3 Strategies for Reaching Senior Patients

Many patients age 65 and over still rely on word-of-mouth, print, and direct mail as the primary ways to learn about their healthcare options—something hospital marketers need to keep in mind.

Grandparents of yesteryears were known for pinching cheeks, smelling faintly of mothballs, and handing out off-brand hard candies. Today, many grandmas and grandpas don't have time for any of that, because they're too busy playing with their iPhones.

In 2013, 77% of seniors owned a cell phone and 59% reported using the Internet, according to Pew Research. More affluent seniors were more likely to be connected, with 90% of those with an annual household income of $75,000 or more reporting online use.

However, while more seniors than ever are going high-tech, digital marketing messages don't always resonate with an older audience. While many people aged 65 and over will use the Internet as a secondary source of information, most rely on word-of-mouth, print, and direct mail as the primary ways to learn about their healthcare options—something hospital marketers need to keep in mind when appealing to this growing demographic.

Here are three ways organizations are successfully reaching today's on-the-go seniors.

1.Creating a Senior-Friendly Patient Experience

Flowers Hospital in Dothan, AL, is one of the latest in a growing number of organizations to create a senior-friendly emergency room.

The 235-bed hospital has updated each of its 25 emergency department rooms to include amenities that will make the ED experience more comfortable for seniors, who make up more than 45% of emergency visits. Every room now boasts beds with thicker mattresses that are easier to adjust, reclining chairs, and televisions with easy-to-use remotes. Older patients get priority for larger rooms, which have reclining chairs for visitors as well.

"Most senior patients have a caregiver with them," Pam Cole, RN, director of Flowers' emergency department, told the local press. "Usually, the caregiver is senior as well, so we want to make it as comfortable an environment as possible, and sometimes even in the emergency room, you do have a wait. It takes time to run tests, to get a diagnosis, so therefore we do have a recliner and comfortable seating."

Thanks to this sort of attention to detail, the senior-friendly ED is sure to improve positive word of mouth and increase brand preference for the hospital.

2.Rewarding Patient Loyalty

A great way to boost positive word of mouth and patient loyalty among seniors is through rewards programs.

Washington DC-based George Washington University Hospital's Senior Advantage program is one of the most robust ones I've seen, offering free screenings, discounts, and VIP services. Members receive free hearing screenings, a physician referral line, financial counseling, discounts on prescriptions and at the cafeteria and gift shop, and VIP hospital treatments such as gourmet meals, daily newspapers, and a private room with a plant.

Members also receive a free subscription to The Senior Advantage News, a quarterly magazine that can be read in print or online. Patients who use the internet can sign up quickly and easily online.

Programs like this build a relationship with senior patients and creates brand ambassadors who will spread the word about all of the extras your organization has to offer.

3. Face-to-Face Meetings with Seniors

Like loyalty programs, senior-specific events and workshops can help build relationships between your hospital and older patients.

California's Healdsburg District Hospital runs a Seniors Live Well program, a wellness club that helps inform and empower older patients to make the best healthcare decisions. Past presentations have covered a range of topics, from memory to diabetes to heart health. For the digitally connected senior who missed an event, videos and PDFs of past presentations are easily available on the hospital's website.

Flowers Hospital offers a similar program for seniors that dovetails into its senior-friendly emergency department effort. The hospital also runs a series of courses called the "Senior Track," which covers a variety of healthy living topics to educate older adults. The series features guest speakers such as pharmacists to nutritionists, and cover topics ranging from medication to fall prevention and balance to healthy eating.

Educational events like these open a dialogue with seniors and lets them know the hospital cares about their wellbeing, whether they're hospitalized or not.