Sample Integrated Marketing Campaign: Patient Portal

Sample Integrated Marketing Campaign for Clinic’s Patient Portal

Late in 2023, I led an integrated marketing campaign to increase patient usage of T.H.E. Health and Wellness Centers’ Patient Portal. My goal was to educate patients about the portal’s benefits and to promote the Healow app as a convenient tool for managing healthcare which would also improve allocation of staff resources for the clinic.

By creating bilingual materials, multi-channel messaging and emphasizing key placement of print and digital assets throughout multiple clinics, I ensured this campaign was delivered to an optimal percentage of T.H.E.’s patients. The result was a 25% increase in sign-ups for Patient Portal usage within the first three months of the campaign rollout—exceeding expectations and improving patient engagement. The campaign’s success demonstrates the impact of inclusive and strategic marketing.

Campaign Elements

After conducting a survey of other promotions by clinics, I settled on a campaign that:

  1. led with the benefits to the consumer (time-saving convenience)
  2. centered the patient as the one making empowered choices with the slogan “your health in your hands” (strength-based messaging)
  3. culturally and visually reflected the diversity of the community being served
  4. was placed at the most opportune places where messages would be seen in print and on digital media

1. Website Banner and Dedicated Page

  • Website Banner: I created a web banner prominently featured on the T.H.E. homepage that auto translates into Spanish if that is the preferred language of the user, linking to a dedicated web page with more information to the consumer about the benefits of using Patient Portal which included a link to sign up and the code necessary to be linked to the T.H.E. platform.
  • Patient Portal Page (View Page):
    • Content: an image of a woman holding her smartphone directly to the viewer with a QR code that leads to the Healow app, followed by one simple paragraph: “Patient Portal is where you can go online and order prescription refills, check lab results, make appointments, check on referrals, and send questions to your provider — all from the convenience of your phone or personal computer. Download the Healow app and sign up today.” with links to the app and the English and Spanish flyers as supporting graphics, reinforcing signage in clinics.

2. Flyers and Posters

  • Bilingual Content: Using Canva again, I designed flyers and posters in English and Spanish and ensured they were placed in high-traffic clinic areas (at check-in and all exam rooms)..
  • QR Codes: Each flyer and poster included QR codes that linked directly to the app.

3. Videos for Clinic TVs

  • Bilingual Production:
    • Using Canva again, I created English and Spanish versions of the videos to cater to our patients’ language preferences.
    • The videos were 1 minute each in on smartphones in waiting rooms, this aspect of the campaign provided at least one opportunity per visit to notice the screen, the benefit message of saving time, the empowerment message of “Your Health in Your Hands?, followed by the QR code prominently placed with clear call to action and the key to connect all in one video which was cross-posted to socialmedia.
  • Placement: These videos played on TVs at all clinic locations during patient wait times. The videos were 1 minute each in length and looped back to back during 15-minutes blocks of programming controlled by T.H.E. and orchestrated by me. With the majority of patients on smartphones in waiting rooms, this aspect of the campaign provided at least one opportunity per visit to notice the screen, the message of saving time, the empowerment slogan of “Your Health in Your Hands?, followed by the QR code prominently placed with ts clear call to action and the key to connect all in one video which was cross-posted to social media.

4. Social Media Campaign

5. Staff Newsletters Messaging

  • Staff Education: To encourage staff to actively promote patients to sign up for Patient Portal, inconsecutive staff newsletters I created copy and bullet points on how patients using the Patient Portal also benefits both staff and T.H.E.

6. Community Newsletter Messaging

  • Reaching out beyond the clinics and social media: I included news promoting use of Patient Portal to our web-based email subscribers through Constant Contact which routinely garnered above average open rates.

7. Direct Email to Patients

  • Bilingual Emails: I sent personalized email messages in both English and Spanish to active T.H.E. patients (seen in the last two years) through T.H.E.’s eClinicalWorks EHR system.

Campaign Outcomes

Quantifiable Results

  • Benchmark Goal: I aimed for a 15%-20% increase in Patient Portal registrations (1,800-2,400 new users from T.H.E.’s 12,000-patient base).
  • Actual Results: The campaign achieved a 25% increase, adding 3,000 new users, with strong engagement from Spanish-speaking patients.

Engagement Metrics

  • Website Traffic: The bilingual website banner drove a significant increase in page views for the Patient Portal page.
  • Social Media: Bilingual posts saw high engagement, with shares and comments from both language groups.
  • Patient Feedback: Patients appreciated the clear bilingual materials and the ease of using the portal.

Qualitative Feedback

  • Patients: They valued the inclusive language options and relatable imagery.
  • Staff: They reported positive interactions with patients due to accessible and helpful materials.