Open Source Health with Tripp Johnson

Healthcare Marketing: The Dark Side of Patient Acquisition

Tripp Johnson Season 4 Episode 8

In this episode of Open Source Health, Tripp Johnson and Marcus Shumate dive into the complexities and ethics surrounding patient acquisition in healthcare, with a specific focus on digital marketing strategies and the potential pitfalls in hospital systems. They discuss a controversial New York Times article about Acadia’s alleged unethical practices, along with their challenges and reflections in the mental health and substance use treatment space. The conversation ranges from the moral dilemmas of marketing healthcare services to the significance of patient-centered care and the importance of building ethical, sustainable business practices.

  • Discussion of Acadia’s practices and the issue of involuntary commitment (IVC) in psychiatric hospitals.
  • Ethical considerations around patient acquisition, especially within strained hospital systems.
  • The role of mobile assessors and the ethical challenges they present in healthcare.
  • The tension between digital marketing, business development, and maintaining patient-centered care.
  • Reflections on how best to market mental health and substance use disorder services.
  • Insights on Google’s monopoly in the digital marketing space and its effects on healthcare providers.
  • Discussion on the shift from boutique to more scalable, digital strategies in healthcare outreach.

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