For nearly all patient types, the journey toward care begins at a trailhead: the search engine—most often Google. Patients are doing their own research – not just looking for providers; but scouting the path ahead by searching for symptoms, comparing treatment options, reading reviews, and evaluating credentials long before making contact. Your content needs to be on point.

Each year, the Healthcare Marketing & Physician Strategies Summit (HMPS) brings together some of the sharpest minds in healthcare marketing to share insights, tackle emerging challenges, and explore what’s next. This year’s 30th anniversary summit was no exception—and our team at Advance Healthcare Marketing walked away with valuable perspectives that are already influencing how we support our clients.

NPI targeting has emerged as a transformative approach that elevates your marketing strategy beyond traditional methods. By shifting from broad-spectrum tactics to personalized, evidence-based outreach, NPI targeting allows for unprecedented precision.

Boomers are almost the inverse of Gen Z when it comes to social and advertising influences. Older Boomers trust the authority of other healthcare providers who recommend specific specialists.

As healthcare continues to evolve toward a consumer-driven model, specialists and providers must adapt their strategies to meet the distinct needs and preferences of each generation. By recognizing these generational differences and leveraging digital engagement, specialists can build lasting connections and thrive in an increasingly competitive healthcare landscape.

Gen X responses were roughly equal across the influence channels. Reaching this "skeptical" generation will require specialists to promote content on various platforms while also maintaining influence on their community and referring physicians.

Millennials' reliance on social media for specialist information is 28% higher than Gen Z. Their reliance on advertising is 14% higher than Gen Z and 18% higher than Gen X.

Younger generations are leaning into self-directed online research and peer reviews to make healthcare decisions. Gen Z is heavily influenced by advertising and social media information about specialists.

A majority of every generational group expects to see a specialist in the next 6-12 months. Naturally, each age group has their own care needs, and additionally, our survey shows that the way each age group finds and chooses their specialists varies quite a bit.