Hearing there is a website that evaluates the chances of losing your job to a robot could be worrisome. What most people miss, however, is that artificial intelligence (AI) isn’t a threat—it’s designed to increase our productivity.
In healthcare, for example, AI technologies can help health plans and providers communicate more effectively with members and patients. AI is not a replacement for the humans behind the program, but an asset that will help your health action programs be more effective.
AI can also build different types of predictive models that will give a lift to engagement rates and move more people to action. At the end of the day, that’s what we’re after—more positive action, better outcomes, and healthier humans.
One of the ways AI can help drive positive health action is through dynamic targeting. The easiest way to understand dynamic targeting is to think about how Netflix works. When you receive recommendations for new shows on Netflix, it’s because the technology has learned what you’re interested in based on your viewing habits, and dynamic targeting recommends new content accordingly.
How can dynamic targeting work in healthcare?
A major key to the success of dynamic targeting in health action is current and complete member and patient data. If you’re operating on dirty data—data that is disparate, outdated, and incomplete—you won’t be successful. Furthermore, it’s one thing to engage with members and patients, but something entirely different to get someone to complete a specific health action. Through the use of dynamic targeting operating on clean, complete data it’s possible. And when it’s done right, it’s incredibly impactful.
Let’s dive into the top 4 reasons dynamic targeting is the future of health action.
1. Right Channel, Right Message, Right Time
Dynamic targeting can work in healthcare the same way it does with Netflix—the technology can learn how your members and patients like to communicate, what communication channel is most effective for specific individuals, and when they are most likely to be responsive. As a result, messages can be targeted for very specific individuals and populations. When people receive messages according to their preferences, the likelihood of the desired health action increases significantly.
2. Personalization on Overdrive
Targeting is one thing, but being able to tailor a message specific to one individual based on their unique health history, risk factors, gender, and location—all while communicating through their preferred channel at the optimal time? That’s something entirely different. This precision method isn’t just a pipe dream, it’s entirely possible with the use of dynamic targeting.
3. Technology, Humanized
It’s interesting to consider that technology is what is going to create the most human experience possible. But with AI, we’re able to connect with people on a more human level than ever before. Instead of a batch-and-blast messaging model, we can drill down into individuals’ belief systems and create messages that speak to what they care about. This is an enormously powerful way to move people to health action.
4. Move People to Write Their Own Story
Empowering people to take control of their health is an important piece of the health action story. Dynamic targeting plays a key role in this because once you’ve nailed the communication channel and members and patients are engaging with you—you still need them to take action. When people feel informed and the tailored messages are resonating, they’ll feel confident taking their health into their own hands and completing the desired health action.
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Icario’s Rules of Dynamic Targeting—4 Key Takeaways
To dive even deeper into dynamic targeting, we sat down with Icario’s Senior Data Scientist Andrew Larsen to get his perspective on the role of artificial intelligence and dynamic targeting in healthcare, and how to do it well.Here’s what he wants you to know:
1. Don’t be afraid of the technology.
“Robots aren’t taking over the world. The technology is here to help you – not take your job. Dynamic targeting allows us to treat people like individuals and create very unique, individualized communication plans for very small groups of people, if not for the individuals themselves. Adopting this kind of tech is the only way to truly get to a customized individual solution for people.”
2. Enlist a team of experts.
“There are experts out there that can make this happen for you. Let us [Icario] do the heavy lifting. Our company was built for this! Many health organizations claim to do dynamic targeting already, but the real questions is—how well are they doing it? One person in your company can’t do it on their own. Find a partner that can do it right and consistently delivers superior results.”
3. You’ll fall behind if you do nothing.
“Icario works with health plans and providers that are already doing this. If you choose to do nothing or stick with the status quo, you will fall behind and become irrelevant. Healthcare consumers expect an Amazon-like experience from their health plans and even their providers—now is an incredible chance to get ahead and be the leader in the industry.”
4. Embrace a test & learn attitude.
“Test & learn seems like a concept that should be easy to grasp, but not everyone does it well. When you hear this buzzword, call us. One of the universal truths of technology that needs to be accepted is this: test & learn is your friend. Technology is always evolving and we’re experts at keeping up with the evolution. We’ll work with you to test various messages and channels to determine not only what yields the best results, but we’ll show you how it works.”
Moral of the story: AI doesn’t have to be scary.With the right partner, it’s easy to implement into your health action strategy. Messages and communication channels can be personalized to suit different member and patient segments, leading to increased health action, higher ratings and reimbursements, and better health outcomes. What’s scary about that?
