The Rural Health Opportunity with Karsten Russell-Wood

Rural Health is a low priority for most healthtech firms. You may be missing a golden opportunity! In this episode, I am joined by Karsten Russell-Wood, the Chief Marketing and Experience Officer of Equum Medical, to examine rural healthcare in depth. Karsten sheds light on rural health's unique challenges and opportunities, particularly for telehealth and digital health solutions.

With 15% of the US population residing in rural areas but less than 10% of providers serving these communities, the need for innovative solutions is painfully acute. Karsten explains how telehealth is bridging this gap, bringing specialist care to critical access hospitals and helping to stem the tide of patient outmigration.

Marketing to this audience requires a different approach emphasizing personal relationships, community engagement, and understanding local needs. Karsten shares insights on effective channels for reaching rural healthcare decision-makers, including targeted events and, surprisingly, Facebook.

This episode also touches on the broader impact of rural hospitals on their communities, highlighting how these institutions are often cornerstones of local economies and social structures. Learn about the financial challenges facing rural hospitals and how collaborative purchasing groups are helping to level the playing field.

Episode Highlights:

• The scale and importance of rural healthcare in the US, including statistics on the population served and the number of critical access hospitals.
• How telehealth and digital health solutions are addressing unique challenges in rural healthcare, such as specialist shortages and geographical isolation.
• Effective marketing strategies for reaching rural healthcare decision-makers, including the surprising effectiveness of Facebook for community engagement.
• The critical role rural hospitals play in their communities, both as healthcare providers and economic anchors.
• The value of personal relationships and community engagement in marketing to rural healthcare organizations. How collaborative purchasing groups are helping rural hospitals overcome financial challenges and gain better access to resources.
• The importance of providing education and marketing support to rural hospitals implementing new telehealth services.