Let’s start with some numbers. But stick with us: We promise, we’re going somewhere with it all.

According to the latest Pew research (PDF), 80 percent of adults who are online use it as a search tool for health information. And this number is rising as the new generation that’s moving into its senior years is more comfortable with technology. These people have been accustomed to using the Internet to find information and make decisions for everything from vacation rentals to new shoes and, yes, even hospitals and treatments.

Going deeper into the research, 44 percent of Internet users are searching online for information about doctors and health professionals, and 36 percent are searching for hospitals and medical facilities. More than half are searching about specific medical treatments.

All in all, health information online is now the third most in popularity in online search categories. With this much traffic online centered around health information, you need to have an acquisition plan for potential patients who have found their way to a physician in your hospital or health system.

Physician searches, online registration for classes and events, requesting appointments or retaining patients who don’t have primary care physicians after an Emergency Room visit are key areas of revenue opportunity for hospitals and health systems. Patients and online consumers alike want access to everyday needs online, where they are already engaged.

We have seen the rise of giant online retailers like Amazon damage or even destroy their competition by offering simple shopping that is available 24 hours a day. Your hospital and health network, too, can provide relevant and comprehensive information, and then close the loop from start to finish with a patient experience in the manner that is easiest for the patient and for you.

Your online marketing strategy should include ways to guide patients through the information they are searching for by providing easy access to services such as physician referrals, online chat or class registration. It has to be easy.

Of course, this also means you need online registration solutions, and that is where BerylHealth can help.

With our online solutions, as well as our 24/7 call center for patients who want to talk with a live patient experience advisor, BerylHealth gives you measurable ROI on your marketing dollars spent, as well as consumer data housed in our Patient Experience Database, powered by cloud technology, that can be used to for your patient acquisition strategies today and into the future.

If your hospital or health system has a strategy to engage the online consumer and funnel them to your offices or you are not experiencing the market share growth you expect, contact BerylHealth today and let’s find a solution that works.