For local and regional health systems, how do you win in a highly competitive landscape? Smaller systems face unique challenges—from smaller budgets to competing with a well-known AMC down the road. Join us as we tackle these issues AND share top takeaways hot off-the-press from HMPS 2023.

Learn more about the Value Attack

Calling all data lovers, health tech marketers, and the AI-curious: this episode is for you. We got to nerd it up at ViVE 2023 last week, diving deep into health tech. With Amazon Pharmacy's roll-out, shifts in care delivery, and thousands of AI point solutions: is healthcare getting easier to manage, or more complex?

Six key themes from SXSW:The pace of innovation is acceleratingStorytelling matters more now, than everPatients are still profiles, not people—and that must changePhysicians are experiencing a dethroningBe fearless. Be bold.Generative AI is here to stay.

Primary Care is changing. That's an understatement. Consumers are popping off about struggles with traditional Primary Care, so new entrants are popping up to fill those needs. Meanwhile, health systems are re-envisioning primary care as a funnel into specialty care. And last week, Amazon launched One Medical nationwide on its homepage. With all this movement—what does the future look like—and how can your primary care offering show up? Join us for a fiery debate (and let us know if you agree or disagree). Also... hear our hot take on the virality of Ozempic. We couldn't help ourselves.

Quest for Sleep - https://shortyawards.com/15th/the-quest-for-sleepBreast Health Check https://www.webershandwick.com/work/a-love-hate-relationship/

Revive Names Chris Bevolo Chief Executive OfficerBevolo brings 20-plus years of healthcare industry leadership, previously serving as Revive’s chief growth & brand officer

The headlines and newsfeeds are buzzing about all things ChatGPT... is it here to stay? Is it ethical? Will it come for our jobs? Our healthcare and tech strategists dig into the practical use cases for generative AI, along with what the future holds.

Examples Discussed:The Making of “Better Days”, A One Medical Song CollaborationWant Better Help from Better HelpThe Greatest from AppleHeadlines Shared:TechCrunch - Seen at CES: Nuralogix uses AI and a selfie to measure your heart rate, BP, body mass, skin age, stress level and moreFierce Healthcare - JPM23: Carbon Health nabs $100M, CVS Health partnership to pilot primary care in retail stores

What will 2023 bring for healthcare marketers? We may be in a post-pandemic world, but with rising media costs, generative AI, and bubble-up culture—the “no normal” will continue. Join us for our predictions for the year ahead.

Excuse our puns, but we had the nicest conversation with Chase Cleckner, Senior Engagement Marketer at Nice Healthcare. Nice is an integrated primary care clinic that comes to you, offered through employer benefits programs. Chase dropped ALL the gems about creating a better patient experience, engaging patients digitally, and creating content that meets folks where they are—and shared his predictions for 2023

Healthcare industry insiders typically view 'healthcare' and 'wellness' as two completely separate markets. But consumers see things differently. How can healthcare organizations push into wellness—and offer the services and marketing initiatives that consumers crave, while also serving the financial needs of the US healthcare system? Join us while we untangle this chaos.

The HLTH conference just wrapped up in Las Vegas, and our team was on-the-ground, soaking up insights about the next decade of healthcare. Join us to re-live the conference—from the strobe lights and morning mimosas to three key themes we heard from leaders at health brands like Walgreens, Amazon, CVS Health, Walmart, Geisinger, and more.

What do booze-less drinks, pickleball, and exclusivity all have in common? They're three cultural trends that health brands should know about. Join us as we dig into these rising trends and changing tides—and also sort out the Elon-Twitter-Kanye-Parler situation.

Halloween may be behind us, but there's plenty to keep us fully spooked. Join us as we take a hard look at growing societal trends—from climate change to inflation to lifestyle shifts. One thing is for sure... things are STILL not normal.

Last year, we predicted three trends that would impact healthcare in 2022: health sensors, telehealth, and politicization. Hear what we got right—and wrong—as we look back over the year so far.

TakeawaysObstacles left and rightIt’s challenging to sell bold marketing ideas anywhere, but the nature of health systems and their power dynamics make it especially difficult.Health system leaders are predisposed to resist the unknown – the risks – because they deal with life and death every day. What makes them good at their jobs is, in many ways, the opposite of boldness.Given differences in expertise between marketers and senior health system leadership, marketers must also overcome a large understanding gap. The more you know about the marketing craft, the more difficult it becomes to explain to non-experts. In his book, To Sell Is Human, Daniel Pink calls this phenomenon “attunement.” Strategies for selling bold marketing ideasMaster your storyMarketers need to build stories that compel their leaders to take a chance on bold marketing, much of which has to do with perception.For example, in 2017, scientists found that they could increase the quantity of fruit and vegetables consumed by creating a dedicated space in shopping carts for fruits and vegetables. In response, the average consumer purchased more fruits and vegetables because they were psychologically nudged in that direction.Marketers can nudge leadership teams to take specific actions by giving them options. Like pricing tiers, you can bring the whole set upwards in boldness by offering three options knowing the middle one is most likely to be picked.However, when presenting options, never offer an option that you wouldn’t be comfortable executing because sometimes that is the option that your audience picks. Recruit influencersA way to build confidence in those you’re trying to influence is through social proof.To sell bold ideas, health system marketers need to understand which parties influence key decision-makers. In many systems, physician and service-line leaders are key influencers.Chris gives the example in which one of our clients loved a bold concept presented to them but needed to sell their organization on the idea. One of the system's top neurovascular surgeons stumbled upon the campaign concept and raved about it. Since this individual generates so much revenue for the health system, his opinion drastically influenced the CEO’s decision to accept the idea. Express limitationsPhysicians are natural skeptics because their practice centers on science. Marketing doesn’t always inspire confidence because not all marketing is based on science.When presenting bold ideas, don’t be afraid to acknowledge the limitations of your research and hypotheses. By not having all the answers, health system marketers can increase their audiences' receptiveness. Selling bold ideas in practiceVCU Health is an academic system that runs on its own authority, which is unique because most are run by the state.VCU Health hired Revive to help their team fight vaccine hesitancy in Virginia. Our research showed three populations that were particularly hesitant – young, Black, and Hispanic populations. These groups didn’t feel like the vaccine was for people like them.To resonate with these hesitant groups, Revive created the campaign, This Sh*t Matters, placing a heart over the third letter of “Sh*t” to indicate a double entendre. The campaign featured members from each of the hesitant communities and why the vaccine mattered in their life.While Revive came up with the idea, VCU Health’s Chief of Marketing, Cynthia Schmidt, championed and sold the idea internally, tapping into both university, hospital, and peer influencers prior to pitching to senior leadership.These glowing endorsements gave her the credibility she needed to get approval to launch “This Sh*t Matters” out in the market.When crafting her story, Cynthia appealed to the topic that was top of mind across the system: a huge increase in the number of young people in the ICU. Cynthia crafted her story based on this priority, communicating that VCU’s mission is lived out in the moments when they step up to do something bigger and bolder. The juice is worth the squeezeWhen your ideas are bold, others start to help you out. There were so many people who wanted to take part in the campaign or lend their expertise/resources.For example, sports stadiums opened up extra media placements within their stadiums, people called into radio stations requesting to tell their story for why This Sh*t Matters.There’s a newspaper in Richmond that got a note from a complainer who said, “this isn’t worthy of a newspaper like yours.” The newspaper responded by saying that they believe in the work and its mission.Vaccination rates increased within the community after the launch of the campaign. The campaign also demonstrated a competitive business impact.

Amazon announces another learn and pivot with the shutdown of Amazon Care and Google launches a people-first approach to searching with their new helpful content update. Also health care patents have entered the metaverse.

With one eye always on the headlines, our team talks through the hottest news and trends in healthcare and marketing. Join us for moves in telehealth, social media, healthcare workforce—and fall vibes.

The crew discusses how to overcome challenges as a marketer to support your organization’s workforce crisis. Also, big changes to the show plus monkeypox and chatbots.

In this encore, Stephanie shares updates on the health brands that have caught our attention, and which ones will keep it for the remainder of 2022. The No Normal Team has come up with a list of three to share. Driven my big thinkers and bold doers, the health industry continues to change rapidly.

Learn more from our recent blog Addressing health equity starts with trustAnswering the health equity wake-up callThe trust gap is growing, and systems need to build trustRedefining “community” and how systems show up in the communityMarketing’s Role in Health Equity

Des and Chris discuss the importance of rebuilding trust and closing the health gap. Also - the Emmys: in a world of This is Us, be an Abbott Elementary.

Hear the crew talk about the fifth and final prediction of Joe Public 2030, Disparity Dystopia. While the outlook isn’t good, we still have some optimism about it. Also - Lizzo, July 4th jamz, Elton John, and Lee Hazlewood.

How does code-switching impact healthcare? Listen to the crew discuss the impact of euphemisms, altered mannerisms and other ways people have to code-switch in our world. Also, Cannes Cannes Cannes!

Will the politicization of healthcare wane as Covid-19 disappears? It doesn't seem likely. This week, our hosts discuss issues from aging to mental health to drug use, coming to the conclusion that there will be no shortage of political healthcare controversies anytime soon. Tune in to hear the discussion. On a lighter note, our hosts also debate "The Politics of Dancing"

In this episode of the No Normal Show, we discuss a few topics that are top of mind for many right now, including the latest legislation trends regarding reproductive rights, anti-trans bills nationwide, and providing the treatments that patients demand. Also, for our bonus content, Top Gun: worth the hype?

Your organization's number one challenge today may be your number one opportunity as a marketer. Workforce issues are the most important and pressing topic facing health organizations today. In this week's podcast, we talk about the skillset that marketers can bring to the table to help tackle the challenge. Also, a little bonus content: Johnny Depp v. Amber Herd — make it make sense.

Hear the discussion on three ways health systems are moving forward to address health equity, and our top episodes from our favorite TV show, Atlanta.

Apple, Amazon, Optum, and Walmart — four disruptors causing pain for legacy health systems. Also, Dolly Parton…Mexican Pizza.. And TikTok.

What overturning Roe v. Wade could mean for providers

Resources:Shift Documentary: “Who Cares: A Nurse’s Fight for Equity”Joe Public 2030 LinkedIn GroupJoe Public 2030 Book

ResourcesWendell Potter's book and New York Times Best Seller, Deadly Spin.Joe Public 2030 LinkedIn GroupJoe Public 2030 Book

ResourcesWhy investors are pouring billions into primary careJoe Public 2030 LinkedIn GroupJoe Public 2030 Book

ResourcesOne Medical  increases bookings by 20% Walmart increased the flu vaccination rate by 6.8% with SMS

ResourcesWhat is Web3?The Latecomer’s Guide to Web3The Latecomer’s Guide to NFTsThe Latecomer’s Guide to DAOsThe Latecomer’s Guide to DeFiHackers hit popular video game, stealing more than $600 million in cryptocurrencyApeDocs – An NFT project for healthcare workers, made by a team of doctorsJoe Public 2030 LinkedIn GroupJoe Public 2030 Book

ResourcesJoe Public 2030 LinkedIn GroupJoe Public 2030 Book

ResourcesJoe Public 2030 LinkedIn GroupJoe Public 2030 Book

Service-line marketing without service lines? Heart care marketing without heart care month? Hear the No Normal crew talk about how personalized marketing is upending longstanding healthcare marketing practices.

Telehealth. AI. Blockchain. No, not the ingredients for buzzword soup, but the foundational elements of Joe Public 2030's Copernican Consumer — a tech-enabled consumer who commands their own health universe. Hear The No Normal Show team discuss each of these "secret ingredients," where our industry stands relative to each, and what needs to happen to make the Copernican Consumer a reality. And, get the scoop on Amazon's next step toward building a Copernican Consumer future with Echo and Teladoc.

ResourcesJoe Public 2030 LinkedIn GroupThe Copernican ConsumerJoe Public 2030

TakeawaysObligatory Super Bowl commercial commentaryJoanne's favorite advertisements were Amazon's "Mind reader" ads for Alexa. She found it funny, albeit slightly alarming, as many already feel like Alexa can read their minds.Stephanie liked Coinbase's advertisement because it was a rare instance of a TV ad directly driving conversions. The ad was so successful that it resulted in millions of landing page hits in the first minute. Unfortunately, the app crashed momentarily due to a sudden influx of users. You can read about the campaign from the perspective of Coinbase CMO Kate Rouch in this blog.Chase liked how Toyota's "Keeping up with the Jones" spoke to multiple generations by starring famous "Jones" personalities from different decades.Chris' least favorite ad was "Old friends, new fun" by Meta because he felt like the narrative painted a depressing depiction of the future through the lens of Oculus headsets. Why Joe Public 2030Joe Public 2030 is officially available for shipping on Amazon. If you'd like a copy of the book or would like to learn more about the book, check it out here.If you have thoughts on Joe Public 2030 or would like to discuss the predictions in-depth with fellow industry experts, the Joe Public 2030 LinkedIn group is a great starting point. Bring your ideas to the table, put ours on the chopping block, and dig into shaping what's next.Joe Public 2030's five predictions are based on insights from 250+ resource citations and interviews with 20+ industry experts. These projections do not work in perfect harmony with each other – and that's intentional. We wanted to paint an unbiased picture of the future that isn't anchored by a singular prediction or trend.It's important to think about the future even if it seems daunting because it plants seeds of thought that grow into action and equip us to navigate the future. Right now, hospitals and health systems are moving full steam ahead, trying to manage the pressures of today, a fact that can't be ignored when discussing ways health systems may need to future-proof their organizations.Joanne shared a quote from Jim Collins' book, "Good to Great" to demonstrate the urgency of healthcare's transformation for health systems: "You must never confuse faith that you will prevail in the end, which you can never afford to lose, with discipline to confront the most brutal cracks of your current reality." How do Joe Public 2030's predictions fit together?Copernican Consumer + Disparity DystopiaIn the Copernican Consumer, the book predicts that AI, blockchain, and sensors will enable consumers to make their own decisions regarding their health. How will these new technologies impact health disparities in the U.S.? The "haves" will gain access to new technologies to improve their health, while the "have-nots" will continue to struggle to meet basic health needs.Disparity Dystopia predicts that unless a "moonshot" initiative happens in the U.S., health inequities will worsen over the next decade.The technologies that enable precision medicine like personal health monitors and genome-testing are incredibly costly, potentially exacerbating health inequities. Copernican Consumer + The Rise of Health Sects + Constricted ConsumerismThe Rise of Health Sects predicts that mistrust of experts and political tribalism in the U.S. could result in multiple health sects that coalesce around political/worldviews and depend on "alternative facts."If consumers are increasingly enabled by technology rooted in mainstream medicine, how might health sects and their alternative medicine continue to exist? This question shines a light on the contradictory nature of some of our predictions.Similarly, the Rise of Health Sects may result in factors that contradict Constricted Consumerism because more health sects would offer consumers more worldview-specific options for their healthcare. Copernican Consumer + Constricted ConsumerismWhile Copernican Consumer promises a future of personalized medicine and personal health management, Constricted Consumerism posits that consumer choice in healthcare may actually be in jeopardy as payors become more selective in the services they choose to reimburse – specifically in costly higher-acuity settings.This sort of payor "choosiness" has long been in motion. Before the pandemic, payors selectively reimbursed virtual care. This stinginess gave way to needs brought on by the pandemic.Many payors still do not reimburse mental healthcare even though society is in a mental health crisis.With more healthcare industry entrants vying for lower-acuity services, the top of the funnel is becoming more accessible and less cost-prohibitive.The splintering of health ideologies already exists but may worsen over time, making it difficult for hospitals and health systems to provide clinically sound care to fragmented communities.The danger is that we're being lulled into believing these changes aren't happening or are happening incrementally. The pace of change propelled by technology will usher in a new reality that could make or break health systems' ability to survive.

TakeawaysPeloton spinning outAfter a blowout year, many (including The No Normal Show team) had high hopes for Peloton. Unfortunately, the exercise equipment and media company has hit several bumps in the road over the past few months that have the world questioning if the pandemic darling will survive.Rumors are swirling around that Amazon, Apple, or Nike may purchase Peloton, but as of the recording of this show, no official bid has come through.Peloton's yearly earnings are actually very strong. The problem resides on the expenses side of the balance sheet. From a per-employee standpoint, Peloton has less revenue per employee than comparable companies.While heavy investments in product, operations, and brand have produced a world-renowned customer experience for Peloton, these investments may not be sustainable for the fitness giant.In an era of unknowns and rapid change during the pandemic, the stock market spiked for many digitally-based companies. Some posit that these spikes were unnatural, and falling stocks are merely a sign of a stabilizing market. What are retail media networks, and why should marketers care?The Google Chrome web browser will fully block tracking cookies by late 2023, pushing marketers to rethink how they target users. This announcement, alongside other announcements of tightening privacy in big tech, has marketers looking for other opportunities to leverage consumer data. Retail media networks could be the opportunity marketers are looking for.Retail media networks are advertising platforms set up on retailers' websites, apps, or other digital platforms within their network. These networks are a digital version of in-store advertising.Now, some retailers are acting more like pure-play media agencies, securing and selling ad inventory outside of their own properties.According to eMarketer, retail media will be one of the top five media trends in 2022. The report states that "By 2023, retail media will surpass $50 billion and represent nearly 1 in 5 digital ad dollars."Now every 1-2 months a new retail media network is born. Around 81% of consumer package brands plan to grow their investment in retail media networks in the next 12 months. Using retail media networks to advance healthcare marketingHealth systems should consider these networks as another platform to use in reaching and influencing health consumer behavior.Target has been using first-party purchasing data to target potential customers for years. A 16-year-old girl received a personalized flyer in the mail from target promoting baby products. The parents were at first outraged until their daughter confirmed that she was indeed pregnant.Health systems should be able to model first-party data to learn about patient behaviors prior to admission similarly to how Target did in the example above. For example, pregnancy test purchasing data could help systems predict when to send patients advertisements for maternity services.Programmatic advertising media buys are already placed based on rich data like psychographics, browsing behavior, and contextual data. Tapping into retail media networks would mean adding consumer purchasing data to this already rich pool of data. Time to dream a little What would it look like if there were more health media networks? HIPAA and health policies could prohibit this sort of data sharing, but perhaps there's an opportunity for health and wellness companies like Peloton to take on this media network model.Taken a step further, what might health media networks look like if Joe Public 2030's first prediction, Copernican Consumer, comes true, and all health data points are controlled by the consumer and interconnected using blockchain?Amazon Care recently expanded its virtual care services to encompass the entire United States. The company also announced that it would be opening brick-and-mortar clinics in 20 major cities. These moves show Amazon's intentions to deliver a convenient, connected healthcare experience for consumers.Will convenience, a known pillar of consumer preference, be enough for health consumers to hop on board the Amazon train? Will Amazon's media network capabilities be part of its healthcare play? To be determined.

TakeawaysFeaturing a special guestThis week, The No Normal Show features Content Strategist and fellow Reviver, Tiera Carlock, as she reviews her research findings on Hispanic and Latino consumers and Black consumers.At Revive, Tiera jumps in on all things content strategy, social strategy, and writing. Her years of healthcare experience have made her a champion for some of the unsung heroes in healthcare, like nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners.Understanding Hispanic and Latino consumersTiera started her research by looking into Hispanic and Latino communities – who are they, what do they like, how do they navigate their home lives, and how do they navigate their work lives?From these questions, Tiera found that Hispanics and Latinos are a young, multicultural, and family-oriented people, representing one in six people in the United States.This group is not a race, as they are a diverse group of people who can track their origins from one of 20 Latin American countries and Spain.Tiera’s findings suggest that Hispanics and Latinos value close relationships and shared cultural experiences and tend to live in larger households that offer those shared experiences. Family takes up a lot of time for these consumers, limiting opportunities to engage in external communities.It is common to find undocumented immigrants, citizens, grandparents, and children living in the same household. This unique living experience creates linguistic and cultural barriers as they navigate American systems and shapes how they see themselves as part of the American fabric.Hispanic and Latin American people often identify as two hundred percenters – 100% Latino and 100% American – with a strong desire to preserve their cultural roots while also integrating into American society.Tiera cites an article about an Afro Cuban woman whose parents never taught her Spanish to simplify her assimilation experience. This woman feels it was a missed opportunity to maintain a connection with her history and culture.Household makeup can impact healthcare decisions for Hispanic and Latino people. For example, undocumented parents cannot engage with American institutions like Medicare out of fear of revealing their undocumented status. This fear can also limit their children’s access to healthcare.Hispanic and Latino people commonly prefer to take a self-sufficient approach to healthcare while avoiding traditional healthcare settings.While this group has a general mistrust of medical professionals, they are more likely to engage with a doctor in a doctor’s office than in a retail center or via telehealth.Understanding Black consumersFrom HeLa Cell research to the Tuskegee Experiment and beyond, the Black community has a centuries-long history of medical maltreatment and racism in the United States.In response to this maltreatment, Black individuals have learned to distrust healthcare institutions and are more likely to turn to internal groups and communities where they feel the safest and the most respected.While Black Americans have been routinely neglected and taken advantage of by the U.S. healthcare system, many want to be proven wrong in their distrust.Black consumers receive 26% less funding from healthcare initiatives than white, non-Hispanic people but spend 19% more on hospital services and 13% more on emergency services than white, non-Hispanic people.These statistics speak to the limited availability of primary and lower-acuity care for Black Americans, forcing Black Americans to become dependent on costly higher-acuity services.Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) is not just important from a humanitarian perspective; it’s also crucial from a business perspective as Black Americans have tremendous spending power and influence on widespread consumer behavior, yet it’s common for organizations to treat DEI as a charitable endeavor.Brands in the healthcare space that correct this lens to encompass social responsibility and business opportunity will be the brands that lead the way in health.

TakeawaysThe "Avengers" of halftime showsThe Pepsi Super Bowl Halftime Show teaser went viral this week featuring the "avengers" of Superbowl halftime shows – Eminem, Snoop Dog, Mary J. Blige, Kendrick Lamar, and Dr. Dre.These performers are among the most popular 90s-era rappers, evoking intense nostalgia among the ad's millions of viewers. Life gave us lemons ... now what?Critical staffing shortages are negatively impacting hospitals' ability to deliver routine service-line offerings. Across the board, hospitals and health systems are wondering if they need to rethink how they serve their patients – if they can serve them at all.Unlike other industries facing staffing shortages or business repercussions stemming from COVID-19, health systems are directly impacted by COVID-19 patient volume. While other industries may need to adjust capacities and protocols to be more "COVID-19 friendly," health systems must pull resources from more lucrative service lines to increase capacity for money-draining COVID-19 care.Navigating the pandemic amidst staffing shortages is perhaps the biggest "lemon" the healthcare industry has faced. Could marketing, branding, and communications teams play a role in solving this challenge? Thinking out loudRevive is helping a health system to think about the future and design a vision for how the marketing communications team will deliver value to the organization down the road. One of the health system's marketing leaders shared that their vision for their team is to shape the best workforce in the industry – a rare objective in the healthcare space.This inquiry got the team thinking. How can marketers help recruit and engage employees in ways that connect with our larger brands?Other industries more commonly use their workforce as a brand differentiator. While health systems invest in talent, customer service, and patient satisfaction, most do not have a clear differentiator for how their workforce lives out their brand. Brands that use workforce as a differentiatorApple's Genius Bar is a good example of how the right workforce can make a difference. Apple opened its first store in 2001, despite the widespread belief that retail was going to fade out. Yet, today, Apple stores are a massively successful element of the world-class brand, much of which can be attributed to the staff and how they help you.Another example of a company that invests in developing its people is Chick-fil-A. All of the stores are corporate-owned, which means that becoming a store manager is very difficult. The selection is about culture fit, philosophy, and personality rather than the ability to shoulder the cost of a franchise location.While companies like Apple and Chick-fil-A are able to offer stand out consumer experiences based on their workforce, not many hospitals and health systems use that differentiator. This might be because most are focused on a generally good patient experience rather than a different patient experience.Of course, we recognize that selling chicken sandwiches and phones vs. healthcare delivery isn’t an apples-to-apples comparison. But this differentiation is also starting to shine through in larger, more complex organization such as airlines.For example, Southwest and Delta Airlines invest heavily in their workforce brand by selecting and training employees to embody the airline’s brand personality – each personality very different from competitors. Could the healthcare industry begin to embrace a similar strategy? Is now the right time to evaluate workforce brand?With the staff shortage stress in the healthcare industry, it's fair to ask ourselves: is this the right time to talk about something as aspirational as workforce brand differentiation?It’s a toss-up. If health systems had focused on workforce as a brand differentiator five years ago, it could have paved the road for a simpler employer experience today. It would still be challenging to hire and retain staff, but these brands would have something to hang their hat on to say, “we are different, and here’s how.”Baystate Health took inspiration from Chick-fil-A recruiting by hosting open-house recruiting sessions. The system hosted these events at different hours to accommodate schedules, and attendees were guaranteed on-site interviews.There is also an angle to connect brand position to recruitment. For example, Amazon’s mission is to be earth’s most customer-centric company. Amazon makes that a prominent part of their hiring process, showing employees why Amazon is the right fit for them.This helps employees feel ownership over their roles in developing a brand. (this feels weird as it's own bullet point. Is there a source for this?)If we feel like we are at rock bottom when it comes to our staffing efforts, investing in differentiating our workforces may be an opportunity to start to recover. As marketers, we know brand consistency is imperative to build a strong brand. But what about employer brand consistency – how do we create a consistent employee brand experience to build a differentiated workforce?

TakeawaysOur new book, Joe Public 2030: Five Potent Predictions Reshaping How Consumers Engage Healthcare, is now available for pre-order.Joe Public 2030 is Chris Bevolo’s 7th book. His writing journey started when an industry publisher came to him to write a book on brand for health systems.To write the book, Chris assembled a team of Revivers – Team 2030 – to collect as much research as possible. The team identified trends across literature, which evolved into Joe Public 2030’s five predictions.These findings were supplemented by in-depth interviews with healthcare industry leaders across verticals, including health system CEOs, venture capitalists, entrepreneurs, researchers, and physicians. Interviewed thought leaders come from some of the top brands in healthcare, such as CVS, Geisinger, Intermountain Healthcare, Optum, Johns Hopkins University Medical Center, and Mayo Clinic.Prediction #1: Copernican Consumer Enabled by sensors, AI, and other technology, consumers are becoming the center of their own health universe.Potential results could include a dramatic reduction in the need for primary care clinicians, an entirely new sector devoted to personal health management, and true precision medicine combined with health management.The Copernican Consumer prediction is more than just patient-centric care. Instead, the Copernican Consumer is a prediction that places consumers as the central force in their own health, with physicians, health management tools, and other health-related services “orbiting” around them. Consumers will rarely go anywhere to receive health support or care – it all will come to them.Another difference from today is the frequency of consumer health engagement. Consumers will be able to continually monitor their health using aggregate health data. Instead of seeing a primary care doctor once per year, consumers will be able to access all the data they need and will be empowered to make care decisions.More sensors are being developed to enable this trend but are not yet in a place where they are sophisticated enough to support a Copernican Consumer.Prediction #2: Constricted Consumerism Consumers will become increasingly responsible for their own health and use of healthcare services. Yet, they will actually become less and less empowered in the choices they have for care, especially in higher-acuity, higher-cost situations.While many in the industry will continue to sing the praises of choice, the reality is that most consumers will have far fewer choices moving forward, often in ways they might never consider or see.The biggest spender of healthcare money in the United States is the federal government. Employers are the second biggest healthcare spenders as they support employee health plans. For this reason, the federal government and employers are the consumers with the most power to determine how and when consumers receive care.For example, PBMs don’t always work in favor of the consumer. Instead, they work to control costs for the payor. Similarly, 72% of ACA health plans are considered “narrow networks.”Health insurance companies are the driving force behind these restricted networks and benefit from them. For example, UnitedHealth just reported a 12% increase in revenue for 2021.This prediction, in some ways, conflicts with the Copernican Consumer prediction, which places consumers in control of their health.The tension between predictions comes from consumers’ current inability to interpret and take action on their health data. How do we ensure that experts guide consumers in understanding their health information?This new advisory role may allow industry players to monetize this service, which would significantly impact the market landscape.Prediction #3: Funnel Wars Non-healthcare organizations such as Walmart, CVS, Walgreens, Amazon, and Apple are entering healthcare through low-acuity services like primary care and urgent care.Health systems may not currently perceive these organizations as a competitive threat because low-acuity services are less profitable.These new entrants pose a competitive threat because they control referrals to higher acuity services – which health systems need to survive.Moving forward, we could see the splitting of the health system model, with some systems moving even further to the larger, more comprehensive “health” organizations, others retracting into solely acute-care destinations – the “giant ICU on a hill” – and others somewhere in the middle.How does the aging population fit into this? What will health systems’ role be in the future?Prediction #4: Rise of Health Sects Challenges to and skepticism of the mainstream medical field have exploded in the past two years because of the pandemic and political tribalism in the United States. Taken to its potential, this trend could result in multiple “health sects” that coalesce around people’s political affiliations and worldviews.These sects will not only follow the medical thinking that best fits their worldview, but may also create their own reality through alternative research, diagnosis, treatment approaches, and models for care delivery.Health systems, built to serve entire communities, will find it increasingly difficult to deliver care due to splintering care ideologies. Health systems have a duty to provide science-backed medical care yet face resistance from those who don’t believe in mainstream medical practices.A significant factor in The Rise of Health Sects is the loss of trust of health experts. Some medical schools train students to build a thought leadership presence online to combat this loss of trust in the healthcare system and disseminate mainstream medical thought.Prediction #5: Disparity DystopiaThe pandemic shone an ugly light on the disparities that have plagued the U.S. healthcare system for decades, and unfortunately, that health gap is more likely than not to expand.This shift will be compounded by the mental health crisis, which disproportionately affects systemically disadvantaged populations and groups outside traditional healthcare access channels.While those entities that might address these disparities increasingly struggle financially, others lack the incentives to focus on the growing issue.The CommonWealth released a report that found that healthcare is better for white people in nearly every state. At the same time, we see a growing list of trendy startups looking to disrupt primary care, with many companies focusing on healthy, relatively well-off patients.Looking at the availability of PPE, ventilators, COVID-19 tests throughout the pandemic, you can see that populations with higher incomes are favored in resource distribution.According to Rand Corporation, the bottom fifth of low-income households are spending nearly 34% of their income on healthcare.

TakeawaysTo fellow bookwormsAs of this recording, Joe Public 2030 is officially available for pre-order. Backed by more than 250 resource citations and input from 22 industry experts, including health system CEOs, venture capitalists, entrepreneurs, and physicians, Joe Public 2030, makes five game-changing predictions about the future of health engagement. What are our predictions, and how will your organization be impacted? Order your copy of Joe Public 2030 for a deep dive into the potential future of consumer health engagement.A bookworm and avid learner, Stephanie Wierwille finished 95 books in 2021. Her recommendation for other bookworms looking to read more? Carry multiple formats of books at all times – you’d be surprised at how often you can pull out a book or plug in your earbuds in a day.New & noteworthyHere comes 23andMeDNA testing company 23andMe took its first drug to clinical trial, using clinical insights derived from saliva test DNA results from consumers.This news, coupled with 23andMe’s recent acquisition of telehealth platform, Lemonaid Health, indicates the newly-public company’s intentions to grow beyond DNA testing and into personalized medicine.That no good, very bad word: COVID-19Just when we thought we were out of the hot water, COVID-19 surges have forced hospitals to postpone elective surgeries … again.For hospitals and health systems, pausing elective surgeries means pausing critical revenue streams while patients’ untreated symptoms often worsen.Hospitalizations due to COVID-19 seem to be plateauing in major metropolitan markets.The advertising market, party of threeAlphabet, Meta, and Amazon are projected to account for 50% of the $1 trillion ad market by 2025, including non-digital advertising.If you’re a small business, you’re probably running digital ads, which means that your reliance on these three companies is greater than that of a big brand.ICYMI: Advocate Aurora at J.P. Morgan Health Care ConferenceIn addition to being a non-profit hospital system, Advocate Aurora is moving to become a health-related company and gave a rundown of its latest moves to do so.This year, the system will continue to invest in “become[ing] more evolved in healthcare beyond just hospitals and doctors,” Advocate Aurora CEO Jim Skogsbergh said.Advocate Aurora detailed how it is buying stakes in innovative consumer health tools. This investment includes a 20% stake in the telenutrition business FoodSmart and the complete acquisition of the home care and wellness company Senior Helpers. The system also bought a 17% stake in the digital and analytics platform Xealth.The latest trends in telehealthVirtual care on the declineVirtual care, which boomed during 2020, has reportedly experienced a significant decline in consumer usage in 2021.It would be interesting to know if this decline results from lower demand for virtual care or lower supply. Do consumers no longer want virtual care, or are their health systems not supplying it?Some data shows that no shows were significantly higher with telehealth which could de-incentivize providers to offer virtual care services.Telehealth was primed for its big moment but ultimately disappointed many because the industry failed to integrate it into the patient experience.When consumers prefer telehealthA month ago, eMarketer released a US Telehealth Trends 2022 report, which found that the number one reason people use virtual is to avoid contracting a disease.While adoption is low, it could be possible that the market hasn’t reached the tipping point where telehealth will prevail yet. If you look to other industries, it took time for consumers to become comfortable with a digital experience, so perhaps healthcare is no different.Health systems need to prepare themselves for when consumers are ready to embrace telehealth because those leading the charge will end up on top.

TakeawaysCES took place during the recording of this episode. The No Normal team reviewed the health trends and technologies featured at the event. A health perspective on the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2022 Health had a more prominent presence at this year's CES than in previous years. For the first time, a healthcare executive took the main stage.Abbot CEO Robert Ford delivered a keynote presentation on human-powered health, talking about topics such as at-home testing, biome-based medical nutrition, and wearable sensors.This spotlight on health at a consumer goods conference is interesting because it demonstrates the blurring of lines between healthcare, retail, and the consumer world.Whereas medical devices used to be associated with healthcare alone, brands commonly feature these technologies at major consumer electronics events. Health technologies that made a splash at CESSenglad Smart Health Monitoring Light: The WiFi- and Bluetooth-connected Lightbulbs track consumers' heart rate and sleeping patterns throughout the household. This technology is an alternative to on-body sensors.Withings Body Scan Smart Scale: Withings' scale goes beyond standard measurements, offering users insights into body composition per body part. It also makes ECG measurements for atrial fibrillation, vascular health, and changes in nerve activity — all of which users can send to doctors directly from the scale.Sleep Number 360 Smart Bed: Sleep number debuted changes to its 360 Smart Bed. The bed, which already detects movement and makes adjustments automatically, could detect illnesses and disorders like insomnia, sleep apnea, or cardiac events in the future.Toto Wellness Toilet: Toilet retailers have presented at CES for the past few years. This year, Toto launched its Wellness Toilet, which scans the user and "key outputs" to determine the individual's level of wellness.Mind-controlled earbuds: These earbuds use a neural interface to control music and answer calls by detecting users' neural or facial movement activity.With all of these advancements, the health industry still has a long way to go. In fact, 70% of U.S. hospitals still rely on fax machines to communicate patient records. Personalization meets privacyConsumer preference for personalization has been a hot topic for a while, but what's interesting now is how the trend increasingly clashes with consumer privacy concerns.According to Forrester, 72% of consumers only engage with marketing messages tailored to their interest, but 86% are concerned about data privacy. How do we meet both needs when they work against each other?In this new world of consumer health sensors and a growing amount of consumer health data, privacy concerns will likely become an even larger topic of discussion.This weight on privacy is also evidenced by the whopping 96%  of users who deny applications access to cross-tracking on Apple devices.Enforcers are also cracking down on data privacy. In fact, France recently fined Google and Facebook millions of dollars for failure to obtain proper consent for data tracking.Which organizations do consumers trust the most with their data? Around 50% of respondents identified Amazon as the most trusted data steward, above Apple, Google, and even banks.We explore the personalization of healthcare — what we call the Copernican Consumer — and its relation to privacy preferences in our upcoming book, Joe Public 2030. Splintered societiesOur book, Joe Public 2030, also predicts The Rise of Health Sects, splintering societies based on political affiliation related to health.This phenomenon is commonly referred to as political tribalism. However, tribalism may not be the correct term as the language implies ancestry, race, or culture.In-group and out-group dynamics dramatically shape individual value systems and political views. When individuals belong to a group, they will look to those they trust — their group — for signals on how to think.The way someone thinks or acts on a health issue is highly correlated with their political affiliation. We've seen that with masking and vaccination, and other health-related issues.In 2022 this trend will continue, which will have implications for brand strategy, creative, and business in general.Historically brands have focused on speaking to "universal truths." In this new age of splintered societies, we can no longer group our audiences as we have in the past, just based on age or demographics. We need to go beyond traditional consumer segmentation and lean into the power of group influence. As marketers, we need to reevaluate how we partner with trusted entities across different groups.