How do you differentiate yourself in healthcare technology?
I had an interesting conversation on how to differentiate yourself in healthcare technology; specifically for a software product or digital health solution in the healthcare industry. This overcrowded space poses challenges to any new player trying to differentiate themselves among all the noise.
The first way involves talking value; not just abstractly but specifically. If your tech company is saving clinicians time and increasing their fee billing per patient, be radically open with those numbers. Tell prospective clients how many patients they’re seeing every month, how much non-billable time you can save them. This either saves money or helps spend more time on productive means. Taking a consultative approach from the beginning will set you apart because it shows that you’re not just another SaaS company. You’re looking at their specific situation and talking real value, real dollars and cents of what your organization can provide for theirs.
Secondly, focus on ease of use and integration. Countless software solutions out there in healthcare are super siloed. An integrated solution sets your product apart because if you cut away some of those extra steps in the workflow by integration = less friction = easier selling point for your product or service.
Integrate if possible & take a value-based approach in sales and business development conversations with organizations for differentiation.
How to Stand Out in the Healthcare Software Industry
I recently had a conversation with someone who asked me how to differentiate their software product within the healthcare industry. In an overcrowded space, distinguishing your digital health technology is vital for success. After giving it some thought, I realized there are primarily two methods you can use.
Talking About Value Specifically
The first method involves discussing value – not abstractly but specifically detailing its impact. Let’s say your tech company offers a solution that saves clinicians’ time and boosts patient billing rates. If you have numbers associated with these benefits, be radically open about them when talking to potential clients.
You could tell them exactly how many patients they’re seeing every month or quantify the hours spent on non-billable activities such as documentation or coding which your solution can save. You need to demonstrate how adopting your technology will either save money or enable more productive uses of time.
Rather than taking a low touch point sales approach common among SaaS companies, try using a consultative selling technique where you understand the prospective client organization deeply before suggesting solutions that make financial sense for them. This discerning approach from the beginning sets you apart because it shows that you aren’t just another SaaS company – instead, you care about real dollars and cents and what value your organization can provide theirs.
Ease of Use And Integration
The second way focuses on features and build side—ease of use and integration plays crucial roles here. Today’s healthcare sector is flooded with software solutions which often operate independently creating silos within organizations leading to inefficiency. You don’t want potential customers deciding between your software solution and their entire Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system; this would put unnecessary strain on decision makers while considering options available for adoption.
Instead, strive for seamless integration with existing systems. Opportunities exist within platforms like Bridge or AeroHealth that allow APIs to overlay on EMRs. If your software can cut through workflow steps via integration, then it’s worth exploring from an investment standpoint.
If you make the use of your software easier and decrease friction in adoption by integrating smoothly with existing infrastructure, selling your product becomes a lot easier.
Summary
Differentiating yourself in the crowded healthcare technology space requires strategy and purposeful action. By focusing on delivering measurable value and ensuring ease of use through smooth integrations, you can stand out among competitors. Remember: it’s about taking a consultative approach to sales conversations while understanding client needs rather than just pushing products.
What are some strategies you’ve found to help differentiate yourself in healthcare technology?
For more content like this, check out our Insights Page and check out The Better Outcomes Show. Or if you want to humanize healthcare through your business or organization, learn how Rehab U Practice Solutions can help here! You can also schedule a call with Rafi to discuss your company’s positioning strategy and brainstorm a business development plan here. Check out Rafi’s latest book, Better Outcomes: A Guide to Humanizing Healthcare, on Amazon!
Rafael E. Salazar II, MHS, OTR/L (Rafi) is a healthcare consultant, speaker, and host of he Better Outcomes Show. He helps healthcare startups, SaaS platforms, and organizations craft clear positioning, humanize the patient experience, and go to market effectively. He’s the author of Better Outcomes: A Guide to Humanizing Healthcare and principal at Rehab U Practice Solutions. His work on Telehealth has been discussed in Forbes, and he’s advised on projects ranging from digital health product launches to multi-million-dollar healthcare transformation initiatives.
Today, Rafi helps innovative healthcare companies like technology startups, platforms, SaaS companies & innovative healthcare organizations develop effective positioning strategy and business development plans through his consulting work. He also leverages his experience as a professor and academic to speak and train on the topics around humanizing the healthcare experience & healthcare innovation. In addition, Rafi also owns and operates ProActive Rehabilitation & Wellness, a multidisciplinary outpatient clinic treating patients with musculoskeletal pain.
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I’ve consulted on projects from multi-million-dollar state initiatives to early-stage product launches. My work’s been featured in Forbes, and I also speak at healthcare events and conferences on topics like innovation, digital health, and humanizing care. I also speak and train at healthcare conferences, events, and organizations on topics related to technology-enabled care, healthcare innovation, healthcare positioning, and humanizing the healthcare experience.
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