Data-driven marketing: Healthcare’s secret weapon for success

Marketers in the healthcare and insurance industries are increasingly harnessing the power of data collected from connected devices and healthcare-focused apps to gather valuable insights into various aspects of a healthcare payer’s health needs and consumption behaviours.

With the growing adoption of healthtech solutions such as wearable devices, healthcare management and payment apps, companies now have access to a wealth of data that can transform how they approach marketing, persona building, and decision-making in this sector.

When used appropriately and in adherence to strict privacy regulations, these insights can enhance the relevance and effectiveness of healthcare campaigns, ultimately improving patient outcomes and business success.

The role of connected devices

Connected devices, including wearable fitness trackers, smartwatches, glucose monitors, and even connected medical devices like pacemakers, collect continuous health data streams. These devices monitor heart rates, blood glucose levels, physical activity, sleep patterns, and even medication adherence. When combined with data from electronic health records (EHRs) and insurance claims, healthcare providers and healthtech companies can gain a comprehensive understanding of a patient’s health profile.

The data collected from these devices is not limited to real-time health metrics. It can provide insights into a patient’s lifestyle, preferences, and behaviours—valuable information that can be used to shape personalised healthcare experiences. Healthtech companies can use this data to identify trends, predict future health issues, and understand the kinds of medical procedures patients are undergoing. This intelligence offers tremendous opportunities for creating more targeted and relevant messaging. It goes without saying that this must be done carefully to comply with privacy regulations.

Payments and consumption insights

Healthcare payment apps can tell a marketer a lot about the healthcare payer or consumer of healthcare services—where they are spending, for what, for whom, and how often. All of this provides deep insights into a household’s healthcare consumption on a longitudinal basis—valuable to marketers looking to contextualise their marketing communication for pharmaceuticals, healthcare services, or health insurance.

When this data intersects with an individual’s financial history, employment history, and health insurance coverage, it creates a rich, composite view. Access to such detailed information is a marketer’s dream come true.

Privacy regulations

One of the primary challenges when dealing with health data is ensuring compliance with privacy laws such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) in the USA, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe, and other regional regulations. Other global standards of certifications for data security like ISO 27017, ISO 27018. and ISO 27001 regulate how personal health information (PHI) can be collected, used, and shared, making it critical for healthcare and healthtech companies to implement rigorous data protection and privacy policies.

To use data from connected devices for marketing and persona building without violating privacy regulations, companies must adhere to several key principles.

One way to ensure compliance is by de-identifying or anonymising the health data of patients. After removing personal identifiers, companies can still gain valuable insights into trends and behaviours while protecting individual patient privacy. Obtaining explicit consent from patients or users is essential when collecting and using health data for marketing purposes. This means clearly explaining how their data will be used and ensuring they have the option to opt-out at any time.

Companies should only collect and use the minimum amount of data necessary for their specific purposes. This approach not only helps in compliance but also reduces the risk of data breaches. Implementing robust security measures is critical to protecting patient data. Encryption, secure storage, and regular audits are essential to preventing unauthorised access and data leaks.

By following these principles, healthcare and healthtech companies can ensure that they are using connected device data ethically and in compliance with legal requirements. Once privacy is assured, companies can unlock the full potential of this data to create targeted messaging and build more accurate consumer personas.

Targeted messaging

The data collected through connected devices or apps offers deep insights into consumer health behaviours, which can be harnessed to craft personalised and resonant messaging. By understanding a user’s health patterns, preferences, and needs, companies can deliver relevant and timely content.

For example, a healthtech company that monitors physical activity through wearables can segment its audience based on their fitness levels and goals. This enables the company to send tailored messages, such as fitness tips, reminders to stay active, or promotions for related products, to different segments of users. For individuals with chronic conditions, the messaging could be more focused on condition management and reminders for medication adherence. A finance company can offer financial solutions that help individuals pay for their family’s healthcare in their time of need. Similarly, an insurance company that offers products that augment or enhance the insurance coverage available to the family household can make use of data-driven insights for its targeted messaging.

For instance, a pharmaceutical company could target educational content around specific health conditions to boost its drug sales. Similarly, a healthcare services brand, like a maternity care provider, could share contextual information with its target audience, such as pregnant individuals, to drive effective brand communication. The possibilities are endless.

Targeted messaging can be shaped by geographic location, demographic data, specific health concerns, income levels, and more. The personalised touchpoints across email, mobile apps, and social media increases engagement and builds trust with consumers. By delivering messaging that feels relevant and tailored to their specific needs, healthcare companies can strengthen their relationships with patients and improve adherence to medical advice or treatment plans.

Persona building

Persona building in healthcare marketing is about more than just demographics—it involves understanding the unique health journeys of individuals. By diving deeper into the data collected from connected devices, healthcare companies can create detailed, dynamic personas that reflect the full scope of a consumer’s health needs, behaviours, and preferences.

A persona might include factors such as:

• Health conditions: Whether the user has a chronic condition or is generally healthy.

• Health goals: Whether the user is focused on prevention, fitness, or managing a specific health issue.

• Behaviour patterns: The frequency and type of exercise, sleep patterns, or medication adherence.

• Engagement preferences: Whether the user prefers in-person consultations, telehealth, or mobile apps.

• Age, gender, income levels: Whether the user is of a particular age, gender and income level that is best suited for a type of offering.

These personas allow companies to craft personalised experiences and optimise their marketing strategies. Instead of a one-size-fits-all approach, they can deliver content, products, and services that are relevant to each persona’s specific needs. For example, users with a chronic health conditions might prefer receiving in-depth content on managing their illnesses, while fitness enthusiasts might be more interested in product recommendations for optimising their performance.

Enhancing decision-making

The insights gained from connected devices can not only improve targeted messaging and persona building but also influence high-level decision-making. Healthcare companies can use these insights to identify emerging health trends, anticipate consumer needs, and adjust their product offerings or services accordingly.

Moreover, by analysing the effectiveness of different messaging strategies across varied touchpoints, companies can continuously refine their campaigns. A deeper understanding of consumer behaviours can allow for precise targeting and segmentation, leading to higher conversion rates and improved patient outcomes.

Chris George, co-founder and CEO, QubeHealth.