Bridging the Gap Between Decision-Makers and Patients
Healthcare is rapidly evolving, with many thriving and innovative startups. But many startups - often focusing exclusively on the solution - misunderstand a crucial part of their challenge: the differentiation between the patient and the customer/decision-maker. This lack of clarity has far-reaching impacts on their product design, marketing strategy, and, eventually, market success.
The Patient-Payer Paradox
Normally, the customer both uses the product and pays for it. In healthcare, however, this becomes more complex. The patient generally uses the service, but the decision-makers and payers often include insurance companies, healthcare providers, and sometimes government agencies.
The Ripple Effect on Product Design
This differentiation fundamentally influences product design. Startups must consider not just the patients, their needs and preferences, but also the various other stakeholders influencing the healthcare journey. For example, most patients find telehealth to be convenient and satisfactory, but healthcare providers have been more reluctant due to concerns about data security, regulatory compliance, and reimbursement issues. The lesson here is simple: healthcare startups need to address concerns and fulfill requirements from both ends of the spectrum to succeed.
The Impact on Go-To-Market Strategy
This challenge impacts the go-to-market strategies for startups. The marketing efforts must be geared towards appealing to both patients and decision-makers, often simultaneously. Patients are primarily motivated by the quality of care, while decision-makers are driven by cost-effectiveness and system integration, as well as quality of care. Marketing efforts must underscore both quality and efficiency.
Moving Forward: A Dual-Approach Solution
Healthcare startups need to adopt a dual-approach solution – catering to the needs and desires of both the patients and the decision-makers. This approach should involve:
Empathetic Design Thinking: Startups should incorporate empathetic design thinking to understand the users' experience and align their product accordingly. Simultaneously, they should also consider the decision-makers' perspective, providing data-backed assurances of cost-effectiveness, seamless integration, and regulatory compliance.
Segmented Marketing: The messaging and communication should be segmented to appeal to both patients and decision-makers. For instance, patient-focused communication should highlight quality of care and convenience, while decision-maker-focused messages should emphasize the messages that will resonate with the decision-maker.
For most healthcare companies, if you cannot win over the decision-maker, you cannot sell your product. Your GTM and strategy must recognize this as a true core principle.
