Words Matter- How Does Your Hospital Content Speak to and Motivate the Patient?

Image by Rudy and Peter Skitterian from Pixabay

 

Words are important, and that is something that I can think we can all agree on. Just as important is the context and tone of the writing. How a hospital uses and presents the written word, printed, on the website, emails, and text messages can significantly influence a positive or negative perception of the brand.

Words can drive an individual to take action, become motivational, inspire, and in some cases, in the contextual environment communicated become life-changing. And we all know that words can unintentionally, by use and connotation, reach a high giggle factor, be read as condescending, and raise more questions than answers. In some cases,words conveying a position on a topic become oxymoronic, resulting in a negative brand image.

With that in mind, how would you rate the hospital or health system use of words?

Image by Fathromi Ramdlon from Pixabay

An important question as I see hospitals using words missing understandable context. Information on a page intending to convey a message, but essentially communicating features, not value. I increasingly see the use of jargon, or the other extreme, dumbed down to become condescending in tone hiding meaning. 

Creative marketing communications are needed to convey information in a content friendly, quickly understood contextual setting, in a tone that will motivate the reader. The correct word usage, tone, context, and design moves from a "nice to know" patient reception to an "I need to take action" reception.

The real question at hand is how do you convey information? Is the content full of medical jargon? Has the content been so dumbed down that it appears condensing to the patient? What do those words mean by the tone and context for an emotional response?  Do they raise more questions than they were intended to answer?  

Image by Tumisu from Pixabay

A hospital prints in an advertisement that we are patient-centered, and it's all features. The question then becomes, what does the patient think of and/or accept/reject in that statement?  Is the patient's reaction I get it because everyone else makes that statement, so how are you different? Or, how do I, the patient, benefit from what the hospital just communicated?  Is patient-centered claims an oxymoron based on the person's experience?

Words matter.

Let us consider the health system that opens a new physician and diagnostic center, for example. The only thing one reads about in the newspapers or hears in radio interviews with leadership, and sees in the advertisement are words defining the building as convenient location and patient-friendly. Generally, the communication lacks content and context regarding the quality of care or price.  

Take a step back, and ask yourself what words are conveying why the patient should seek medical care?  Answer the most intuitive questions of the patient, what is the benefit and value?

Words and their meanings matter, especially in a healthcare ecosystem overturned by the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in how patients access care, the pandemic fear in returning, telemedicine acceptance, and the acceleration of medical care innovation, allowing the patient more choices in accessing affordable and convenient medical care.

At some point, the patient will find the benefit when we use the right words to convey the right message, at the right time, in the proper context. 

Michael is a healthcare business, marketing, communications strategist, and thought leader. As an internationally followed healthcare strategy blogger, his blog, Healthcare Marketing Matters, is read in 52 countries and is listed on the 100 Top Healthcare Marketing Blogs & Websites ranked at No. 3 on the list by Feedspot.com. Michael is a Life Fellow, American College of Healthcare Executives. An influencer in healthcare marketing strategy, communications, digital marketing, and social media, Michael is in the top 10 percent of social media experts nationwide. For inquiries regarding strategic consulting engagements, you can email me at michael@themichaeljgroup.com. 

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The opinions expressed are my own.