Maximizing Urgent Care Revenue: A Strategic Approach for Flu and
Cold Season
With more than 14,000 urgent care centers vying for consumers
nationwide, how do you make your services stand out in such an intensely
competitive market? Urgent care, now a $48 billion industry, is a key component of any
health system for driving revenue and helping to bring new patients into the
system. Therefore, effective marketing of urgent care services is a strategic
necessity for health systems, particularly during flu and cold season.
Understanding Market Growth and Seasonal Demand
Starting in late Fall and lasting throughout the Winter months, the
flu and cold season brings a surge in patients seeking immediate care. An
annual pattern of consistent growth in patient visits during these peak seasons
is caused by upticks in flu, Covid-19, RSV, and other respiratory illnesses
prevalent during "respiratory season."
Additionally, endemic Covid has caused the volume of urgent care
visits to increase by about 15-20% annually across the board since the end of
the pandemic, which seems to be a stable and lasting trend, according to the Journal of Urgent Care Medicine. Overall, urgent care visits have increased more than
60% since 2019.
Targeting the Right Audience
Identifying key patient demographics is the first step in
developing personalized marketing strategies. Market segmentation allows for
tailored approaches, which increases engagement and conversion rates.
Leveraging data analytics provides valuable insights into patient preferences,
enabling targeted and effective marketing efforts.
According to the Urgent Care Association, Gen Z and Millennial
consumers use urgent care services more frequently than Baby Boomers. On
average, 36% of Gen Z and Millennials have visited an urgent care in the past six
months, as compared to 19% of Baby Boomers. Demographics in various areas may
differ, so it's best to target campaigns according to the audience's needs in
your catchment area, which can be determined by detailed, comprehensive market
analysis.
Crafting a Seasonal Marketing Strategy - Omni-channel Approach
A compelling value proposition during the flu and cold season is
centered around the convenience of immediate care for common illnesses. An omnichannel
approach, combining traditional advertising, digital marketing, and social
media, maximizes reach and engagement across all audience segments you're
targeting. Additionally, seasonal promotional offers, such as discounted flu
shots or bundled services, help to attract and retain patients.
Urgent care represents a significant savings of money and time for
consumers as compared to a trip to the emergency room. Therefore, your messaging
should emphasize the advantages of your urgent care services, such as
convenience and cost savings, plus the added benefit of proactively preventing
or avoiding an expensive trip to the emergency room, for example.
Build Community Partnerships
Collaborating with local schools and workplaces for vaccination
clinics contributes to community health while enhancing your brand visibility.
Pharmacy referral programs may also help to increase accessibility, guiding
patients to your urgent care for non-emergent needs. Strengthening ties with local
organizations through sponsorships and participation further solidifies the
urgent care center's role as a leader in urgent health care services for the
community.
Boost Patient Education and Engagement via Content Strategy
Providing relevant content regarding flu and cold prevention
positions your organization as a reliable source of practical health
information and "news you can use". Webinars, seminars, and online resources
engage the community, fostering trust and loyalty. Encouraging patients to
schedule non-urgent appointments helps manage peak season volumes efficiently.
Leverage Reviews and Testimonials
Actively encouraging satisfied patients to leave positive reviews helps
to boost your organization's online reputation. Additionally, promptly
addressing negative feedback demonstrates your group's commitment to patient
satisfaction.
Showcasing patient success stories humanizes the urgent care
experience to resonate with your audience of prospective consumers. Patient
success stories may be told and shared via owned, earned, or paid media. Video
content, TV/radio advertising, advertorials, and sponsored content in local
news are a few great ways to distribute your patient success stories to your
target audience and increase visibility and brand awareness.
Tracking and Measuring Success
Key performance indicators (KPIs) such as new and returning
patient volume, number of patients per day tracked week over week, month over
month, and year over year, online engagement, cost per acquisition per
marketing tactic, and revenue growth serve as benchmarks. Regular, periodic data
analysis is needed to assess the effectiveness of marketing strategies,
enabling informed decision-making. Making data-driven adjustments and
improvements as needed optimizes ongoing marketing efforts for long-term
success.
Strategic marketing is instrumental in growing your practice and
maximizing urgent care revenue, particularly during the busy flu and cold
season. Healthcare executives and marketing leaders should embrace comprehensive
approaches to meet seasonal demands and position their urgent care services as
essential and reliable health care resources in the community, especially
during a time of increased need.
Effective, comprehensive marketing strategies require precise execution and management of many components simultaneously. Additionally, tailoring efforts across many channels to unique market segments can be overwhelming for an in-house marketing team, especially on a tight deadline during a hectic respiratory season. The experts at CMG Health Marketing have the resources in place and the expertise to apply them to the unique needs of your target audience, without pulling your team away from other important projects. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you leverage the demand of the upcoming season to facilitate maximum growth for your urgent care services.