With the new Apple Watch making waves in the technology world, it’s becoming clear that the wearables craze isn’t dying down anytime soon. In fact, wearables are on their way to being more than just a tech trend – they’re set to be one of the next big healthcare trends, too. Already, devices like Fitbit are measuring users’ activity levels to help people stay healthy. But, we have the ability to measure so much more – things like heart rate, blood pressure, and even blood sugar levels can be measured by different types of wearables. And, as even more wearable technologies are developed, the fad has the potential to change how healthcare marketing, and healthcare itself, work.
One of the biggest potential changes that wearables could bring is allowing healthcare organizations to send out highly targeted medical content as part of their healthcare marketing strategy. If a patient’s blood pressure increases, the device could send them an article with simple tips to lower blood pressure. This would be the ultimate content marketing in healthcare – offering the information only when it’s most useful. Not only would content like this be incredibly beneficial for patients, it could also position your healthcare organization as a thought leader in the industry.
Certain types of wearables might also be able to determine whether medical advice is being followed. And, if it isn’t being followed, it might help healthcare providers design treatment plans that can be adapted to the patient’s lifestyle and increase the chances that the patient will follow through with the treatment.
Doctors would also be able to better diagnose patients based on a more comprehensive understanding of their recent symptoms. Instead of relying on hazy memory, a doctor could access accurate data and use it for a diagnosis.
By using data collected from wearables, your healthcare organization could be on the forefront of new and exciting changes in medical marketing. But, there are still challenges that need to be overcome – and they mostly center around the collection and protection of patient data. Before any of this can begin, healthcare organizations need to ensure that their interpretation of the data will be consistent and accurate. And, while surveys found that some patients would be willing to let healthcare professionals see the collected data, not every patient agreed. Not to mention, the patients that opt in would obviously expect a high level of security for their personal data.
Although it may take some time for wearables to reach their potential for use in healthcare and healthcare marketing, the trend seems to be headed in that direction. And, understanding the reasons behind how and why wearables will revolutionize healthcare marketing can give your healthcare organization a head start.
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