Healthcare Content Strategy: The Importance of Patient Education
Long gone are the days where doctors do house visits to families that do not know what peniccilin is...
The doctor/patient relationship has changed from deferential submission to a robust back-and- forth engagement. The medical practitioner will always be the expert and source of knowledge for the patient (obviously). But the more the patient can know about their health, recovery, and improvement… the better.
Hence, a contemporary emphasis on patient engagement, which is "a planned interactive learning process designed to support and enable expert patient to manage their life with a disease and/or optimize their health and well-being” (source).
Most health practitioners know that patient education improves the health of individuals and reduces dependence on the U.S. medical apparatus. But less understand that patient education is ALSO is a marketing tool that leads to better financial outcomes for doctors, clinics, and offices!
Because not only well-informed patients are empowered patients... leading to better healthcare outcomes and improved well-being...but it also means they understand your value and will ask about your other services.
This post is about understanding the value of patient education is one thing. The next one will be about implementing it within a diverse marekting strategy.
The Core Beliefs Behind Patient Education
(I'm going to quickly identify all the main ideas before expanding on a few of them).
Health Literacy: the capacity and availability of patients to seek, understand, and act on health information. It gives potential patients valuable insights into health conditions, treatment options, and the importance of preventive care. This helps them understand their health needs and encourages their proactive engagement, rather than mere passive acceptance.
Practitioner Ethical Responsibility: “Health literacy is the primary responsibility of physicians, given that it is physicians who determine the parameters of the health interaction, including physical setting, available time, communication style, content, modes of information provided, and concepts of sound health care decision crafting and acquiescence” (source).
Patient Consent: It is both legally and morally important that the patient know enough about a procedure or health plan to be able to make a reasoned decision to agree to it.
Shared Responsibility: A doctor cannot heal a patient against their will, and a patient cannot merely will themselves to health. Both must work together and accept thier responsibility to make lasting change a reality.
Self Efficacy: Its the confidence to succeed in specific situations or accomplish certain tasks. In healthcare, it is the belief that one can handle things like sticking to a treatment plan, making lifestyle changes, or managing symptoms.
The Importance of Patient Consent
On the one hand, every single person that gets a procedure or receives medication signs their name stating that, yes, they are willing participants. But in a broader sense that is not what "patient consent" means.
Patient consent is not just agreeing, but KNOWING enough to rationally comprehend options and explain a choice. Patients aren't just making decisions... they are making INFORMED decisions (Informed consent = patients feel you've provided the information they need to make informed decisions)(source). And for patients to be able to do that, they need to be educated.
Admittedly, this can be frustrating. Nobody with a PHD wants to repeat the same thing over and over to a patient isn't the brightest bulb, especially when said PHD-recipient has a schedule that is packed from dusk 'til dawn. The educational process is a PROCESS, and for some people that process is not linear, efficient, or sensical.
But without it, people don’t really know what will happen to them… or what their alternative options are.
Duel Responsibility = Patient Ownership
When patient consent is taken seriously... when patients have understand where they are at... and what they are getting themselves into... then their decision making has been empowered. And once they feel like an empowered decision maker, then they will have OWNERSHIP over whatever plan or route is taken towards their better health.
Now, this does not mean that the healthcare provider abdicates their responsibility. Rather, the relationship has turned into a "partnership" between a physician and patient requires dual responsibility: "Physicians have a duty to inform patients how to achieve health and wellness, and patients have a responsibility to act on the information provided in their best health interest" (source). But now that the patient is a partner following a plan they helped put together, they are much, MUCH more likely to follow through with that plan.
Self Efficacy for Long Term Success
When you put everything together... when patients have a A) high health literacy because B) health care providers have informed them and given them responsibility so that C) they can rationally consent to their health plan...
Then the patient is much more likely to have high "self-efficacy".
Self efficacy means that the patient believes that he plan will work and that they are able to follow the plan.
Its not too daunting...
its not too difficult...
its not too demanding…
THEY CAN DO IT
The patient trusts that it is the best plan for them and that they have the power to put that plan into action. Because self-efficacy is based on feelings of self-confidence and control, it is a good predictor of motivation and behavior, and people are more likely to adopt a health behavior if they think they will be successful in doing it.
Self efficacy extends beyond the planning stage and requires encouragement and reinforcement throughout the extent of the healing or recovery process:
Patients need to be reminded of their goals through... patient education.
They need to have their fears and worries relieved through... patient education.
They need examples and models from people with similar problems through... patient education.
They need the complex to be simplified and communicated in digestible stages through... patient education.
Whether it be decision making or execution, patient education is woven into every state of a patients health journey.
An Illustration of How Powerful Patient Education Can Be
Let's use flossing as an example...
Just about every dental visit, the dentist hovers over a person with a big bright light and asks: "have you been flossing?" This is set up like an interrogation, and so its no surprise that 27% of people lie. But even if they tell the truth, the dentist usually just reprimands them: "Well... you REALLY shoooooould".
And thats it... thats been the extent of patient education for decades.
And guess what?
Only 31% of americans floss daily.
Do you think that number would go up if they dedicated 10 minutes of a dental visit to patient education about flossing?
Videos and pictures comparing flossed vs not-flossed mouth
An info graphic showing how plaque builds up over time
Explain that flossing is actually more important than brushing.
Offering small steps to move from flossing once a week to every two days.
Explaining the financial costs of having oral surgery
Asking truly curious questions about why they do not make time to floss
Offering other flossing methods they might not know
Having them sign up for automated text alerts to help them floss.
10000% yes.
And while that dentist might miss out on all that payday from surgery, they will gain WAY more paydays as that customer refers the dentist to their friends, explaining how credible, knowledgable, and just downright GOOD they are at dentistry... and how they turned their flossing life around!
How Patient Education Lays the Groundwork for Marketing
Now, let’s get to the point: why is patient education important in healthcare marketing?
Enhancing Patient Engagement and Compliance
Effective patient education stops problems from multiplying. When patients join in exploring health education materials, they feel more in control of their health. Think of it as giving them a map to make their healthcare journey easier. Also, when patients are involved, they are more likely to follow your advice: filling their prescriptions, keeping their appointments, and adopting healthier habits. Which means they are more likely to see RESULTS and see you in a positive light.
Building Trust and Credibility Among Patients
Trust is essential for a strong doctor-patient relationship. Providing patients with complete and current information shows that you are not hiding anything from them and helps build that trusting atmosphere. Family physicians or dentists in particular build long-term, trusting relationships with patients and their family’s, providing opportunities to encourage and reinforce changes in health behavior. And with trust comes long term commitment from entire households for decades of their life.
Establish Your Authority and Expertise
By showcasing your knowledge through informative content, you can build trust and credibility among your patients and fellow healthcare practitioners. Sharing valuable insights, backed by evidence and expertise, positions you as a thought leader and solidifies your reputation. By becoming a reliable source of health information, you enhances your brand’s local reputation, extend your brand awareness on top of connecting with your patients.
Conclusion: Better Patient Education = Better Results = Better Business
Through patient education, you have the cornerstones of any effective healthcare marketing strategy:
Proof… people will become your patients and, since they actually follow through, they will see results.
Credibility… upon seeing results, they will know your are credible and inquire on your other services.
Authority… everything you say checks out, and they will view you as the best in their area.
In other words, they will know that what you do works. And if this one thing worked for them, then other stuff you do will probably work for them too. And if the stuff you do works for them, it will probably help other people they know too…
Patient education ensures success which in turn leads to strong, organic customer retention and acquisition. Not to mention its impact on your websites SEO if you publish it as content.
Patient Education is the pillar that holds up the best healthcare SEO customer acquisition strategies.
But what is healthcare content? And how do you write it? Or more importantly… what mistakes do you want to avoid?
THAT is the subject of the next couple of posts.
