Successful Healthcare Growth Strategies From Leading Institutions
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8 Successful Healthcare Growth Strategies
Patient Centric Care
Technology Integration
Data-Driven Decision Making
Strategic Partnerships & Collaborations
Workforce Development
Marketing and Brand Positioning
Operational Efficiency for a Lean Strategy in Healthcare
Expansion and Diversification
Implementing and Measuring the Success of Growth Strategies
What are the most effective strategies for healthcare growth?
How are leading healthcare organizations achieving sustainable growth?
What are the key regulatory and compliance considerations for healthcare growth?
Achieving Healthcare Excellence Through Strategy Consulting in Healthcare
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At EnticEdge, we are healthcare and wellness business consultants dedicated to helping companies clarify and align around their competitive advantage, which we call your authentic edge! Our team brings 30+ years of healthcare expertise in strategic advising, value mapping, business consulting, client experience, team and cross-departmental alignment, and more, all tailored to helping teams achieve mission-driven growth.
Meet with a strategist to learn more!
During the pandemic and its immediate aftermath, healthcare leaders like you were in survival mode. You focused on keeping operations intact while facing unprecedented challenges: an influx of critical patients, the need to manage existing care, and a severe healthcare worker and medical equipment shortages.
For many organizations, growth and healthcare strategy weren't even on the radar — and if this describes your situation, you should be proud of staying afloat through the chaos of 2020-2023.
Now, as we move further into recovery, it's time to shift gears. Many healthcare organizations are poised to focus on healthcare growth strategy once again. But what strategies will work best in this new landscape? We've compiled a list of effective growth approaches and healthcare strategy examples, including several that have shown success for our clients.
8 Successful Healthcare Growth Strategies
1. Patient-Centric Care
Focusing on enhanced patient experience remains a reliable strategy in healthcare and is a core component in meeting goals. Our clients have seen significant success by emphasizing two key areas:
Improve current and potential patient communications
When patients feel truly cared for — seen, heard, and understood — your organization's growth becomes organic. The benefits are many:
Clearer understanding for patients on “what’s next”
Improved patient retention
Positive word-of-mouth, attracting new patients
Stronger community reputation
For more practical support, refer to our earlier guide on the top four strategies for improving patient experience.
Prioritize communications on preventive care and wellness programs
In 2022, 50% of US consumers said they were actively prioritizing “wellness” — up from 42% in 2020, a shift likely spurred on by the pandemic. Tapping into the growing market of health-conscious individuals could be a promising avenue for expansion. Consider:
Promoting preventive care services and why they matter
Developing wellness programs that go beyond disease prevention to offering actionable ways to improve health
This approach not only attracts new patients in the “health conscious” demographic, but can also reduce overall healthcare costs as your local community lives healthier, which is part of your investment and return as a partner in care.
2. Technology Integration
Embracing and refining technology offers another robust pathway to growth in 2024. Two key areas stand out in our experience:
Expand telehealth and virtual care.
With telehealth currently accounting for only 10% of outpatient care, there's significant room for growth. The benefits are far-reaching:
Better accessibility to healthcare services
Reduced costs for both providers and patients
Real-time consultations for better patient outcomes
Potential reduction in no-shows
Decreased expenses related to physical facilities
By focusing even more on telehealth, you can attract new business and lower costs, both of which support patient’s healing and drive business growth.
Integrate more wearable devices for patient monitoring.
From fitness trackers to continuous glucose monitors, wearable tech offers a way to deepen the provider-patient relationship and improve the quality of care. Benefits include:
Unparalleled insights into patients' overall health
Increased patient engagement and participation in their own care
Potential for better adherence and better outcomes
Embracing wearable devices in your patient care can help your organization improve outcomes and stand out.
3. Data-Driven Decision Making
According to a 2024 study by Arcadia, healthcare data can help boost efficiency, improve patient care, and reduce costs — but it’s still underutilized. By effectively implementing data-driven, decision-making strategies, healthcare organizations can achieve sustainable growth, improve their financial performance, and establish themselves as leaders in modern, evidence-based healthcare delivery.
Use analytics to inform operational decisions.
Growth isn't just about increasing business; it's also about optimizing resources and reducing unnecessary costs. Implementing and reviewing operational analytics through a well-structured healthcare growth strategy can:
Identify high-performing areas and replicate their success in other areas
Pinpoint consistently over-budget or delayed processes
Provide insights for targeted improvements and solutions
Ultimately, leveraging analytics means better operational efficiency, which boosts your bottom line. In turn, these extra profits can be spent on revenue-increasing activities.
Invest in cyber security and privacy.
With 95% of patients expressing concerns about medical data leaks as recently as 2023, robust cybersecurity brings a strong competitive advantage and is worth incorporating into a quality improvement strategy in healthcare. By investing in strong cybersecurity measures, you will:
Build more trust with current and potential patients
Differentiate your organization in the healthcare market
Reduce future costs that could come from data breaches
Attract more business through a more trustworthy reputation
In short: actively promoting your commitment to data security can set you apart in a landscape where patient privacy concerns are at an all-time high. If your goal is to have a lean healthcare strategy, be sure to keep each of these components in mind for building into your healthcare strategy and integration.
4. Strategic Partnerships and Collaborations
One of our top recommended ways to pursue growth goals is through strategic partnerships with aligned companies in your space or region. Let’s explore two simple options for effective partnerships:
Explore collaborations with health tech companies.
Partnering with leading health tech firms offers multiple benefits:
Smoother operations and enhanced patient experiences
Cost-effective alternative to developing in-house proprietary solutions
Positioning your organization as innovative and modern
Appealing to younger demographics
Possibly expanding your reach and accessibility
These types of collaborations can help you stay at the forefront of healthcare innovation without taking on the full burden of technology development costs yourself. These efforts can also be part of a greater healthcare branding strategy.
Partner with community organizations.
Building strong ties with respected local institutions can significantly boost your organization's reputation and reach. For example:
Boosting your standing within the community
Creating potential for new revenue streams through co-created wellness programs
Expanding your patient base through increased community visibility
Showing your commitment to holistic community health
By actively participating in (or spearheading!) community initiatives, you not only contribute to public health but also position your organization as an integral part of the regional healthcare ecosystem.
5. Workforce Development
Your people are the backbone of your organization’s success. Without healthy, motivated clinicians and staff, your organization will inevitably face growth stalls or even declines.
Address worker shortages and burnout.
While the extreme burnout rates seen during the pandemic have somewhat stabilized, many healthcare professionals still face significant stress and mental health challenges. To support your staff and drive growth, you could:
Offer flexible scheduling options
Provide free, accessible counseling services
Foster a culture that normalizes and encourages time off to reset and recharge
Consider on-site childcare facilities for staff
By prioritizing your team's well-being and mental health, you inevitably improve retention rates and create a more stable foundation for organizational growth.
Embrace diversity, equity, and inclusion in hiring and retention.
Robust DEI efforts can significantly contribute to organizational growth by:
Establishing a baseline of culturally competent care
Improving patient outcomes and experiences for diverse communities
Potentially expanding your market reach into new demographic groups
Improving problem-solving with diverse perspectives in decision-making
When you have a diverse and inclusive workforce, you not only create a more equitable workplace but also position your organization to better serve and grow within an increasingly diverse patient population.
6. Marketing and Brand Positioning
In today's competitive healthcare landscape, effective marketing and strong brand positioning are more crucial than ever for growth. To launch a marketing strategy for healthcare services or a healthcare brand strategy, we recommend these two key starting points:
Clarify your messaging.
A clear, distinctive brand message is essential in a crowded healthcare market, because it:
Differentiates your organization from competitors
Reduces attraction of misaligned potential patients and partnerships
Minimizes miscommunication and misalignment
Streamlines the patient journey from first impression to onboarding
In essence, by honing your brand message, you more effectively communicate your unique value proposition, attracting the right patients and fostering long-term relationships
Expand digital marketing efforts.
Digital marketing strategies like SEO and targeted campaigns on social media mean faster, more reliable visibility for your organization:
Reach new patients more quickly and cost-effectively
Encourage loyalty and return visits from existing patients
A digital strategy for healthcare involving digital marketing often provides a more cost-effective and measurable alternative to traditional marketing methods, allowing you to refine your approach based on real-time data.
For example, we worked with a client on strategy-driven, highly-target digital campaigns that hit the mark, and as a result increased their marketing ROI, leading to a more than 50% reduction in total cost per lead for key marketing channels.
7. Operational Efficiency for a Lean Strategy in Healthcare
The following operational efficiency strategies work together: lean principles help identify areas ripe for automation, while automation supports lean goals by reducing waste and variability. Let’s dive deeper into what a healthcare operations strategy could look like:
Implement lean management principles.
Adopting lean methodologies can significantly boost your organization's efficiency and profitability by:
Reducing operational costs and waste to improve profit margins
Enhancing patient flow, improving patient experience and quality of care for more satisfied patients
Freeing up resources for direct growth strategies (e.g., brand messaging, community partnerships)
By instilling a lean mindset among your management staff, you create a culture of continuous improvement that supports both efficiency and growth.
Use automation when possible.
Many healthcare organizations underutilize automation, missing out on significant efficiency gains:
Identifying and automating time-consuming, repetitive tasks
Freeing up personnel to focus on revenue-generating activities
Reducing human error in routine processes
Scaling operations without proportional increases in staffing
Don’t overlook automation solutions as a pathway to increasing operational capacity and accuracy while also controlling costs as your organization grows. They will be well worth incorporating into your healthcare growth strategy.
8. Expansion and Diversification
The best expansion strategies not only diversify your revenue streams but also allow you to provide more comprehensive care to your patients. Take a look at why you might consider incorporating expansion and diversification plans into your healthcare corporate strategy.
Expand into home health and long-term care.
Home healthcare is estimated to jump to $383 billion by 2028, up from just $250 billion last year. Expanding into this sector means you can:
Capitalize on the fast-growing market for an aging population
Make use of a possible low-lift expansion as an existing healthcare provider
Address unmet needs in your current patient base
If your organization does not yet offer home health or long-term care, you might be leaving money on the table.
Invest in outpatient care.
Another fast-growing area is the outpatient sector, growing at a rate of 4.5% every year. The benefits include:
Enabling faster patient turnover and higher patient volumes
Expanding overall capacity without proportional increases in infrastructure
Meeting increasing patient demand for convenient, accessible care
Investing in outpatient care systems and infrastructure now positions your organization to capitalize on this trend in the coming decade.
Implementing and Measuring the Success of Growth Strategies
Once you’ve selected your chosen growth strategies, don’t forget to measure impact. This approach allows you to justify expenses, identify the most successful initiatives, and refine your decision-making process for improving upon your healthcare strategy.
We recommend establishing a structured review cycle, like the following:
Monthly - record KPI performance for each strategy
Quarterly - host a meeting with decision-makers to formally review KPIs from the quarter and adjust accordingly
Annually - compile a formal report of performance of the strategy throughout the year, including recommendations on what strategies to double down and which to let go
We often remind our strategic advising clients through our expert healthcare strategy consulting that the key to successful strategy implementation is not just in the execution, but in the continuous evaluation and refinement of your approaches.
FAQs
What Are the Most Effective Strategies for Healthcare Growth?
As we’ve outlined here, some of the most effective strategies for healthcare growth include patient-centric care, technology integration (telehealth, wearables), data-driven decisions, strategic partnerships, workforce development, marketing, operational efficiency, and service diversification. That said, healthcare is a changing landscape and it’s important to reflect, measure, and understand what works for your organization every year so that your strategies continue to be effective.
How Are Leading Healthcare Organizations Achieving Sustainable Growth?
Leading organizations grow by taking a multifaceted approach that’s rooted in quality and intention, rather than jumping on short-lived marketing and sales trends. They focus on foundational elements like enhancing patient experience, expanding telehealth, using analytics, addressing burnout, and exploring new market segments.
What Are the Key Regulatory and Compliance Considerations for Healthcare Growth?
Key regulatory and compliance considerations for healthcare growth include Medicare and Medicaid regulations, state licensing requirements, and accreditation standards, among others. Additionally, your organization must comply with FDA regulations for medical devices and drugs, and implement fraud and abuse prevention measures.
Achieving Healthcare Excellence Through Strategy Consulting in Healthcare
2025-2026 are set to be exciting years of intentional expansion and growth, made all the more significant after the turmoil of the pandemic. With these cutting-edge strategies from leading institutions, you’re well on your way to hitting your growth goals.
At EnticEdge, we've consistently seen how well-defined messaging amplifies the effectiveness of all growth strategies. If you're not sure about your message alignment, it's crucial to prioritize this before investing in other growth strategies.
To help you evaluate your current positioning, we offer a free Value Mapping quiz. Following this initial assessment, we encourage you to reach out to us for comprehensive Value-Mapping. This process will help prioritize your approaches and set the stage for growth.
