Why Healthcare Marketers Can’t Rely on Old Playbooks Anymore
Chris Pace, vice president of healthcare industry at SearchStax
Healthcare marketing is entering a more demanding phase. Expectations are higher. Budgets are tighter. Leadership teams are asking sharper questions about impact, tradeoffs, and return. The shift isn’t sudden, but it is unmistakable. That reality came through clearly at Freshpaint House Call Miami, where healthcare marketers, operators, and partners gathered for candid conversations about what it will take to drive growth in 2026 and beyond.
What stood out wasn’t a single breakthrough tactic or emerging platform. It was a shared recognition that many of the practices we’ve relied on for years are showing strain — not because marketing has failed, but because the environment around it has changed. Privacy expectations are evolving. Consumer behavior is fragmenting. And executive teams want clearer answers about how marketing contributes to organizational outcomes.
The day opened with a keynote from Pri Shumate, founder of Slipstream Works and CMO for the Miami Dolphins, who challenged attendees to think more intentionally about language, audience relevance, and how marketing initiatives are framed for executive audiences, particularly finance leaders. That framing set the tone for what followed.
Across sessions, these themes consistently resurfaced:
- Alignment before attribution
- Balance across the marketing funnel
- Measurement approach built on trust
Read our new article by Chris Pace to learn how to clearly articulate the value of marketing in driving organizational growth and success: What House Call Miami Revealed About the Next Phase of Healthcare Growth Marketing
Best regards,
Matt Humphrey
President