#ThreeMinutesADay: Three Mistakes Digital Transformation Leaders in Healthcare Make
Three minutes a day takes bad business decisions away.
Today's tip: The three most common mistakes I see made by digital transformation leaders in healthcare are that they copy rather than innovate. They throw things at the wall to see what sticks, and they think that online/ digital/ mobile is a channel, instead of a way of life.
In a hurry? Just watch the video below.
Today, I want to talk to you about the top three mistakes digital transformation leaders in healthcare make. These are common mistakes made by all types and sizes of companies as they make the necessary, albeit at times difficult, digital transformation. The more you and your company can avoid these mistakes, the more smooth and painless the transformation will be.
Three Mistakes Digital Transformation Leaders in Healthcare Make
1. They Copy, They Don’t Innovate.
Show me which competitor does it?
The first mistake many digital transformation leaders make is to simply copy their competitors. The way you know these leaders are not interested in anything more than copying competitors is rather simple. I can tell from one simple question. When I meet with these executives to discuss things like digital transformation or marketing strategies these leaders will often ask the question, “can you show me which of my direct competitors are doing this?”
If you come up with a new idea and you present it to the head of a digital transformation initiative and the first and most instinctive response you hear is, “Okay, who else in my space is doing this?” you know that true innovation is not the number one concern.
Of course, sometimes this can be a legitimate question. More often than not, however, it is the wrong question to ask. If every single entrepreneur who took their idea and turned it into a multi-billion dollar company were to ask these types of questions, we would not have Uber, we would not have DoorDash, and we would certainly not have Airbnb, among other successful companies. This is because great ideas come from redefining old processes, blowing up whatever you think about a topic, and turning it into something new.
I recently had a conversation with an executive of a large healthcare company that relies on collecting patient data at the point of care in order to make predictions about population management based on analytics. I suggested to this company, “You should create a wellness platform or mobile app where you can go to these consumers directly instead of administering surveys at the point of care.” Guess what the first thing they said was? “Okay, who else is doing this?” It doesn't matter! The point is you need that data which means, you should be thinking strategically and creatively about how to get that data when you need it in order to improve your business.
This is a multi-billion dollar company that simply refused to engage with a simple out of the box method for getting more of what they need. It is a huge mistake that you need to be sure you don't make.
2. They Throw Things at the Wall and See What Sticks
Let’s do a bit of AI; let’s do a bit of blockchain.
The other mistake I see many digital transformation leaders make is to just throw a slew of “innovative” ideas at the wall to see what sticks. Digital transformation execs say things like, “Hey, let's do a little bit of AI because it's cool. Let's do a little bit of blockchain, and some IoT devices, and a little bit of chatbots just because it's trending.”
This is not the way operate. Technology is not an end goal. You don't just do it because you hear about it or you think you should be doing it to please your bosses or your shareholders. You need to gather data on what your end-users want and need and make technology decisions on what will produce the best outcome. Then, the reason you enable a specific technology is that it is in line with the business goal that you want to achieve.
3. They Think Online/ Digital/ Mobile Is a Channel
It’s not a channel; it’s a way of life.
The last thing I want to talk about is the error many digital transformation leaders make by thinking about digital as just being yet another touchpoint. They say, “I'm going to engage with patients at the point of care or the website or on mobile.” They view these platforms as just another way to engage with a prospective customer or patient.
This is wrong. Digital is not just the touchpoint; it is infinitely more. Digital is the only way you can possibly create long-lasting relationships with your ideal target audience‒and that is what you ultimately want to do.
I have my phone in my pocket at all times. That is exactly why it is so much more than just another channel. It's a way of life. It's a very different way in the healthcare space to think about always being top of mind, always collecting data, and always engaging with your ideal target audience. It is more effective than any other public relations or marketing strategy you can engage in. Digital is the only way to move from episodic engagements with your brand to a life-long relationship with your brand, which is invaluable.
Conclusion
Digital transformation is a noble cause in the world of healthcare but it has to be done the right way. When you make these common mistakes, you will doom your company to not truly innovating and thus failing in the digital space. When you know the pitfalls and how to avoid them, though, it can help you create processes and products that will revolutionize your company and maybe even the healthcare space.
What are the biggest digital transformation mistakes you've seen in your line of work? Leave a comment below, let me know and I will definitely reply!
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