Location Base Marketing & Geofencing
Uses of geofencing in healthcare
The rising hospital and emergency room bills alongside tiered insurance reimbursement, have driven consumers of healthcare to new alternatives, often in the form of outpatient clinics, to avoid the heavy price tag associated with emergency rooms.
Drugstores, grocery chains and independent practices are opening walk-in urgent care clinics in big cities to meet the increased demand. Additionally, consumers are shopping around for labs that provide routine blood work and other tests, taking into consideration factors such as location and hours of operation. And for those healthcare providers that want to get a share of the outpatient clinic market, there are significant benefits on using geofencing technology.
Numerous retailers already use geofencing to attract prospects as we mentioned above and understand it may be the key to reaching more patients in the health industry.
According to Search Engine Journal, 80 percent of “near me” searches originate from mobile devices, indicating that geofencing has real potential as a marketing trend.
It’s an ideal opportunity to reach consumers who are in your neighborhood — and push an ad to them as they near your location.
Healthcare providers can also use geofencing to target specific locations. For instance, a massage and chiropractor office may create a geofence around a near gym, advertising the benefits of regular chiropractic care or sports massage to stay healthy. A walk-in clinic might target prospects visiting a farmer’s market to highlight the benefits of regular checkups, a healthy diet, or getting back in shape. But despite the benefits of this outreach, these efforts may be seen as intrusive. Any healthcare organization using geofencing to target prospects that aren’t near their location may want to tread lightly and selectively with ads.
