Marketing ethics have been a topic of debate in healthcare for years. Can healthcare organizations, hospitals, and practices really feel good about spending advertising dollars to attract patients? Shouldn’t patients naturally drift towards quality organizations?
In today’s changing world of healthcare, some form of marketing is almost a requirement. Gone are the days when patients chose the closest hospital or practice. And gone are the days when physician referrals guaranteed appointments.
Still, we occasionally hear concerns about marketing ethics in healthcare, especially as organizations are just starting out. Let’s take a look at where that thinking comes from—and how ethical healthcare marketing can actually make a difference in a patient’s life.
Why Ethical Standards in Healthcare Shifted
Healthcare marketing faced major obstacles as the business of healthcare shifted in the 1970s. No longer were patients primarily physician referred; they began to choose healthcare based on preferences. Public relations departments were common amongst large provider organizations and hospitals in the 1970s, as were informal promotions such as sponsored seminars and community events. Still, few organizations found ways to utilize marketing to gain recognition in their communities.
That is until 1980, when the Federal Trade Commission ruled that the AMA’s ban effectively restricted trade in the medical field. Today, the marketing of pharmaceuticals is still tightly controlled, while physician boards continue to provide ethical standards for marketing hospitals and practices. However, it is much easier for healthcare organizations to establish themselves through the wide variety of traditional and digital marketing and advertising platforms available today.
Medicine Is a Profession—Healthcare Is a Business
Facebook. Google. Bing. Yahoo. Television. Radio. With so many options available for healthcare marketing today—and so many of your colleagues (and competitors) already taking advantage—fear of marketing ethics stands in the way of helping patients get the care they need.
Online search dominates the market when it comes to finding healthcare needs. For the most part, prospective patients will simply move on if they can’t find your practice online. And unless your organization actively builds brand awareness (through online ads, mailers, etc.), you can rule out referrals altogether.
Patients will likely move on to another mode of treatment or another organization. And they may miss out on treatment altogether if healthcare options aren’t presented at the right time. Assuming you offer great care, don’t you owe it to your patients to help them stay educated and confident that your organization is the right choice?
Medicine is a profession. Healthcare is a business.
You’ve invested time and money into your organization. You deserve to be seen within the community you serve. And prospective patients deserve to know how to find the high standard of care you offer. Whether or not you are physician referred, patients will likely search for your organization first to feel confident you are the right choice for their healthcare needs. You owe it to yourself and your patients to provide accurate information and marketing that guides them to the best choice.
How to Ensure You’re Marketing Ethically
Still worried about ethically marketing your organization? Remember, you’re helping your community find the healthcare they need when they need it. That said, there are some specific guidelines recommended and/or enforced among most physician groups worldwide.
Follow any and all marketing and advertising guidelines set forth by your medical boards. For example, some boards do not allow testimonials to be displayed on a website.
Remain HIPAA compliant and cover all your legal bases when using actual patient information.
Avoid superlatives like “best,” “most effective,” or anything you cannot prove.
Do not use any wording that promises results you cannot consistently deliver.
Don’t disparage other providers or claim that other fields of medicine or other doctors are inferior. Prove your value through your own expertise and skill.