Jaime LaMontagne, Vice President Global Marketing Strategy, Medtronic Cardiac Rhythm Management.
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The pandemic overhauled how many of us communicate, both personally and professionally. Across industries, we’ve faced disruptions to the “status quo” communication methods and have had to reimagine how we interact with our customers, colleagues, patients and partners.
As someone who works in the healthcare technology space, I’ve seen rapid change take place, especially as it relates to remote patient monitoring for implanted cardiac devices like pacemakers. This technology has existed for some time, but our company has seen adoption soar during the pandemic.
But, in my experience as a marketing and communications professional, I’ve seen another challenge emerge through this expedited adoption: helping patients adjust to their new remote monitoring reality by supplying them with the vital health information they are accustomed to in a format that may be new to them. This type of adjustment isn’t only relevant to those in the medical device field. The pandemic pushed every industry, from finance to hospitality, into unknown communication territory. It challenged us to find new ways to relay timely information to our stakeholders as they grapple with an overwhelmingly remote world.
I’ve learned lessons from my experiences in the remote monitoring space that could offer relevant insights for many industries as we navigate this changing landscape.
Think Outside The Box
With the onset of the pandemic, I found that many patients worried that a simple trip to the clinic could become a risky experience. Although remote monitoring technology has existed for years, we found that the value proposition for our products came through loud and clear once the pandemic hit.
Having flexibility is vital as we learn how to communicate in this new landscape. It’s a journey that takes time, and we should continue to adjust. Being nimble and ready for anything can be the difference between overcoming hurdles or stalling with even the slightest break from the norm. Developing potential solutions to challenges you’ve yet to face is a great exercise in anticipating future changes and finding creative ways to adapt.
Keep A 'Patient-Centric' Mindset
At Medtronic, we strive to put patients at the heart of all we do. But there isn’t a “one-size-fits-all” approach for our patients. Every patient — every person — is unique. They live in different places, have different lifestyles and require specific medical treatment.
Your “patients” — customers, users and so on — likely want communication as unique as they are: They range from those who just want the bare minimum “thumbs up, thumbs down” notifications to those who crave in-depth, no-detail-spared news. As communicators, we should find ways to satisfy and accommodate a spectrum of consumers. To do this, use strategic thinking: Put yourself in the receivers’ shoes. Find ways to communicate the right information — and the right level of information — so everyone gets what they need and want.
Adapt, Learn And Adapt Again
I’ve seen that patients are often open to new ways of receiving care, but they need to receive information — especially important health information — in ways they can comprehend and internalize. Many implanted heart devices last upwards of 15 years, and over that time, patients will change, their preferences will change, and our world will change. It only makes sense that our communication strategies change as well.
As so many aspects of our lives shift, where, when and how we communicate with our audiences should also evolve based on constant cycles of implementation, learning and adaptation. The future could also require that we look at novel modes of communication — even if that means having to relearn and adjust to new ways of doing things. As with any tech advancement, we should streamline content to make consumption of information easier. Implementing systems, seeing how our audiences respond and adjusting based on that feedback will be important for keeping up with the uncertain landscape and the changing needs of consumers.
Manage Critical Communication Without Causing Information Overload
The ways we’ve interacted with patients through remote monitoring are examples of how many pieces can work together for the betterment of patient care, but communicators can apply the same lessons across industries and audiences. The pandemic has spotlighted the importance of communication flow and forced us — in the best way — to rethink the old and implement the new so that all people can feel heard and cared for.
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