How Email Marketing Built Relationships That Changed Healthcare in Delaware

Wilmington Delaware where Beth Schindele led the DOQ-IT healthcare IT program

Businesses often feel compelled to pour resources into Google and Facebook ads, hoping to capture the attention of their ideal clients. There is a more personal, cost-effective, and lasting approach: email marketing. Here is a story from my own career that shows what direct, relationship-driven communication can do.

A Daunting Mission

Years ago, I accepted a role under the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' Doctors' Office Quality-Information Technology (DOQ-IT) program. The objective was clear but formidable: transition physician practices from paper records to electronic medical records. The challenge was amplified by the fact that I was venturing into Delaware, a state entirely unfamiliar to me. I did not know the communities or a single person there.

Starting From Scratch

Starting in an unknown territory was intimidating. The project was familiar, but the scale was larger than anything I had tackled before. With no existing contacts, I began with cold calls. Each dial was an exercise in persistence, introducing myself and the program to physicians who had never heard of me.

Building Connections Through Email

Recognizing the limitations of cold calls alone, I turned to email as a tool to build real connections. I crafted personalized messages that addressed the specific concerns of each practice, highlighting the benefits of electronic records relevant to their situation. These emails were not just informational. They were conversational, aimed at building trust before I ever asked for anything.

The Role of Personal Interaction

Emails opened doors, but face-to-face meetings cemented relationships. I traveled across the state, met physicians in their offices, listened to their concerns, and showed them how electronic records could improve patient care. Those personal interactions were what turned skeptics into advocates.

The Result

The initial goal was to convert 20 physician practices within three years. Through consistent effort, personalized communication, and genuine relationship-building, I surpassed that target and successfully transitioned 78 practices to electronic medical records.

That achievement improved healthcare delivery in Delaware and was covered by the Philadelphia Inquirer. In the following three years, I went on to recruit more than half of the physicians in the entire state to use their electronic medical records. That work eventually expanded to 27 states and Puerto Rico. Then, through Aledade at a national level, helping physician practices transition to Accountable Care Organizations and use their data to improve patient outcomes at scale.

What This Means for Your Business

This experience reinforced something I apply to every client I work with today: relationships yield the highest return on investment. According to research by Invesp, existing clients are 50% more likely to try new services and spend 31% more compared to new clients.

Email marketing is the most direct and personal channel you have to build those relationships. Before you invest in paid advertising, consider what a consistent, well-crafted email presence could do for your business.

If you want help building an email strategy that works for your practice, schedule a free consultation and we will look at where to start.

May you always Find Your North Star.

Beth

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