How Healthcare Providers Can Use Email to Increase Patient Engagement

Boost patient engagement through personalized, accessible, and compliant email strategies for healthcare. Learn best practices to improve satisfaction and outcomes.

In today's digital age, email remains a vital tool for communication between healthcare providers and patients. Effective use of email can enhance patient engagement, leading to better health outcomes and improved patient satisfaction. By adopting best practices in email marketing, healthcare providers can foster stronger relationships with their patients, ensuring timely communication and personalized care.

Ensuring Deliverability and Compliance

One of the foundational elements of a successful email strategy is ensuring that emails reach the intended recipients. Email deliverability can be compromised if providers do not adhere to proper authentication protocols. As discussed in the podcast "Email's Not Dead" from Sinch Mailgun, authentication protocols like DMARC, SPF, and DKIM are crucial for building trust with email service providers and patients alike.

"When you look at that past, we look at the history, there was a lot of people reporting in, throughout the past years, what they had been doing and, and what they're emailing practices look like and, or, you know, what they were just doing and not improving on any practices when it comes to best practice type stuff."

[Email's Not Dead from Sinch Mailgun]
Podcast Cover Photo

Implementing proper email authentication ensures that patients receive legitimate communications from their healthcare providers, reducing the risk of important emails being marked as spam or being intercepted by malicious actors.

Personalization and Relevance

Patients are more likely to engage with emails that are relevant and personalized to their specific health needs. Personalization can range from addressing patients by their name to tailoring content based on their medical history or upcoming appointments.

As emphasized in the discussion between the hosts of "Email's Not Dead":

"We want to make sure that we're respecting the recipients on our list. And if they don't want it, they don't want it. Let's remove them, let's concentrate on the people that are there and that'll usually help increase in a better way with more visibility landing in the correct folders, it being in front of the right people so that we're getting that return on investment still, right?"

[Email's Not Dead from Sinch Mailgun]
Podcast Cover Photo

By focusing on patients who are interested in receiving communications and tailoring messages to their needs, healthcare providers can increase engagement and improve the effectiveness of their email campaigns.

Accessibility in Email Design

Ensuring that emails are accessible to all patients, including those with disabilities, is essential. Accessible email design considers factors such as font size, color contrast, and readability, making it easier for patients to consume the information provided.

In the "Email After Hours" podcast episode titled "Reading Between the Lines: The Art of Accessible Email Design and Content," guest Michael Knapp emphasized the importance of accessibility:

"For me, it boils down to the most important thing, and it's empathy in terms of making sure that your emails are accessible and available to everybody."

[Email After Hours: The Podcast for Email Senders]

By designing emails that are accessible, healthcare providers ensure that all patients, regardless of their abilities, can access important health information and updates.

Avoiding Common Pitfalls

Healthcare providers must avoid common email marketing pitfalls such as purchasing email lists or sending unsolicited emails. Doing so can damage trust and lead to decreased engagement.

As discussed in "Email's Not Dead":

"Some of the things that we saw that were exciting in there, or was kind of like, not exciting, but also surprising was how honest folks were in there just telling us like, hey, yeah, I think we purchase our lists, you know, the wrong thing, just throwing it all out there, just doing it wrong and just proud of it."

[Email's Not Dead from Sinch Mailgun]
Podcast Cover Photo

To maintain patient trust, it's imperative to build email lists organically by obtaining explicit consent and providing valuable content that patients look forward to receiving.

Staying Updated with Technological Advancements

The world of email marketing is continually evolving with new technologies and practices. Healthcare providers should stay informed about these changes to enhance their communication strategies.

As one of the hosts from "Email's Not Dead" mentioned:

"A I is really big right now. I think, I haven't seen anything but like A I updates for all the things, you know, so excited to see how email fits into that world..."

[Email's Not Dead from Sinch Mailgun]

By embracing new technologies like AI, healthcare providers can further personalize and optimize their email communications, leading to greater patient engagement.

Conclusion

Email remains a powerful tool for healthcare providers aiming to increase patient engagement. By focusing on deliverability, personalization, accessibility, and staying abreast of technological advancements, providers can enhance their communication strategies. Building trust through ethical email practices ensures that patients remain informed, engaged, and connected to their healthcare journey.