In the aftermath of suppressed budgets and the resource-exhaustive challenges brought on by a global pandemic, healthcare services have been stretched thin. As a result, initiatives for revamping communication efforts fell by the wayside, but efficient communication is imperative for ensuring valuable resources, time and patient needs are being met.

Insufficient communication has had an adverse effect on patient engagement and, most importantly, trust. This has been an ongoing issue even prior to the pandemic, as outlined in a study jointly funded and commissioned by the Chief Nursing Officer for Scotland and the General Medical Council.

It found that failure to provide patients with appropriate and timely information was one of the most frequently reported communication failures in UK health services. Patients grapple with confusion and heightened stress surrounding appointment times, and even a lack of information in the lead-up to procedures which creates unnecessary concerns for healthcare professionals and patients alike. 

This breakdown in communication over the years has provided the impetus to find new ways to reach patients and modernise communications, and we have already seen successes of this on a vast scale. During the pandemic, to help prevent the spread of coronavirus, the WHO sought to provide reliable information to over 1.5B people in seven different countries.

RBM facilitated this by creating engagement with users, increasing read rates by up to 90% and exceeding interaction targets of 50% in some cases. Informing the masses of critical information during a time of global crisis is no easy feat, but engaging messaging helped organisations achieve that seemingly insurmountable goal. 

Every customer is as valuable as the next, so it’s important that no one is left out under new approaches. RBM messages fall back to all devices, meaning that although some may not receive the richer features, every device will receive the core message being sent. It is essential that this is part of the transition, as brands should be committed to accommodating those who may have older devices. 

The potential of RBM has not been fully realised yet, but once it becomes more incorporated across various industries, it has the undeniable potential to change the face of communication between brands and consumers. As well as having a real-world impact as demonstrated through its impact on the healthcare industry, leveraging its features will ultimately help brands become more effective and persuasive marketers.