Everybody’s doing it!
Hitting the gym. Tracking nutrition. Getting in their Stand minutes on their Apple Watch. ‘Tis the season of resolutions, after all. And weight management is a common one.
As a health system, how do you monetize these healthy efforts? The nature of our business these days is less about acute conditions and more about population health and chronic disease management. We are living longer and want to be healthy enough to enjoy our later years.
Weight is a major health determinant, and we know people are more motivated this month to get healthy than at any other point during the year. The key is to find ways to keep them engaged for the long haul, making healthy living part of their daily routine rather than a quick-burning fuse.
An obvious recommendation is to drive more web traffic and social media users to your online HRAs. “Healthy Weight Range” and “Weight Loss Surgery” are two variations we offer that are often used in side-by-side. For instance, if you are running a bariatric surgery campaign, there is a chance, no matter how targeted you get, that you will hit the inboxes of those who are a) not qualified for surgical weight management services, or b) not ready to take that large of a step. In these cases, it is critical to have softer messaging and broader options for consumers. Meeting people where they are in the journey is arguably the biggest factor in your campaign’s success.
The Health Effects of Overweight and Obesity
According to the CDC, people who have obesity, compared to those with a normal (or “healthy”) weight, are at increased risk for many serious diseases and health conditions, including the following:
- All-causes of death (mortality)
- High blood pressure (hypertension)
- High LDL cholesterol, low HDL cholesterol, or high levels of triglycerides (Dyslipidemia)
- Type 2 diabetes
- Coronary heart disease
- Stroke
- Gallbladder disease
- Osteoarthritis (a breakdown of cartilage and bone within a joint)
- Sleep apnea and breathing problems
- Some cancers (endometrial, breast, colon, kidney, gallbladder, and liver)
- Low quality of life
- Mental illness such as clinical depression, anxiety, and other mental disorders
- Body pain and difficulty with physical functioning
Looking for ways to convert motivated consumers into patients? Tap into common weight loss activities and concerns. Here’s some ideas we’ve gathered from Medicom Health clients just like you:
- Partner with local restaurants for healthy cooking seminars during times they are typically closed
- Host parent/child or grandparent/grandchild fun fitness nights at area schools
- Provide privacy for those looking for weight loss surgery by creating online, live-stream seminars
- Set up booths at county fairs and community events to do free blood pressure and glucose checks
- Establish year-round walking/step challenges within communities
- Use CRM to send out annual reminders for preventive visits
- Provide weekly fitness classes over the lunch hour for local employers
- Create points-based programs to allow employees to earn money off insurance deductibles through activity tracking
- Plan seasonal 5k races and provide incentives for people to complete each one
No matter what you decide to offer, the key is to make sure you have appropriate messaging regardless of where someone is in your marketing funnel. Target properly, reach out more than once and provide a variety of calls-to-action to choose from. And if you think either (or both!) of Medicom’s weight-based HRAs would work for you, please reach out to your Client Success strategist today!
Thank you for your interest.