26Nov

The healthcare industry has witnessed a significant shift towards telehealth in recent years driven by advancements in technology and the need for accessible healthcare solutions. Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated this trend, highlighting the importance of remote medical services. As a result, the demand for telehealth professionals has surged, creating both opportunities and challenges for the healthcare sector.

We connected with Victoria Ceballos, Senior Recruiter on our Healthcare team to explore the growing demand for telehealth services and the challenges in meeting the demand. We also discussed strategies to address the shortage and the future of telehealth recruitment.

The Growing Need for Telehealth Services

Telehealth encompasses a wide range of services, including virtual consultations, remote monitoring, and digital health education. This approach not only improves patients’ access to care but also enhances the efficiency of healthcare delivery. With an increasing number of patients seeking remote medical assistance, the need for skilled telehealth professionals has never been greater. According to Statista, “In 2024, there were over 116 million users of online doctor consultations worldwide, up from around 57 million in 2019.”

Victoria Ceballos, Senior Recruiter on our Healthcare team highlighted telehealth has revolutionized the industry saying, “Telehealth has revolutionized our industry. Traditionally, case management roles, particularly utilization review and management, were conducted in person. However, telehealth now enables professionals to handle these tasks more efficiently from home. This setup minimizes the distractions typically encountered in an office environment, allowing workers to use their time more effectively and process more cases in a single day than they could in person.”

Challenges in Meeting the Demand

Despite the growing demand, the healthcare industry faces several challenges in meeting the need for telehealth professionals. One of the primary issues is the shortage of trained personnel. Many healthcare providers are still adapting to the technological requirements of telehealth, and there is a pressing need for specialized training programs to equip professionals with the necessary skills.

A survey by the American Medical Association found that, “…70.3% of physicians worked in practices that used videoconferencing to provide patient visits but only 59.1% had personally conducted a videoconferencing visit.”

Strategies to Address the Shortage

To address the shortage of telehealth professionals, several strategies can be implemented:

  • Enhanced Training Programs: Developing comprehensive training programs that focus on telehealth technologies and best practices can help bridge the skills gap. These programs should be integrated into medical and nursing curricula to prepare future healthcare providers.
  • Continuing Education: Offering continuing education opportunities for current healthcare professionals can ensure they stay updated with the latest telehealth advancements. Online courses, workshops, and certifications can be valuable resources.
  • Collaboration with Tech Companies: Partnering with technology companies can provide healthcare institutions with the tools and expertise needed to implement effective telehealth solutions. These collaborations can also facilitate the development of user-friendly platforms for both providers and patients.
  • Policy Support: Government policies and regulations play a crucial role in promoting telehealth. Supportive policies can encourage the adoption of telehealth services and provide funding for training programs and infrastructure development.

The Future of Telehealth Recruitment

As telehealth continues to grow, so will the need for specialized talent. Collaboration between recruiters, educators, and healthcare providers will be key to ensuring a robust pipeline of skilled professionals ready to shape the future of care.

Victoria added, “Many people take breaks from their daily routines to raise families or find a better work-life balance. Telehealth allows workers to achieve both, resulting in happier employees. It also enables individuals to extend their careers, with some professionals even delaying retirement. Telework offers the flexibility to continue working without the physical demands they may no longer manage. Understanding where your candidate is in their life and building a relationship with them allows the recruiter to not only match them with the right job but also to act as a career coach.”

Telehealth isn’t just a trend—it’s the future of healthcare. By addressing the growing demand for talented professionals, the industry can continue to deliver innovative and accessible care to patients everywhere.

Feb 26, 2024

The Essence of Marketing Strategy: Driving Business Success

In the intricate world of business, a marketing strategy serves as the cornerstone upon which companies build their path to success. But what exactly is the marketing strategy, what are the different types of marketing strategies, and how does it work? In this article we’ll explore these questions and delve into the essence of effective marketing strategies.

What is Marketing Strategy?

According to Investopedia.com, “A marketing strategy refers to a business’s overall game plan to facilitate the buying and selling of its products or services. A marketing strategy determines how to reach prospective consumers and turn them into customers. It contains the company’s value proposition, key brand messaging, data on target customer demographics, and other high-level elements. A thorough marketing strategy covers the four Ps of marketing: product, price, place, and promotion.”

Types of Marketing Strategy

Types of marketing strategies include:

  • Social Media Marketing
  • Search Engine Optimization
  • Pay Per Click (PPC)
  • Email Marketing
  • Content Marketing

How Does it Work?

A marketing strategy functions as a road map that guides all marketing activities and initiatives. It begins with a thorough understanding of the target market – their needs, preferences, and pain points. Based on this understanding, the strategy defines the positioning of the company’s offerings and determines the most effective channels and messages to reach the target audience.

Key components of a marketing strategy include:

Market Segmentation: Identifying and segmenting the target market based on demographics, psychographics, and behavior.

Value proposition: Articulating the unique value that the company offers to its customers and differentiating itself from competitors.

Channel selection: Choosing the most appropriate marketing channels to reach the target audience, such as social media, e-mail marketing, content marketing, or traditional advertising.

Messaging and Creative: Crafting compelling messages and creative assets that resonate with their target audience and communicate the value proposition effectively.

Measurement and Analysis: Establishing key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the success of marketing efforts and continuously analyzing data to optimize performance.

In conclusion, understanding marketing strategies, its types, and how it works are vital for business success, enabling companies to drive growth and engagement effectively.  

Feb 27, 2024

The Essence of Marketing Strategy: Driving Business Success (Part II)

With a grasp of the fundamental concept of Marketing Strategy, let’s explore its advantages in more detail and uncover the steps to effectively craft one.

Benefits of Marketing Strategies

  • Clear Direction: A well-defined marketing strategy provides a clear roadmap for achieving business objectives. It aligns marketing efforts with overall goals, ensuring that every action contributes to the company’s success.
  • Customer Engagement and Loyalty: A strategic approach to marketing fosters deeper connections with customers. By understanding their needs and preferences, companies can tailor messages and experiences that resonate with their audience, leading to increased engagement and loyalty.

Marketing Stratego also highlights a few benefits including:

  • “Increased Brand Awareness: A strong marketing strategy helps increase brand awareness by promoting the business’s products or services to the target audience. This, in turn, leads to more recognition and recall of the brand, which ultimately leads to more sales and customer loyalty.”
  • “Increased Sales and Revenue: A well-designed marketing strategy leads to increased sales and revenue by attracting more customers to the business and increasing their willingness to purchase. This can be achieved through effective targeting, promotions, and other marketing efforts.”
  • “Better Customer Targeting: A good marketing strategy helps businesses understand their target audience and create campaigns that are relevant to them. This leads to more effective and efficient marketing, as businesses are able to reach their target customers more effectively and achieve better results.”
  • “Competitive Advantage: A strong marketing strategy can give a business a competitive advantage by differentiating it from its competitors. By creating unique and effective campaigns, businesses can stand out in their market and attract more customers.”
  • ‘Improved Lead Generation: A good marketing strategy helps businesses generate more leads by promoting the business’s products or services to the target audience. This leads to more opportunities for businesses to convert those leads into customers and increase their revenue.”
  • “Improved Brand Image and Reputation: A well-designed marketing strategy helps improve a business’s brand image and reputation by creating positive associations with the brand. This, in turn, leads to increased customer loyalty, as customers are more likely to do business with a brand they view positively.”
  • “Increased Market Share: A strong marketing strategy helps businesses increase their market share by attracting more customers and retaining existing ones. This, in turn, leads to increased revenue and growth for the business.”
  • “More Effective Use of Resources: A good marketing strategy helps businesses make the most of their marketing budget and resources. By identifying the most effective channels and campaigns, businesses can maximize their return on investment and achieve better results.”
  • “Better Return on Investment (ROI): A well-designed marketing strategy helps businesses achieve a better return on investment by increasing sales and revenue and maximizing the use of resources. This, in turn, leads to increased profitability and growth for the business.”

Now that we’ve highlighted the benefits of a marketing strategy, lets’ explore the process of creating an effective one.

According to Hubspot.com, here are the eight steps a company should take during the marketing strategy process:

  • Conduct market research: “…you need to gather useful data for making informed decisions. Market research is like playing detective, but instead of solving crimes, you’re uncovering juicy details about your customers. Market research will help your businesses make data-driven decisions for your marketing strategy. It also makes it easier to understand your target market, find gaps, and make the most of your resources.”
  • Define your goals: What do you want to achieve through your marketing efforts? Whether it’s increasing brand awareness, driving sales, or diversifying your customer base, well-defined goals will guide your marketing strategy.”
  • Identify your target audience and create buyer personas: To create an effective marketing strategy, you need to understand who your ideal customers are. Take a look at your market research to understand your target audience and market landscape. Accurate customer data is especially important for this step…”
  • Conduct competitive analysis: To begin your competitive analysis, start with your top competitors. Reviewing their websites, content, ads, and pricing can help you understand how to differentiate your brand. It’s also a useful way to find opportunities for growth.”
  • Develop key messaging: Craft compelling massages and creative assets that effectively communicate your value proposition and resonate with your audience. Ensure consistency in messaging across all channels to build brand recognition and trust.
  • Choose your marketing channels: You know what you have to say, now decide on the best marketing channels for your message. Your top goal for this stage of your strategy is to align your channel choices with your target persona’s media consumption habits. Start with media channels you’re already using. Then, consider a mix of traditional and digital channels such as social media, TV, email marketing, podcast ads, SEO, content marketing, and influencer partnerships. To streamline this process, think of your assets in three categories — paid, owned, and earned media.”
  • Create, track, and analyze KPIs: At this stage, you’ll shift from marketing detective to numbers nerd. With a little planning and prep, your analytics can unveil the mysteries of marketing performance and unlock super insights. Review your strategy and choose measurable KPIs to track the effectiveness of your strategy. Create a system that works for your team to collect and measure your data.”
  • Present your marketing strategy: A finished marketing strategy will pull together the sections and components above. It may also include: Executive Summary, Brand Identity, and a Marketing Plan and Tactics”