Loyalty programs in healthcare: Nudging patients towards better health outcomes

The development and execution of effective loyalty programs in the healthcare/health tech sector have gained pace over the past few years as more companies seek to build trust and meaningful relationships with their customers. 

Partially, this is because the Covid-19 pandemic altered the way we live. We continue to work, shop, eat out, and travel but we're more conscious and concerned about our health than ever. When people value health, their expectations for quality healthcare services — including prevention measures and effective treatment — rise to a whole new level. 

In this blog post, we'll cover:

Healthcare belongs to the category of “high-involvement services”, in which consumer engagement is exceedingly high. Because of this, healthcare services are able to benefit from high consumer engagement rates if they think about loyalty in an innovative, systematic way. 

As a result, a strong loyalty program can help brands across the healthcare sector to:

Although the relative rate of customer engagement is high, not all healthcare users approach service providers in the same way. According to a Deloitte survey, 

The results of the above survey highlight two key areas which can be addressed by an effective loyalty program:

The healthcare industry is facing the emergence of a new generation of patients who are more educated and smart about their health. This primarily owes to two key paradigm shifts:

Although customer loyalty can help the healthcare industry build lasting trust with patients and decrease costs in a significant way, the use of loyalty programs is by no means widespread in this sector. This suggests those who now consider executing a loyalty program can become future loyalty leaders, retaining current customers and attracting new ones. Here are some insights for different players in healthcare. 

Hospitals and clinics are still the main touchpoints in the customer healthcare experience. However, patients are increasingly demanding quality customer journeys from these providers. Health is a uniquely personal topic, and by providing a personalized and empathetic experience, healthcare firms can ensure repeat business. The following loyalty solutions can help hospitals and clinics stand out from the crowd by building trust and relationships with customers:

Health insurance providers can respect their customers’ financial and non-financial concerns by developing cutting-edge loyalty programs. These loyalty schemes can:

TK (Techniker Krankenkasse) is the largest health insurance fund in Germany. TK rewards customers through its app if they accomplish a certain TK-fit challenge. The points they collect can then be redeemed as a discount on purchases from a wide range of brands. Health insurance companies can also integrate counseling vouchers and gift cards into their loyalty schemes — because mental health is now a growing concern for people. 

Technological solutions ranging from blockchain and artificial intelligence to big data analysis and advanced sensors have prompted a surge in the number of startups that provide advanced, digitized health services. These companies seek to provide fast and equal access to healthcare services for all patients. The headless code model of healthcare startups allows them to integrate API-based loyalty solutions into their tech stack. 

The French health-tech startup, Doctorlib, creates a platform for all its users to have fair and transparent access to a large number of physicians and clinics. Loyal consumers can get diet and exercise instructions based on their height and weight on Doctorlib app, along with other tailored experiences. 

Digital therapeutics (DTx) is a growing trend in the health-tech sector, utilizing digital health technologies to treat a medical or psychological condition. The treatment focuses on behavioral and lifestyle changes.

The tech capacity of this treatment method enables companies to increase the engagement of patients by sending hyperpersonalized messages to their users. Moreover, they can create a seamless customer experience by creating links between all touchpoints (app, website, social media pages, etc.). 

As consumers/patients demand quality, transparent and personalized healthcare, the companies operating across this sector need to reconsider their customer engagement strategies. In a context marked by increasing competition and vigilant, educated patients, nurturing loyal and healthy consumers requires an effective loyalty program that persuades patients towards better health outcomes and gives the service provider its competitive edge. 

Not only health-tech startups but also many established healthcare organizations are turning to digital to stay competitive. The digital transformation is key to the development and implementation of impactful loyalty programs. 

Talon.One’s software solution integrates seamlessly into your company’s tech stack, enabling you to run countless promotion campaigns with minimum set-up and maximum efficiency. From coupons and gift cards to digital wallets, bundling, and geofencing, you’ll future-proof your loyalty campaign because you have all loyalty features at your fingertips.