As healthcare practices are looking for growth. They would typically consider digital or social media marketing, and most employ consumer data tracking and behavior-based targeting tactics that have become standard in other industries. 

Given almost all small to medium-sized organizations outsource these functions, they often do not fully understand either the use or the hidden risks associated with digital or social media marketing providers. Experts warn that these techniques pose significant risks when applied to the healthcare sector.

"Consumer activity tracking for marketing is simply not a good fit for healthcare," explains Mike Hamilton, CISO of cybersecurity firm Critical Insight and former CISO for the city of Seattle. "Due to regulatory oversight from the Department of Health and Human Services and state-level privacy laws like the California Consumer Privacy Act, this type of customer data is not relevant to a healthcare organization's mission. Worse, possessing it creates major liability concerns."

The healthcare industry faces stringent data privacy and security regulations, such as HIPAA, that do not apply to typical consumer-facing businesses. Collecting and storing detailed behavioral data on patients, even if intended for marketing purposes, can expose healthcare providers to substantial fines and lawsuits if that data is ever breached or misused.

Even widely used data, like an email address, is considered PHI and thus needs to be carefully handled.

At Knock, we take a different approach. We believe that healthcare practices should focus on building trust-based relationships with patients through more thoughtful, privacy-focused engagement. 

"We decided to create a growth platform that is secure by design from the ground up."

To learn more about building a secure, HIPAA-compliant marketing strategy that leads to sustainable growth, contact us today.