Healthcare-focused agencies will not only have a head start on understanding the complexities of your medical specialties, but they will also be able to help you navigate the increasingly complex requirements to safeguard patient privacy and ensure your digital front door is accessible to all.
Below, we rate the differentiators of a general digital agency and healthcare-focused digital agency and explain why each requirement is important.
| Agency Requirements | General Agency | Healthcare-Focused Agency |
|---|---|---|
| Understanding of your niche | Star IconStar IconStar Icon | Star IconStar IconStar Icon |
| Understanding of patient privacy / Potential for HIPAA breaches | Star IconStar IconStar Icon | Star IconStar IconStar Icon |
| Understanding of digital accessibility / WCAG 2.1 AA compliance | Star IconStar IconStar Icon | Star IconStar IconStar Icon |
| Keeping up with new regulation and healthcare trends | Star IconStar IconStar Icon | Star IconStar IconStar Icon |
| High quality reporting | Star IconStar IconStar Icon | Star IconStar IconStar Icon |
| Strong relationships with consistency | Star IconStar IconStar Icon | Star IconStar IconStar Icon |
| Experience in digital marketing and website development | Star IconStar IconStar Icon | Star IconStar IconStar Icon |
| Keeping up with digital industry trends (e.g. AI adoption) | Star IconStar IconStar Icon | Star IconStar IconStar Icon |
Consider the ins and outs of developing a digital strategy for a structural heart program: elderly patients, complex procedures, non-surgical approaches, advanced expertise and options for patients previously thought to be inoperable. Now think about working with an agency that already thoroughly understands that service line.
While there are many sub-specialties of healthcare, working with a web development and digital marketing vendor that has deep industry knowledge can have a significant impact on your website performance and digital outcomes, the time investment required of your team and how much it costs to execute a digital strategy.
Agencies with healthcare expertise will already be ahead of the curve on tactics that work well, and they’ll deeply understand your organization and service-lines right off the bat. Their specialized knowledge means they can develop medically accurate and patient-friendly ads, content strategies and website structures, all while requiring significantly less research time than other agencies.
There are a lot of ways your marketing efforts and your website can run afoul of HIPAA regulations. HIPAA is not only about your in-office practices but also how ePHI is stored and transmitted on your website and through your digital platforms. Even potential patients’ information must be protected. Both the media and the federal government have taken a special interest in how healthcare organizations store and use their digital data.
When it comes to online advertising, digital analytics and website communications, such as contact forms or chat features, healthcare organizations must meet different standards than other types of businesses. Understanding HIPAA well requires working with an attorney and auditing your processes regularly, which is an expense most agencies would not take on unless they specialize in healthcare.
Given that the cost of a HIPAA violation can be between $100 to $1.5 million per record, it’s critical to ensure that your marketing and website development agency knows how to protect your patients’ data.
Did you know that the Department of Health & Human Services requires that healthcare organizations of all sizes maintain WCAG 2.1 AA standards in all of their online communications channels, including their website, videos, social media and more? If the answer is no, your agency may not be properly preparing you to stay in compliance and avoid lawsuits and fines.
Digital accessibility standards have been around for some time, and many agencies know how to comply with these standards. It’s important to ask your agency if they can help you keep up with these standards on any platform that they manage. If they can’t, you may want to consider finding an agency who can, given that noncompliance can leave you exposed to legal and regulatory risk.
Healthcare progress and regulation seem to move at a breakneck pace. There’s always something new on the horizon, from privacy laws to new patient technologies. Now imagine being an agency trying to keep up with the changing pace of dozens of industries—there’s just no way to keep a pulse on it all.
As a healthcare-focused agency, Full Media works with attorneys specializing in the healthcare space, and we subscribe to many of the same publications you do: Becker’s Hospital Review, Modern Healthcare and even HHS’ newsletter. We also learn from our other clients and help roll out news or changes to our entire client base. We know that you rely on us to be your digital experts, so we aim to always stay ahead of the latest information and help your organization adapt, ensuring your website and marketing strategy remain compliant and up-to-date.
The quality and detail of reporting varies wildly across different vendors in this industry. But customized, quality reporting that actually helps you understand whether you’re moving the needle, from website traffic and conversions to patient acquisition metrics, should be a basic expectation.
While there are many agencies out there who undoubtedly have great reporting, agencies that specialize in healthcare may be able to give deeper insights. HIPAA-compliant platforms can provide a deeper understanding of your leads. Securing a Business Associates Agreement (BAA) between you and your healthcare-focused agency can also open up opportunities for you to explore detailed patient data together and determine ROI.
It’s not an uncommon story: you get started with a new agency and build a strong relationship with the salesperson or account manager. Then, that person leaves and your engagement is never the same. Agencies with low turnover that can provide a consistent and long-term relationship are unfortunately rare but so important to having a strong, strategic partnership.
At Full Media, we focus on stability over growth as a business, and we invest in our team as our first priority because we know a happy, engaged team is what creates happy clients. Other agencies certainly offer this as well, but it’s a critical area to explore as you weigh your options.
There are A LOT of digital agencies out there. Some offer comprehensive services. Some offer highly specialized expertise. You may need a few different vendors to get everything you want, but you won’t have any lack of experts out there that can help you solve a problem.
In the sales process, be sure that the vendor has fully explored your goals and needs. If the agency doesn’t have a full understanding of your organization and what it needs, the digital marketing strategy and website solutions they propose may be cookie-cutter and deliver poor results
There’s always something new emerging on the Internet. From the proliferation of artificial intelligence to the wild popularity of short-form video, there’s a lot to keep up with. It’s your agency’s responsibility to stay on top of the trends and continue adapting their approach to help you keep a cutting edge. Be sure to work with an agency that’s actively innovating and can answer your questions about the latest trends online.
We are a fully HIPAA-compliant marketing partner and website development company specializing in search engine optimization, online advertising, web design, online patient experience and analytics. Connect with us!
