Think about the last time you bought a product that came with a money-back guarantee or warranty. Seeing that promise of performance gave you confidence in your purchase—and assurance that you weren’t wasting your money.
But what if the same method was applied to healthcare? Many providers, especially in the addiction treatment sector, are making the switch. They’re completely upending the traditional fee-for-service model and committing to providing treatment that creates lasting, positive change for their patients—or their money back.
In 2020, the global value-based care market was worth $2.03 billion, and experts project that amount will increase to $7.3 billion by 2027.1 This is a growing segment of healthcare and one that could radically change people’s perspective on addiction treatment.
What is Value-Based Care?
Healthcare providers typically operate with a fee-for-service model. Patients are admitted, receive a service, and pay a fee for that service. But for addiction treatment, that’s just not good enough anymore.
Patients want to have confidence in their treatment. Recovery is a long-term process and each patient’s treatment and journey is unique. Value-based care takes a collaborative approach by creating a partnership between patients and providers that emphasizes outcomes over itemized lists of services.
But this method of care doesn’t stop there. Caron Treatment Centers, a trailblazer in value-based addiction treatment, believes that this model of care doesn’t stop with accountability for outcomes. It also demands dedication to sophisticated, research-based solutions.
Unfortunately, the research about addiction treatment solutions lags behind studies in other areas of healthcare. According to Brad Sorte, President and CEO of Caron Treatment Centers, “We are really tired of being in the Dark Ages, to some degree, as it relates to the innovations that much of the rest of medicine has seen in the treatment of chronic illnesses. By thrusting into research in a very practical setting—which is what is very innovative about our research center—we’re hoping to rapidly advance those initiatives in the years to come.”2
How Should You Prepare Your Marketing for Value-Based Care?
This growing addiction treatment model doesn’t just change behavioral health centers’ fee structures. The way they operate also drastically changes.
Everything from billing to marketing is affected by value-based care, which means you need to change your digital marketing strategy, too. Here’s how to effectively market a value-based care treatment center.
1. Share the Hope of Recovery
Everything you do points to the same goal: help as many patients to reach sustainable, long-term recovery as possible. But your marketing efforts are fighting against an old narrative about addiction treatment: that relapse is likely.
Understanding why is easy. Fifty to 90% of alcohol recovery patients relapse within four years after treatment.3 Another 40% to 60% of drug recovery patients do the same.
In contrast, relapse rates among patients of value-based addiction treatment are much lower. Patients of Caron’s value-based addiction treatment program, coupled with their “My First Year” accountability and support program, have defied the typical relapse statistics. A year after discharge, 75% of these patients remained sober.2
Highlighting these successes while debunking the misconception that addiction treatment doesn’t work should be a cornerstone of your value-based marketing.
2. Highlight Research Initiatives
Research is a considerable part of value-based care, and when you share data and facts about recovery in your marketing, you demonstrate authority and build trust with your audience.
This is important, because 70% of consumers say trusting a brand is more important today than it was in the past.4 Putting your data out there for all to see fosters trust among your patients and the public.
Including the right kinds of facts and figures in your addiction treatment center’s digital marketing initiatives will also highlight the success rate of value-based care and build an even better relationship between your center and the public.
3. Communicate Clearly
No matter what people are purchasing, they want a good bargain. And there’s no better bargain in addiction treatment than value-based care.
However, because this concept is so new, some consumers may struggle to understand how value-based care actually works. So take the time to really determine the best way to communicate the message of value-based care to your community. Develop messaging that’s simple and clear, using consistent language across all your communications, and train your staff on how to discuss value-based care with patients.
Change is coming to addiction treatment—and your behavioral healthcare center needs to be ready. Dreamscape Marketing can help you create high-impact messages to educate your patients and community on value-based care and how it will affect their treatment and recovery journey. Schedule a strategy session today by calling 888.307.7304.
Interested in learning more about the Value-Based Care model? Download our latest whitepaper today.