Strategies for Bridging the Healthcare Disparity Gap

Featuring: Bonnie Ward, Market Director, Marketing and Communications, CHI St. Vincent

In today’s ever-evolving world, the issue of healthcare disparities continues to affect communities far and wide. Despite advancements in medicine and technology, a significant portion of the population still struggles to access high-quality healthcare, leading to a persistent imbalance in well-being and health outcomes. As we strive towards a more equitable society, it is crucial that we explore innovative and resourceful strategies for bridging the healthcare disparity gap.

Listen to Bonnie Ward, Market Director at CHI St. Vincent, and Alan Tam, Chief Marketing Officer at Actium Health, as they discuss the complexities behind this pressing issue as well as proven strategies to help reduce health disparities affecting people of different races, genders, and socioeconomic backgrounds.

5 Key Takeaways:

1. Research. Conduct research on your intended audience through methods such as focus groups, social media platforms, colleagues, and other sources to gain insights into their preferences. Discover their preferred communication styles, terminology, and imagery, as well as any additional cultural considerations.
2. Audience. To identify your target audience, it is recommended to access patient data from your EMR. By utilizing patient data, you can create specific audiences based on various factors like insurance type and location. Incorporating AI or machine learning propensity models can further refine your audience and identify high-risk patients who require specific types of care such as endocrinology, cardiology, mammography, and more. It is important to consider all available information when identifying your target audience.
3. Communication. It is essential to provide health education and information that is relevant to your audience while avoiding being excessively personal or tailored. Educating on good health practices, like how to detect potential heart conditions, without directly saying that the recipient is at risk is a great way to go. Furthermore, when sending direct mail, it is advisable to address it to ‘anyone at this address’ instead of using a specific name. Exercising caution while disseminating information helps avoid offending your audience.
4. Metrics. It is crucial to consider the downstream revenue of an organization when evaluating campaign return on investment (ROI) rather than just focusing on clicks or form fills. For example, one CHI St. Vincent initiative, which involved the launch of a Heart Smart screening program, offered comprehensive heart screening to low-income individuals for a small fee. Despite setting a target of 100 registrations, the program managed to surpass expectations with 300 registrations in a month. Eighteen percent of registrants needed follow-up cardiology care.
5. Strategy. To address health disparities in their communities, health systems should begin by utilizing their existing resources. They should also allocate a portion of their budget to provide care to communities with limited access to medical facilities. To effectively reach these communities, healthcare professionals should put extra effort into planning and execution. By working together, we can create a fair and healthy future for all.

Alan Tam

Chief Marketing Officer at Actium Health
LinkedIn: Alan Tam

As the Podcast Host for Hello Healthcare and Chief Marketing Officer at Actium Health, Alan is on a mission to help healthcare accelerate their digital transformation and advancement of the healthcare consumer experience. Through story telling and sharing insights from innovative healthcare leaders, Alan is hoping to drive meaningful impact and change to healthcare one conversation at a time.

Consumer experiences, major disruptors, and AI tech are shaping healthcare for years to come. On Hello Healthcare, we dive deep on these issues with leaders who are driving change. We hope that their stories will drive you to demand or create a better future. Available to stream on all major listening platforms under Hello Healthcare Podcast and Healthcare NOW Radio.

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