10 healthcare marketing trends in 2025

Independent medical groups face mounting challenges in the 2025 healthcare landscape. With private equity groups continuing to acquire practices, maintaining independence while growing revenue and providing quality care requires a fresh approach to patient engagement.

According to Tebra's 5th annual Patient Perspectives report, 47% of patients have left practices due to poor experiences, while 61% remain loyal thanks to excellent care. For independent providers, the path forward is clear: focus on both clinical excellence and the overall patient experience.

The patient is firmly in the driver’s seat. Quality of care is the foundation, but practices must also meet rising expectations around digital convenience and accessibility. For instance, the report found that 92% of patients prefer digital intake forms, and 91% expect responses to portal messages within 24 hours.

While these healthcare marketing trends aren't revolutionary, what's changed is the urgency to implement them. Fortunately, healthcare technology has evolved to help independent practices deliver on patient expectations efficiently. In this article, we'll explore 10 key marketing trends that can strengthen patient relationships and improve practice revenue — and how you can implement them.

Today's healthcare consumers expect sophisticated digital experiences. According to Tebra's 5th annual Patient Perspectives report, 45% of patients use online reviews to evaluate providers, and 30% of patients assess practices through their websites. For independent practices, a strong digital presence isn't just about marketing — it's about meeting patients where they are.

The modern patient journey starts online, with your website serving as the primary touchpoint. And patients expect more than just basic information — they want a seamless digital experience that includes easy access to services, transparent insurance information, and comprehensive provider profiles. Tebra's data shows that 64% of patients want to schedule appointments online, and 68% expect access to a patient portal.

Your digital presence should function as a patient engagement hub, not a digital brochure. Key elements include:

While digital communication is primary, practices need a seamless omnichannel approach to meet diverse patient preferences. The 5th annual Patient Perspectives report reveals some interesting patterns in how patients want to interact with practices:

The key is offering choice while maintaining efficiency. Modern practice management platforms can integrate phone, portal, chat, and SMS messaging systems to ensure consistent service across channels. Features like artificial intelligence-supported automated tagging on repeatable tasks, like eRx renewal requests, and automated phishing identification, can help you maintain speed and consistency. Overall, this integrated approach not only improves patient satisfaction but also enhances staff productivity by centralizing communication management.

According to Tebra's 5th Patient Perspectives report, 47% of patients have left a practice due to poor experiences with their provider, while another 31% have left due to poor experiences with office staff. This presents a significant opportunity for independent healthcare practices to differentiate themselves from corporate healthcare systems by excelling in both personal care and digital accessibility.

While 73% of patients report having access to a patient portal, their expectations are high. A striking 91% of patients expect responses to their portal messages within 4–24 hours. Plus, 68% want to use the portal for intake forms. Modern practices need to meet these digital expectations while delivering high-quality care.

Patient portals should have the core functionalities that patients value:

But portal adoption only succeeds when backed by responsive, engaged provider teams — technology alone is not enough.

Reviews significantly impact patient decision-making, with the 5th Patient Perspectives report showing that 45% of patients rely on online reviews when choosing a provider. However, 44% of patients report never being asked for feedback.

Modern review management goes beyond simple star ratings. The data shows that practices are missing key opportunities: for instance, 66% of patients report not receiving any follow-up after leaving a negative review. Plus, while 76% of patients say providers often or always live up to their good reviews, it's important to be proactive in soliciting and managing feedback to maintain your online reputation. A comprehensive approach includes:

Tebra's EHR+ is an ONC-certified all-in-one platform built for independent practices that can help you respond to patient reviews. Learn more.

Location continues to reign supreme in healthcare decision-making. According to Tebra's 5th Patient Perspectives report, practice location is a deciding factor in choosing a healthcare provider for 59% of patients. This underscores the importance of local search engine optimization (SEO) for healthcare practices in 2025.

Search algorithms now heavily prioritize localized results, even without explicit geographic terms in the search query. Results are ranked based on multiple factors: proximity to the searcher, relevance to medical search terms (such as "cardiologist" or "ob/gyn"), volume and recency of patient reviews, and consistency of practice information across the digital ecosystem.

To improve your practice's local medical SEO:

Building on the importance of local search visibility, maintaining consistent and accurate practice information across all digital platforms is crucial. Your practice's digital footprint extends beyond your website to include business profiles, healthcare directories, and review platforms. According to Tebra's 5th annual Patient Perspectives report, 39% of patients find providers through online insurance directories, while 30% rely on practice websites.

A comprehensive digital presence strategy should include:

Appointment availability has emerged as a critical differentiator. According to Tebra's research, 49% of patients would switch doctors for "available appointments when I need them." Nearly half (49%) of patients expect to secure an appointment within the same week, while 30% expect to do so within the same month. Only 8% of patients are willing to wait longer.

To meet these demands, consider implementing a mix of scheduling strategies:

Practices that can deliver on appointment availability while maintaining high-quality care will be better positioned to attract and retain patients.

Patient retention is crucial for practice growth. Tebra's 5th annual Patient Perspectives report found that 61% of patients stay with providers due to excellent care experiences. Modern patient engagement platforms help practices maintain strong relationships through personalized, automated interactions.

These platforms have evolved beyond basic customer relationship management (CRM) functionality to provide comprehensive patient engagement tools that integrate with your practice management system. The data shows why this matters: 47% of patients leave practices due to poor provider experiences, 31% due to poor staff experiences, and 27% due to slow or no response to questions.

Modern engagement platforms should include:

Understanding why patients disengage is crucial for retention. Whether it's long wait times (reported by 24% of patients) or lack of timely appointments (23%), engagement platforms help address these issues through improved communication, streamlined processes, and better access to care.

Beyond maintaining accurate website information, practices need to develop valuable content that serves multiple purposes across channels. Tebra's data shows that patients actively seek healthcare information online, with 30% evaluating practices through their websites.

Effective healthcare content strategy should focus on:

Content should focus on evidence-based health information, preventive care guidelines, and practical healthcare advice that aligns with your practice's specialties. Stay focused on patient education rather than promotion, and ensure all content is in compliance.

Most importantly, make your content work harder by designing it to be modular and adaptable. A single piece of content should be able to serve multiple purposes, from website articles to patient education materials to social posts, while maintaining consistency in quality and messaging.

Patient privacy remains paramount in healthcare marketing. With evolving cyber threats and expanding digital touchpoints, practices must balance convenience with robust data protection.

Modern privacy protection requires a comprehensive approach:

The key is implementing these security measures while maintaining the digital convenience patients expect. For example, when 91% of patients expect portal responses within 24 hours, practices need secure communication systems that enable prompt responses while protecting sensitive information.

Most importantly, make privacy protection visible to patients. Clear privacy policies, secure systems, and transparent data practices help build trust and demonstrate your commitment to protecting patient information.

For independent practices, success in 2025 requires a balanced approach to implementing these marketing trends.

When deciding which initiatives to prioritize, consider:

Most importantly, remember that while digital tools are essential, they must support — not replace — the fundamental goal of delivering excellent patient care. Choose the strategies that align best with your practice's goals and patient needs, and implement them systematically. Success in 2025 isn't about adopting every trend, but about selecting and executing the right ones for your unique practice.

Editor's note: This article was updated in January 2025 to reflect the most recent data.