The Benefits of Healthcare Content Management

Healthcare consumers are increasingly seeking education and potential treatment options for their acute and chronic conditions. Healthcare content comprises medical and other health information that healthcare providers, institutions, and other companies offer on their websites. Nurses are in a unique position to implement efficient healthcare content management and assist in showcasing essential information about healthcare.

This blog post will explore how nurse content management can improve patient outcomes. We will also review the types of information that healthcare content management and other strategies should include to optimize the value and utilization of this critical data.

How Can Nurse Content Management Help Improve Patient Outcomes?

Health-related information is readily available, literally at our fingertips. According to Becker’s Hospital Review, “Google receives more than 1 billion health questions every day.” While that is an impressive number, we recognize that not all healthcare information available online is reliable, accurate, and based on recognized standards of care. This is why nurse content management is invaluable. Healthcare content that nurses have appropriately researched and vetted can improve patient outcomes by providing user-friendly and actionable information.

Furthermore, it is essential to have a successful healthcare content strategy, and comprehensive nurse content management helps to achieve that goal. As outlined by Janine Kelbach, BSN, RNC-OB, owner of Write RN, these are the five pillars of a successful healthcare content strategy:

1. Editorial Content Calendar: This tool will help keep you organized and focused on your goals. Think of it this way: Patients and other healthcare consumers are eager to learn from you. Be sure you are prepared to deliver timely and complete healthcare content.
2. SEO: Search engine optimization helps to move your content to the top of online searches. Well-executed keyword strategies will help patients find your content and learn from your expertise.
3. Write: Tapping into nurse writers’ expertise helps ensure that the end product will include meaningful and actionable healthcare content. Knowing your audience well and tailoring your content to what your audience needs will enhance your value as a nurse writer.
4. Launch: Once you have achieved nurse content management and vetted your blog post or article, be sure to launch it on time according to your editorial content calendar.
5. Evaluate: This step is essential, as you can view your content’s performance. Assess your analytics and see if your content strategy is working. If needed, tweak your approach for your next piece to improve your results.

Information to Include in Healthcare Content Management

Good healthcare content should be pertinent to your readers, current, reliable, and based on factual information. Keeping in mind the goals of optimal patient care and improved outcomes, you should maintain user-friendly wording and actionable steps your reader can take. Begin with the aims of your article or blog post. What do you want to accomplish, and in what order? Perhaps you want to provide easy-to-understand information regarding a chronic medical condition, testing, diagnosis, and treatment options. Using a checklist format for patients to take to their provider office visits can also be very helpful. In addition, providing questions that patients can ask during their appointments is a valuable tool for helping them understand their care plan and follow-up steps.

How Can Healthcare Companies Optimize Their Content for Maximum Visibility?

Healthcare content marketing, done well, achieves visibility and easy access to information regarding a healthcare company’s brand, services, products, and how to access additional information. To maximize online visibility, healthcare companies should produce content that is easy to understand and follows the guidelines of SEO, or search engine optimization. SEO will boost a healthcare company’s ranking on search engines by using keyword strategies.

It is also essential to ensure that your content is appealing and memorable. Spreading the word through social media announcements and postings is another way to expand your audience. Sharing the expertise of professionals within a healthcare organization through online articles, blog posts, dedicated web pages, and spotlight-type special features will add to the credibility and trustworthiness of that organization. It is important to follow health literacy principles so that the healthcare company uses plain language and a logical organization of content that is easy to navigate.

Benefits of Having a Healthcare Content Management System in Place

Having a solid healthcare content management system in place is beneficial so that the average reader can quickly discover your content. It is also essential that the content is clear, concise, and actionable. The goal is to earn the trust of the reader, who will want to return to your writing pieces to gain an additional understanding of their medical conditions and potential treatment options. Preventive care is another critical topic to include in your healthcare content. Healthcare content that is well organized and pertinent is vital to your recognition as an expert in your field.

Nurse content management is also instrumental in contributing to improved patient outcomes and overall health status. The well-informed patient is empowered to be an active healthcare decision-maker. By seeking pertinent information from their healthcare team, the patient can self-advocate and seek answers to the questions that impact their treatment plan. Nurse writers can assist patients in becoming stronger and more confident in asking questions, seeking out treatment options, and maintaining their position as the most important members of their healthcare team.

References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, September 13). Understanding Health Literacy. https://www.cdc.gov/healthliteracy/learn/Understanding.html

Drees, J. (2019, March 11). Google receives more than 1 billion health questions every day. Becker’s Health IT. https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/healthcare-information-technology/google-receives-more-than-1-billion-health-questions-every-day.html

Petrova, A. (2021, July 14). 23 Essential Content Marketing Metrics to Measure Your Campaign‘s Performance. SEMrush Blog. https://www.semrush.com/blog/measure-your-digital-content-performance/