financial performance. Investing in these partnerships is essential for staying competitive in today’s healthcare landscape.

Bottom Line
By adopting consumer analytics, healthcare organizations can gain a deeper understanding of patient needs and preferences, leading to more informed strategic decisions and improved patient outcomes. Whether through optimized site selection, targeted patient acquisition and retention strategies, or tailored service line offerings, consumer analytics offers a path forward for healthcare organizations seeking to thrive in an increasingly competitive landscape.

Incorporating consumer analytics is not without its challenges, but the potential rewards—enhanced patient satisfaction, increased loyalty, and better financial performance—make it a worthwhile investment. As the healthcare industry continues to evolve, those organizations that embrace consumer‑centric metrics will be best positioned to meet the demands of today’s healthcare consumers.

Buxton is the leading customer analytics firm that helps organizations identify who their customers are, where those customers are located, and the value those customers have to the organization.

2651 South Polaris Drive
Fort Worth, TX 76137
1-888-2BUXTON

buxtonco.com

Feature Articles

If you have an opinion on the retailing or retail real estate industries, take this opportunity to share your thoughts. Articles should run between 400 and 800 words. Topics can, be general in nature, consumer observation or specific to retail concepts or practices.

Articles will be posted for at least one week and will then be placed in the Editorial Archives. All articles submitted will be read and considered but we cannot guarantee publication. Each published article will carry the submitters byline (if desired) and is a free service to our community.

Article ideas and suggestions are also always welcomed. Contact PVS@PlainVanillaShell.com