As noted by Bridget Van Kralingen, a senior vice president at IBM, “The last best experience that anyone has anywhere becomes the minimum expectation for the experience they want everywhere.” Our team often calls this “the Amazon effect,” because today’s consumers expect the easy, intuitive experience they have shopping on Amazon everywhere they go on the internet — including with their health insurance provider. And you know what? They’re not wrong to do so.

Your health insurance organization has the capability to implement a consumer-centric, omni-channel strategy that anticipates member’s needs.

Imagine becoming a true advocate for your members health and wallet, especially for members who struggle with both. 

“Sure, Marybeth,” you may be saying to yourself as you roll your eyes. “And I want a pony too.” Well, it’s true! (Maybe not the part about the pony.) Your health insurance organization absolutely can lay the foundations for better, more positive and more meaningful interactions with your members. And it all rests on your ability to predict their needs and address them through proactive messaging, especially on their mobile devices.

I promise, this is not a pie-in-the-sky dream. This is achievable right now using data you’re already collecting from your members. Our team at Perficient knows what it takes to get this done for our clients. And we’re the right choice to help your organization implement it within your enterprise. Let’s explore the details, or feel free to contact us for more information.

Your health insurance organization has a trust and understanding problem

By and large, healthcare consumers don’t trust health insurance companies. We know this, and the data backs us up.

But where does this lack of trust come from? In part, it comes from the fact that, despite health insurance companies wanting to serve as stewards of their members’ healthcare, many of them simply react to it instead of acting. Pay a claim, process a prior authorization, etc. — the interactions depend on the member doing something and the payer organization then reacting to it. The onus is all on the member to navigate the system alone until there’s something to be done.

This is not what members want. As KFF’s studies show, consumers want to better understand their options and coverages. Those who have problems with their insurance providers tend to have problems understanding their options under their plans.

There’s no way busy people who aren’t health insurance experts should have to figure this all out for themselves. As they used to say on the TV infomercials, “There’s gotta be a better way!” And, as it happens, there is.

Proactive nudges and interactions can help you build trust and increase understanding

Being an advocate means being relevant in their time of need and of course, doing your best to anticipate their needs.

• Find in-network specialists if diagnosed with a certain condition; use the phone’s geolocation to inform the distance to a provider
• Compare specialists based on cost/distance/facility
• Get a cost estimate for appointment based on coverage and plan spend to date and a reminder the day of the appointment
• See cost-saving alternative medications from the plan formulary based on current prescriptions
• Show prescription phone notifications connected to the provider’s care plan
• Connect with the member’s wearable(s) health trackers to add funds to an HSA or FSA
• Connect the member to available support resources and affiliated/third-party options

You may be telling yourself, “We have that in the portal.” or “We email that vendor solution to our members.” Yes, the abyss of email and portals is all irrelevant noise when it’s not shared in the moment that matters!

None of these should wait for the member to start communication with your organization. Your team should be leading the charge with proactive nudges — push notifications, texts or emails, depending on the member’s chosen communication preferences — with robust campaigns geared toward helping guide the member toward relevant resources and plan benefits they may not know they can access.

Where does the data come from?

All these communications and strategies rely on a massive amount of member data. But this is all data you’re almost certainly collecting now through HIPAA-compliant means through everyday member interactions, such as:

• Behavioral data
• Data from provider organizations (one-off claims; pre-authorizations for a series of care that indicates the management of a chronic condition; etc.)
• Passive and ambient smartphone data
• Systems integrations, including connected health apps
• User-provided data

Active nudges and messaging strategies simply depend on you putting the power of this data to work to benefit the member and their unique healthcare needs. And this is a goal today’s healthcare consumers want to achieve from their technology and online interactions — everything from wearables and nutrition trackers to condition-specific apps and augmented reality. Integrating this data in a holistic way and translating that into discrete advice for members can be a value-added service your team provides.

Take the next step with the Perficient team

There are things you can do right now to make your members’ experiences better and more meaningful and have better long-term effects on their health and wellness. Through proactive interactions and nudges to members’ mobile devices, making use of data they already provide in HIPAA-compliant ways, you can set yourselves apart from your competitors and stand out in the minds of both members and potential future members.

Our experts at Perficient have the strategic and technical experience you need to achieve real-world, measurable results that will have positive impacts for your business. And we’re ready to put that experience to work for your team. Contact us today to learn more or to schedule a consultation with our team.

Welcome to our ongoing series on Universal Design for Healthcare! In this segment, we’ll explore the importance of Visual Disabilities in Healthcare.

In the pursuit of providing equitable healthcare, embracing universal design principles has become increasingly critical. Designing healthcare environments that accommodate individuals with visual disabilities ensures these settings are accessible, safe, and welcoming for everyone. Let’s delve into how universal design can transform physical healthcare environments to better support individuals with visual disabilities.

Key Elements of Universal Design

Tactile Pathways
Tactile pathways are an essential feature for guiding individuals with visual disabilities through a facility. By incorporating textured surfaces on floors and walls, users can navigate spaces more easily. These pathways should be strategically placed to lead from entrances to key areas such as reception desks, elevators, restrooms, and consultation rooms.

Braille Signage
Signage is a cornerstone of accessible design. Including Braille on room numbers, elevator buttons, and directories ensures that visually impaired individuals can independently identify locations and find their way. Pairing Braille with large, high-contrast print enhances readability for those with partial vision.

High-Contrast Color Schemes
Utilizing high-contrast color schemes helps differentiate boundaries and highlight important features in the environment. For example, contrasting wall colors from floor colors can assist in spatial orientation, while brightly colored handrails or door frames can serve as visual cues in navigation.

Lighting
Proper lighting is crucial for individuals with visual disabilities, as it enhances their ability to perceive their surroundings. Ensuring well-lit corridors, stairways, and common areas reduces the risk of accidents. Adjustable lighting options in patient rooms and consultation areas allow for customization based on individual needs.

Clear and Unobstructed Pathways
Clutter-free spaces are vital in preventing accidents. Keeping hallways and pathways clear of obstacles, such as equipment and furniture, ensures smooth navigation. Designated storage areas for medical tools and supplies help maintain a tidy environment.

Auditory Cues and Assistive Technology
Incorporating auditory cues, such as automated announcements for directions or floor levels in elevators, supports individuals with visual disabilities. Additionally, assistive technologies like beacons or smartphone apps that provide verbal instructions can further aid navigation.

Wide and Automatic Doors
Installing wide, automatic doors at entrances and key access points facilitates movement for individuals using mobility aids, such as guide dogs or canes. These doors should also have tactile indicators to help users locate handles and buttons.

Seating and Rest Areas
Strategically placed seating and rest areas throughout a facility provide opportunities for individuals to pause and orient themselves. These areas should be easily identifiable with clear, high-contrast signage and be free of obstacles.

Integrating universal design principles into the physical environments of healthcare facilities is a significant step toward creating inclusive and safe spaces for individuals with visual disabilities. By focusing on tactile pathways, Braille signage, high-contrast colors, proper lighting, clear pathways, auditory cues, and accessible doors and seating, we can ensure that healthcare environments are not only navigable but also welcoming for everyone. These improvements foster independence and confidence in visually impaired individuals, contributing to better healthcare experiences and outcomes.

Welcome to our ongoing series on Universal Design for Healthcare! In this segment, we’ll explore the importance of Visual Disabilities in Healthcare.

In the healthcare sector, implementing universal design principles is crucial for creating environments that are accessible to everyone, including individuals with visual disabilities. Ensuring that these spaces are both safe and usable can significantly enhance the overall healthcare experience. Let’s look at how universal design can increase safety for patients with visual impairments in various healthcare settings.

Safety in Universal Design

Navigable Environments

Creating navigable environments is foundational to ensuring safety. By integrating the following features, healthcare facilities can provide a safer experience:
Tactile Flooring: Using different textures on floors to indicate changes in zones or to direct individuals to important areas, such as exits, restrooms, and consultation rooms, helps patients with visual disabilities navigate the space safely.
Clear Pathways: Keeping hallways and corridors free from obstacles and ensuring clear, wide pathways can prevent trips and falls. Strategic placement of furniture and equipment is key to maintaining these clear paths.
Braille and Raised Signage: Adequate signage in Braille and raised letters for directions, room numbers, and important information ensures that individuals with visual impairments can find their way independently.

Proper Lighting and Color Contrast

Adequate Lighting: Well-lit areas with minimal glare and adjustable lighting settings in patient rooms can help individuals with low vision navigate more easily. Emergency exits and stairways should always be brightly lit.
Color Contrast: High-contrast color schemes can delineate boundaries and highlight essential features, aiding in orientation and mobility. Using contrasting colors for doors, handrails, and floors against walls can be extremely helpful.

Safety Features

To further enhance safety, healthcare facilities can incorporate specific safety features:
Auditory Alerts: Implementing auditory cues for elevators, emergency alarms, and other critical systems ensures that patients with visual disabilities are aware of important information and can react accordingly.
Automated Systems: Automatic doors, faucets, and dispensers reduce the need for manual handling, lowering the risk of contamination and injury. Voice-activated systems can also provide assistance without physical contact.
Emergency Preparedness: Clear emergency evacuation plans that include tactile maps and designated assistance personnel help ensure that patients with visual disabilities can safely navigate during emergencies.

Training and Awareness

For universal design to be effective, healthcare staff must be adequately trained:
Staff Training: Comprehensive training programs for healthcare providers on how to assist patients with visual impairments are crucial. Staff should be knowledgeable about guiding techniques, effective communication, and use of assistive technology.
Sensitivity and Awareness: Promoting awareness and sensitivity towards the needs of visually impaired individuals within the healthcare team fosters an inclusive and respectful environment.

Implementing Universal Design: A Collaborative Approach

Success in implementing universal design principles comes from collaboration between architects, healthcare providers, patients, and disability advocates. By working together, they can create facilities that are not only compliant with accessibility standards but are also innovative and inclusive in their design.

Universal design in healthcare enhances safety and accessibility for individuals with visual disabilities. By focusing on navigable environments, proper lighting and contrast, safety features, and staff training, healthcare facilities can become more inclusive and safer spaces. These changes not only benefit patients with visual impairments but contribute to overall better healthcare outcomes and experiences for everyone.

In 2025, the medical device industry trends are not just shaping the future—they’re redefining the present. As technology advances at an unprecedented pace, regulatory landscapes evolve, and patient expectations rise, the industry stands at a pivotal juncture. Embracing these trends offers a pathway to innovation, market expansion, and enhanced patient outcomes. However, success requires strategic foresight to navigate challenges in compliance, operational efficiency, and trust-building.

Explore the key trends shaping 2025, uncovering data-driven insights and actionable strategies to seize opportunities and maintain a competitive edge in this rapidly evolving industry.

MedTech Trend #1: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Integration

AI is revolutionizing the medical device industry by addressing inefficiencies in diagnostics, streamlining regulatory approvals, and enabling highly personalized experiences and patient care. These advancements tackle critical challenges such as the growing demand for precision medicine and operational efficiency. However, the industry faces unique challenges that many other sectors don’t encounter. Strict regulations around HIPAA, PHI, and PII create significant barriers, making it difficult to adopt off-the-shelf AI solutions from fields like commerce or digital experience. These regulations demand that AI be specifically tailored to ensure data privacy, security, and compliance, limiting the utility of plug-and-play approaches seen in other industries.

Recommended Approach: Implement AI at every stage of the product lifecycle. However, don’t think of AI as a standalone strategy. Instead, consider it as a powerful enabler of broader business objectives. In the design phase, predictive analytics identify unmet market needs and guide the development of innovative, consumer-relevant product features. During regulatory submissions, AI-powered compliance tools streamline the process by reducing review times and ensuring adherence to complex guidelines, accelerating time-to-market. In the post-market phase, machine learning models enhance device monitoring by predicting failures, optimizing performance, and enhancing reliability, safety, and care plan adherence. In each phase, a well-formed strategy aligns key business priorities with organizational capabilities – people, technology, and processes – to create a cohesive framework.

Related: Outpace the Competition with Smart Predictions

MedTech Trend #2: Building Consumer Trust in AI-Enabled Devices

Consumer trust remains a significant consideration to the adoption of medical devices, especially those that are AI-enabled. Patients need confidence that their data is secure. Meanwhile, providers require assurance that these technologies are reliable and inclusively designed and tested to enhance care delivery for all populations. For healthcare leaders, building trust is not optional—it’s essential. Successfully addressing these concerns translates into higher adoption rates, stronger provider relationships, and expanded market share. Transparency and engagement are critical to creating a trusted brand that resonates with all stakeholders.

Recommended Approach: Building trust requires a multi-faceted strategy rooted in transparency, education, and clinician advocacy and centered on a core tenet: know your audience. Clear communication about how a device and AI operate, the benefits, and safeguards in place to mitigate AI bias and protect patient data can significantly alleviate skepticism. Drive understanding and adoption by deeply understanding your audience personas and journeys, then tailor experiences around those insights. Demystify AI and support better health decisions by educating through interactive webinars, videos, and other preferred modes, speaking the language of your patients and your providers. Adhering to robust data security standards, such as GDPR and HIPAA, and transparently communicating these measures to stakeholders reinforce confidence.

You May Enjoy: Your Playbook for Building Trust in Artificial Intelligence for Medical Devices

MedTech Trend #3: Regulatory Evolution

Evolving regulatory frameworks, including updated FDA guidelines, underscore the critical importance of cybersecurity and proactive risk management of medical devices, particularly those that are AI-enabled. These developments reflect a growing emphasis on protecting patient safety and ensuring data integrity in today’s interconnected healthcare landscape. For medical device leaders, embedding compliance into the innovation process is crucial for building stakeholder trust and positioning their organizations as reliable partners in a competitive market.

Recommended Approach: Adopt a compliance-first mindset, collaborating across regulatory, IT, and R&D teams to ensure a unified approach to evolving standards. By integrating cybersecurity protocols into the earliest stages of product design and regulatory documentation, your organization can proactively address vulnerabilities and innovate confidently while protecting patient trust and ensuring market viability.

See Also: Innovate Medical Device Software Quickly and Compliantly

MedTech Trend #4: Direct to Consumer Wearables and Devices

The demand for wearable medical devices is rapidly increasing as patients play a more active role in managing their well-being and seek real-time health monitoring tools that seamlessly integrate into their daily lives. In turn, these devices enable proactive disease management and generate valuable data for providers, facilitating personalized, data-driven care beyond the traditional care setting. Concurrently, providers are expanding into digitally connected services, such as telemedicine, remote patient monitoring, and personalized care plans, enabling patients to manage their health in more convenient and accessible settings. For medical device leaders, the wearable market presents significant growth potential, provided usability, privacy, and interoperability challenges are addressed.

Recommended Approach: To maximize the potential of wearable devices, organizations must prioritize user-friendly designs that integrate easily into patients’ routines, encouraging adoption and compliance. Interoperability is also critical. Ensuring wearables integrate seamlessly with electronic health records (EHRs) enhances their value for patients and providers by enabling coordinated, data-driven care. By overcoming these challenges, wearable devices can become indispensable tools in modern healthcare, supporting long-term adoption and loyalty while driving better health outcomes.

Strategic Position: Meet Customers Where They Are

MedTech Trend #5: Collaborative Innovation for Growth

Mergers, acquisitions, and partnerships are reshaping the medical device industry, enabling organizations to scale operations, accelerate innovation, and expand into new markets. These collaborative efforts address the rising costs of R&D while meeting the demand for advanced technologies, helping companies remain competitive in a fast-evolving landscape. Strategic partnerships offer access to cutting-edge technologies and fresh perspectives, shortening product development cycles and facilitating faster market entry. For medical device leaders, these alliances are essential for addressing unmet market needs, navigating healthcare complexities, and driving long-term growth.

Recommended Approach: Organizations should pursue partnerships that align with their strategic goals and operational strengths. Evaluating compatibility across technology, culture, and objectives is essential for fostering productive relationships. Robust integration plans for mergers minimize disruptions and maximize synergies, ensuring a seamless transition. Partnering with startups, academic institutions, or tech firms provides opportunities to access disruptive innovations such as AI-powered diagnostics and next-generation wearables. These collaborations position companies as leaders in innovation, allowing them to efficiently meet market demands and deliver transformative healthcare solutions. Strategic collaboration is no longer optional—it is a necessity for maintaining a competitive edge in the medical device industry.

See More: Drive Business Velocity and Growth

Expert Digital Healthcare Consulting Services for the Medical Device Industry: Innovate, Modernize, Lead

The medical device industry is at a pivotal moment, with groundbreaking advancements in AI, evolving regulatory landscapes, and a growing emphasis on consumer-centric healthcare reshaping how organizations innovate, operate, and deliver value. These trends are not just reshaping the industry but also creating new opportunities to lead through innovation, operational efficiency, and patient-focused solutions.

We combine strategy, industry expertise, and cutting-edge technology to empower medical device companies to adapt, thrive, and lead in this rapidly evolving environment:

• Business Transformation: Activate strategies that align clinical innovation with business objectives for transformative healthcare solutions.
• Modernization: Leverage advanced technologies like AI and machine learning to drive innovation, regulatory compliance, and operational excellence.
• Data Analytics: Harness enterprise data to generate actionable insights, enabling precision medicine, device reliability, and market leadership.
• Consumer Experience: Build trust, transparency, and engagement with AI-enabled devices and wearable technologies to elevate the patient journey.

Our partnerships with leading technology providers, recognition from top industry analysts, and consistent ranking by Modern Healthcare as one of the largest healthcare consulting firms demonstrate our expertise and commitment to results.

Discover why the top medical device manufacturers and healthcare organizations trust us to deliver measurable outcomes. Explore our expertise in the medical device industry and contact us to learn how we can help you lead in this new era of healthcare innovation.

As private health insurers weather industry headwinds, strategic transformation priorities remain firmly centered on operations and patient-centric experiences that accelerate efficiencies. Outcomes-driven leaders recognize the value of aligning key business needs with people, technology, and processes. 

Leading Digital Transformation for U.S. Payers 

We are proud to announce the recent recognition of Perficient’s digital services for healthcare payers by an industry-leading advisory firm. This highlights the value that our expert, global teams bring to the largest U.S. health insurers as industry leaders work to improve operations, efficiency, and effectiveness.  

Now more than ever, insurers can accelerate a shift from traditional cost management to proactive health enablement. The most effective payers are integrating technologies to modernize operations, streamline experiences, and not only unlock reliable data, but elevate insights and experiences with AI and advanced, integrated analytics. AI can be harnessed to offer hyper-personalized benefit plans, predictive risk analytics, and real-time insights that not only manage costs but also enhance member experience and engagement. 

You May Enjoy: Current Digital Trends in Healthcare 

We believe our inclusion in a leading study of digital health services showcases our dedication to easing consumer journeys, ensuring integrated data is reliable and secure, and modernizing the enterprise so it can accelerate progress toward key business priorities. We are committed to helping healthcare leaders stay competitive with our award-winning, tailored solutions.  

“This acknowledgment underscores our commitment to helping healthcare leaders optimize workflows, uncover insights, innovate care experiences, and strengthen consumer trust.”– Brent Teiken, General Manager, Healthcare + Life Sciences

Our healthcare experts guide and drive a shared understanding with clients. This insight is especially vital as leaders seek solutions to highly complex business challenges that rely on protected data and span a complex healthcare ecosystem. Our technology experts further ensure that solutions are not only implemented correctly but can scale as consumer expectations and business needs evolve.  

Success In Action: Enabling Better Insight Into Key Patient Data Using GenAI 

Elevate Health and Business Outcomes With Our Expertise 

We help health insurers navigate intense technological and regulatory requirements while controlling costs and improving the user experience to support and delight members. 

• Business Transformation: Transform strategy into action: reduce costs, increase quality, and improve member experiences. 
• Modernization: Maximize technology to drive innovative, digital-first care solutions in automation, AI, and cloud. 
• Data + Analytics: Provide governed, accessible, and trusted data to drive insight and engagement for members, providers, and groups. 
• Consumer Experience: Create personalized, value added, and measurable experiences across multiple channels for all constituents. 

Explore our healthcare expertise and contact us to discover why we have been trusted by the 10 largest U.S. health insurers, including 25 BCBS-affiliated insurers, and are consistently recognized by Modern Healthcare as one of the largest healthcare consulting firms. 

Severe unpredictable weather, unprecedented power draw from cutting-edge technologies, and intensifying governmental and regulatory pressures have created a turbulent landscape for power and utilities providers. There is now significant concern regarding grid reliability, from resiliency to keeping up with energy consumption. Coupled with aging information technology systems and shifting consumer expectations, many utilities companies are scrambling to keep up with the fast-paced changes impacting their operations and growth.

At Perficient, we help these organizations not only pick up the pace but gain a competitive advantage. Our experts are well-versed in the many challenges facing the energy and utilities industry due to years of client-side experience, first-party research, memberships at industry associations, and being trusted advisors at many leading utilities companies. Whether it’s grid and IT modernization or grappling with the evolution of utilities customer experience, we have been at the forefront of strategy development for award-winning digital transformations. Because of this expertise, Perficient was recently recognized in a leading global technology research and advisory firm’s report featuring notable digital solutions consultancies partnering with power and utilities companies across North America and Europe.

An Unexpected Twist on Industry-First Approach

Perficient’s experts dive deep into the specifics of each industry’s trends, drivers, and disruptors to ensure their advisory and solutions are tailored and relevant, but more than ever, organizations are being challenged to look outside of their industry and capitalize on solutions from other markets. The power and utilities industry is the perfect example.

Electrification Ripple Effect

Not many factors significantly affect multiple industries, quite like the adoption of and governmental policies surrounding electric vehicles. At first glance, this sweeping development has the most impact on the automotive industry. It did not take long, however, for most to realize just how much electric vehicle adoption would rely on the capabilities of utilities providers.

Automobile companies’ transition to electric vehicles and society’s adoption of them – though slow-moving – are causing additional stress on the grid. Mandates to cease producing traditional internal combustion engine vehicles are further augmenting this pressure, compounded by consumer demand for more accessible and faster charging. For automotive companies to answer these demands, they now look to the utilities providers who must make it all possible.

Perficient’s deep expertise in automotive and utilities is helping organizations in both industries to improve their capabilities and offerings in the electric vehicle charging space and collaborate to scale rapid charging, improve electric vehicle ownership and charging experience, and ensure resiliency in the face of increased energy demand.

Transformation From Rate Payer to Customer, Provider to Advisor

The automotive industry is not the only market introducing new challenges for utilities providers. Utilities companies have experienced larger-than-average debt collection deficits, as indicated in their 10K financial reports. Consumers are coming to expect from their utilities providers the experiences that other industries are innovating, such as retail and financial services. Historically, utilities customers have been thought of rate payers, but stellar customer experiences such as through mobile apps, loyalty and rewards programs, immersive virtual experiences, and intuitive virtual assistants have challenged the industry to rethink their interface with customers.

To tackle this change, energy companies are looking outside their industry, such as to big box retail stores and successful financial institutions, for answers. Many are adopting a digital experience mindset to develop major applications, customer-facing portals, and consumer-first programs. In response, Perficient approaches collaboration with these organizations with cross-industry solutions.

We were able to replicate and apply the compassion-based debt collection strategy within utilities, greatly assisting where their income was suffering. By reaching out to late accounts in humane ways, such as text messages, these utilities companies saw greater success in attaining timely payments and collections.

“The shift towards digital-first utilities requires cross-industry solutioning. This sector looks to Perficient for our ability to digitally transform and share solutions across our entire industry portfolio.”– Sean McGrath, Principal, Energy and Utilities

Our team of experts is constantly working towards the next innovative solution for the problems of tomorrow. Learn more about our energy and utilities industry expertise.

In a previous blog post I discussed various content authoring approaches within Drupal and the importance of selecting the right one for your specific situation. Towards the end I mentioned a new iteration of Drupal(Starshot). It is now here, Startshot, i.e. Drupal CMS was released on Jan 15th. As it becomes part of the Drupal Ecosystem, here are 5 key areas to consider when tackling a new project or build.

1. What is Drupal CMS?

Drupal CMS is a tooling built on top of Drupal 11 Core. This takes some of the most commonly used configurations, recipes, modules and more, puts them into an installable package and offers it for a great starting point for small to moderate complexity websites and portals.

2. What are the advantages of Drupal CMS?

As mentioned above, Drupal CMS is a pre-bundled installation of Drupal 11 Core, Contributed modules, Recipes and configuration that provides a rapid starting point for marketing teams.

The advantages include quicker time to market, easier configuration of toolings for cookie compliance, content workflows, permissions, multilingual support and more. Drupal CMS as a product will enable marketing teams to build and maintain a web presence with limited technical staff requirements. You may be able to take advantage of an implementation partner like Perficient and have much smaller learning curve for web editors and managers as opposed to a completely custom build on top of Drupal Core.

The ability for a CMS to be spun up with limited customization and overhead, is a big departure from traditional Drupal development which required extensive experience and technical support. This will be a huge time and budget saver for certain situations and organizations.

Another advantage of Drupal CMS is that is built upon the standard Drupal 11 core. This allows a site to evolve, grow and take advantage of the more complex technical underpinnings as needed. If you start with Drupal CMS, you are not handcuffed to it, and have the entire Drupal open source ecosystem available to you as you scale.

3. What are the disadvantages of Drupal CMS?

Or course, no situation is a win-win-win, so what are the tradeoffs of Drupal CMS?

The major disadvantages of Drupal CMS would come to light in heavily customized or complex systems. All of the preconfigured toolings that make a simple to moderately complex site easier on Drupal CMS can cause MORE complexity on larger or completely custom builds, as a technical team may find themselves spending unnecessary time undoing the unnecessary aspects of Drupal CMS.

Another (for the meantime)disadvantage of Drupal CMS is that it is built on top of Drupal 11 core, while Drupal 11 is a secure and final release, the community support historically lags. It is worth evaluating support for any contributed modules for Drupal 11 before making the decision on Drupal CMS.

4. Drupal 10, Drupal 11, Drupal CMS, which is the right choice?

With all of the advantages and disadvantages to various Drupal Core and CMS versions. It can be a large choice of what direction to go. When making that decision for your organization, you should evaluate 3 major areas. First, look at the scale of your technical team and implementation budget. A smaller team or budget would suggest evaluating Drupal CMS as a solution.

Secondly, evaluate your technical requirements. Are you building a simple website with standard content needs and workflows? Drupal CMS might be perfect. Are you building a complex B2B commerce site with extensive content, workflow and technical customizations? Drupal Core might be the right choice.

Finally, evaluate your technical requirements for any needs that may not be fully supported by Drupal 11 just yet. If you find an area that isn’t supported, it would be time to evaluate the timeline for support, timeline for your project as well as criticality of the functional gaps. This is where a well versed and community connected implementation partner such as Perficient can provide crucial insights to ensure the proper selection of your underlying tooling.

5. I am already on Drupal 7/8/9/10/11, do I need to move to Drupal CMS?

In my opinion this is highly dependent of where you currently are. If you are on Drupal 7/8, you are many versions behind, lacking support and any upgrade is essentially a rebuild. In this case, Drupal CMS should be considered just like an new build considering the points above. Drupal 9/10/11, an upgrade to Drupal 10/11 respectively might be your best bet. Drupal CMS can be layered on top of this upgrade if you feel the features fit the direction of your website, but it is important to consider all the above pros and cons when making this decision. Again, a trusted implementation partner such as Perficient can help guide and inform you and your team as you tackle these considerations!

Welcome to our ongoing series on Universal Design for Healthcare! In this segment, we’ll explore the importance of Visual Disabilities in Healthcare.

Inclusive healthcare is not just a lofty ideal but a practical necessity. Among the various aspects of universal design is ensuring that individuals with visual disabilities have access to information and services with dignity and independence. Large print materials play a central role in this mission, bridging gaps in communication and fostering a more equitable healthcare experience.

What is Universal Design?

Universal design refers to creating environments, products, and services that are accessible and usable by everyone, regardless of their abilities. In the context of healthcare, universal design ensures that medical facilities, procedures, and information are accessible to all patients, including those with visual impairments. This approach is crucial for eliminating barriers, improving patient outcomes, and promoting an inclusive healthcare system.

The Role of Large Print in Healthcare

Large print refers to text that is printed in a larger font size than standard print. It is particularly beneficial for individuals with low vision or other visual impairments.

Here’s why large print is so important in healthcare:

Accessible Medical Information
Large print ensures that patients with visual disabilities can easily read important medical information, such as appointment details, medication labels, and health education materials. This accessibility allows them to manage their health independently and accurately.

Improved Patient Comprehension
By providing materials in large print, healthcare providers can help patients better understand their diagnoses, treatments, and care instructions. This can lead to improved adherence to medical advice and better health outcomes.

Enhanced Communication
Communication between patients and healthcare providers is significantly improved when large print is used. It ensures that visually impaired patients can receive and comprehend important documents, fostering trust and collaboration in their care.

Increased Safety
Large print reduces the risk of errors, such as misreading medication dosages or misunderstanding appointment schedules. This enhanced clarity is essential for ensuring patient safety and avoiding adverse health events.

Promoting Independence
Offering materials in large print empowers visually impaired patients to engage with their healthcare autonomously. This independence is key to their confidence and overall well-being.

Implementing Large Print in Healthcare Settings

To integrate large print effectively in healthcare, consider the following measures:

– Large Print Documents: Ensure that critical documents, such as consent forms, discharge summaries, and patient education materials, are available in large print.
– Large Print Labels: Label medications and medical equipment in large print to enhance safety and accessibility.
– Clear Signage: Ensure that all signs within healthcare facilities are available in large print, making navigation easier for visually impaired individuals.
– Staff Training: Educate healthcare staff on the importance of providing large print materials and how to assist patients with visual disabilities effectively.

Universal design in healthcare is a vital step toward creating an inclusive and equitable system for all patients. Implementing large print materials is a simple yet powerful way to enhance accessibility, improve communication, and ensure the safety of individuals with visual disabilities. By prioritizing large print, healthcare providers can help bridge the gaps in patient care, fostering a more inclusive environment where everyone has the opportunity to receive the care they deserve.

Welcome to our ongoing series on Universal Design for Healthcare! In this segment, we’ll explore the importance of Visual Disabilities in Healthcare.

In recent years, the healthcare industry has made significant strides in adopting universal design principles to create an inclusive environment for everyone, including individuals with visual disabilities. This approach not only enhances accessibility but also promotes equality and independence. Among the various tools and technologies employed, Braille stands out as a crucial element in bridging communication gaps and ensuring that vital health information is accessible to all.

The Importance of Universal Design in Healthcare

Universal design is the practice of creating environments, products, and services that are inherently accessible to all people, regardless of their abilities or disabilities. In healthcare, this means ensuring that facilities, medical devices, and information are accessible to everyone. By implementing universal design principles, healthcare providers can offer more equitable care, reduce barriers, and improve patient outcomes.

The Role of Braille in Healthcare

Braille is a tactile writing system used by people who are visually impaired. It allows individuals to read and write through touch, providing a means of accessing information independently.

Here’s why Braille is essential in healthcare:

Accessible Medical Information
Braille enables patients with visual disabilities to read important medical information, such as medication labels, dosage instructions, and appointment details. This ensures they can manage their health independently and accurately.

Improved Communication
For healthcare providers, offering key documents and instructions in Braille can significantly improve communication with visually impaired patients. This fosters trust and empowers patients to be active participants in their care.

Enhanced Safety
Access to Braille can prevent medication errors and misunderstandings by allowing patients to verify prescriptions and understand their treatment plans. This enhances patient safety and reduces the risk of adverse health outcomes.

Increased Independence
Braille empowers individuals with visual disabilities to navigate healthcare settings independently. Whether it’s reading signage, using accessible medical devices, or filling out forms, Braille provides a sense of autonomy and confidence.

Implementing Braille in Healthcare Settings

To effectively incorporate Braille into healthcare environments, the following measures can be taken:

• Braille Signage: Ensuring that all signs, from room numbers to emergency exits, include Braille descriptions.
• Braille Documents: Providing critical documents such as consent forms, discharge summaries, and educational materials in Braille.
• Braille Labels: Labeling medication containers, medical devices, and important equipment with Braille to enhance safety and accessibility.
• Training Staff: Educating healthcare professionals on the importance of Braille and how to assist visually impaired patients effectively.

Universal design and the integration of Braille in healthcare are essential steps towards creating an inclusive and equitable system for all patients. By prioritizing accessibility, healthcare providers can eliminate barriers, improve patient outcomes, and ensure that everyone has the opportunity to receive the care they deserve. Braille, as a fundamental component of this inclusive approach, plays a vital role in empowering individuals with visual disabilities, promoting independence, and enhancing communication and safety in healthcare settings.

Read more about my thoughts on ecommerce returns on MarTech.

With global ecommerce still on the rise, there’s been a corresponding increase in returns. About 30% of online purchases are returned, compared to just 8.89% from physical store sales. The financial impact is significant, with an estimated annual cost of $400 billion in the United States alone. The rising rate at which customers shop online has exacerbated an already growing challenge of managing product returns in a way that keeps both retailer and customer satisfied.

While securing the bottom line is essential, retailers also understand importance of building customer loyalty through a convenient, efficient, and pleasant return experience. Retailers can flip a usually negative situation – product returns – on its head and use it as an opportunity to build customer loyalty.

Ecommerce Returns: Customer Happiness versus Profitability

Recent statistics show that the average return rate for ecommerce is estimated at 20-30%. Of those returns, 60% are due to fit or quality issues. Online shopping is especially vulnerable to returns since customers simply cannot see the product for themselves before they receive it, and many brands still have work to do in ensuring thorough and accurate product information and inventory data. In a tradeoff for taking the risk, 75% of customers expect free returns and 35% will only shop from retailers with generous return policies.

What Does a Bad Return Experience Often Look Like?

For retailers to fully understand the scope of the issues that are creating a less-than-satisfactory return process, it’s important to gather anecdotal information from customers and pinpoint every place in the journey where the brand could have done better and retained that customer.

If the product doesn’t work as advertised or fit as planned, what is the customer’s course of action? In a bad return experience, it might be extremely difficult to find information on the return policy or how to contact customer service. Customer service might only be available in one or two ways, such as by phone call, email, or contact form. Customer service might not be reasonably timely in their response or reroute the customer to other departments and representatives. The process might require the customer to prove what they claim to be wrong about the item, deny their claims, and/or make the customer pay for the return shipping themselves.

A Hassle-Free Return Experience

In comparison, a great return experience that retains a customer might look like a partnership with a brick-and-mortar store that allows customers to return products in person with a free return label. It might mean that the customer does not have to have a conversation with customer service at all, but simply requests a label to return the product. It might mean that customer service is available over multiple forms of communication if the customer needs help, such as through online chat, text, and more. The smoother the process, the greater the probability of shopping again with the retailer.

Technology’s Role in Improving the Returns Process

While technology can be an incredible solution for return inefficiencies and frustrations, it can also cause problems when implemented improperly. For example, a brand might implement a chat feature for customer service, but the chat lags, conversations are deleted when the customer’s device switches screens, speaking to a live agent is not an option, and more. Virtual assistants and chatbots can be useful if they communicate clearly and respond in a timely manner, especially as they become more advanced and able to understand frustration, taking on a more empathetic approach.

No matter the solution, it’s crucial that it streamlines and enhances rather than hinders and complicates the customer experience. The best way to ensure technological solutions for returns result in the desired outcomes is to include these points in your strategy:

• Ensure your inventory includes clear descriptions, helpful data, and accurate imagery of products to reduce returns caused by mismatched expectations while also giving your technology, like an AI chatbot, the comprehensive data to use when curating information for a customer
• Offer accurate sizing guides and virtual try-on or see-in-room technologies to address fit and dimension issues
• Partner with brick-and-mortar stores and offer free shipping label printing for easy drop-off returns
• Implement efficient troubleshooting processes to resolve issues and help customers avoid returns
• Train customer service representatives to handle return requests promptly and empathetically

Effective returns management will not only improve customer satisfaction and retention, but also the retailer’s bottom line. Effective use of data and analytics can help predict and prevent returns as well as improve visibility in the supply chain, and developing more sustainable return processes can reduce environmental impact. Not to mention, the implementation of AI-powered chatbots that can provide instant, accurate assistance while maintaining a human touch can satisfy customers while reducing call center volume and demand on resources.

Turning returns into opportunities to build customer loyalty is critical in the competitive ecommerce landscape. It’s only through clear communication, efficient processes, and customer-centric policies that the returns process can become a competitive advantage, fostering loyalty and long-term success.

Develop a strong returns strategy with our retail + distribution, consumer goods, and commerce expertise.

To read more about my personal experiences with returns that led to this article, visit my article on MarTech.

Healthcare content marketing requires time, effort and strong strategy — three resources that are always in demand within healthcare organizations (HCOs). Creating high-quality content that resonates with your audiences means figuring out what those audiences want and showing why your team is the best choice to help them. A messaging matrix can play a key role in that work.

At first glance, a messaging matrix is a simple-looking table that outlines key areas your healthcare messaging should address with your consumers. But look a little deeper, and you’ll see that this unassuming document has layers upon layers of complex utility for your HCO’s marketing team .

Perficient’s healthcare experts know what it takes to create an effective, successful messaging matrix for your outreach efforts. Let’s go over the components of a strong healthcare messaging matrix together, or feel free to contact us for more information.

1. A messaging matrix is the logical next step after healthcare personas and journeys

Our healthcare personas and journey maps offer a deep dive into what consumers are looking for from HCOs like yours. But all too often, we’ve seen clients take these valuable insights and stick them on the digital shelf, rather than taking the lessons they provide and putting them to use. A messaging matrix can help your team translate your consumer personas and their unique healthcare journeys into clear, discrete content touchpoints.

By identifying scenarios that map to milestones in a persona’s journey with your HCO, a messaging matrix can help you understand:

• Key moments of influence in the persona’s journey so you’re speaking to your audiences when they’re receptive to your messages
• What the persona is looking for at that moment in their journey
• How that coincides with your business priorities
• What to say to motivate the next level of action in the consumer

Your messaging matrix is one way your team can continue to create long-term, ongoing and demonstrable value from your strategy efforts.

2. A messaging matrix can help align your marketing team members

Good content strategy depends on the consistency of your messaging. You may have a fantastic content creator on your team. But if that creator is out of line with your strategy, or if the rest of your team isn’t aligned with the messaging of your high performers, then you’ll likely have problems with your consumer touchpoints.

Your content likely comes from many sources: your own team, strategic partners like us, other marketing teams within your organization, other vendors, freelancers and so on. But — and this is key — your consumers shouldn’t be able to tell these disparate players apart. Consistent messaging means you speak in one clear, distinct, on-brand voice, no matter who’s conceptualizing the message.

In addition to resources like your voice, tone and style guide and healthcare writing training for your team members, a messaging matrix can help keep your various internal and external teams aligned as they present a consistent, high-quality message at every step, no matter where they may sit or whom they’re talking to.

3. A messaging matrix can jumpstart your content creation process

I’ve written thousands of pieces of content over my career, and I can comfortably say from experience that I still get intimidated sometimes when I’m starting from a blank document on my screen. Even when given a thoughtful creative brief, the idea of reaching healthcare consumers and helping guide them to a conversion and beyond can be a lot to contend with when I don’t have much to go on.

But with a messaging matrix, you can tailor the message to meet the needs of the audience members you’re trying to reach. You can use language that will resonate with them. You can make sure to include key points that they’re searching for. By having key message points detailed, you can help ensure that campaigns carry those messages through for a consistent voice and experience, from the first outreach campaign through long-term nurture campaigns.

Plus, if you find yourself constantly creating content for a key scenario for one or more of your personas, you can update the messaging matrix to account for that scenario. Not only can that make your individual job easier, but it can also help ensure your team members handle the need the same way down the road.

4. A messaging matrix supports messaging throughout the consumer journey

Many of our clients are laser-focused on pulling healthcare consumers down the funnel to conversion — whether that’s finding care, choosing a healthcare plan or purchasing a medical device. That’s natural. Conversion is a key metric and one that’s crucial for measuring the success of marketing efforts.

But conversion isn’t the point at which your content marketing efforts should stop. In fact, it’s only about halfway through the content marketing cycle, because it’s only about halfway through the healthcare decision-making process. The remaining parts of the process consumers use to make and support healthcare decisions require continued check-ins and support at key milestones even after conversion.

Our healthcare strategy team uses the Transtheoretical Model often to inform our recommendations. As you can imagine, many HCOs focus their efforts on efforts up to the Preparation stage — the point at which the consumer is ready to do something and the organization’s marketing efforts can influence the consumer’s decision.

As we often note, however, a complete content marketing strategy often involves nurture campaigns, targeted content and other marketing materials geared toward supporting the consumer through the Action and Maintenance stages. These often aren’t rigid, and your HCO can lose consumers if they feel like they must navigate them on their own. But your messaging matrix can and should include scenarios that help the consumer feel understood and supported as they continue their journey.

A messaging matrix that considers the healthcare consumer’s entire decision-making cycle can:

• Build awareness of your organization and its services/products
• Ensure your messages include the value propositions that are most important to your audiences
• Build trust over time (whatever time it takes the consumer to be ready to convert)
• Pull consumers down the funnel toward conversion
• Build loyalty after conversion
• Foster an ongoing positive relationship with your consumers

The messaging matrix is real – and it’s essential

Our healthcare and life sciences strategy team members understand how to reach consumers with messages that resonate at every stage. And we know how to craft a messaging matrix that will fuel your team’s content marketing efforts with real results.

Contact us to learn more about the role a healthcare messaging matrix can play in your strategy and outreach.

It’s difficult, in the consulting services industry, to explain the requirement for existence of a core thought leadership group to augment the sales and marketing teams that are tasked with collection of logos. In today’s hypercompetitive and fast evolving marketplace, the lines between thought leadership and sales are increasingly intertwined… Thought leadership, when done right, isn’t just about looking and talking smart (though that’s nice); It’s about building credibility, earning trust, and yes, making sales easier. Banks, financial institutions, and insurance companies know this dance all too well, and their recent playbook is packed with lessons for the rest of us.

The Synergy Between Thought Leadership and Sales

Let’s face it… Thought leadership in a consulting business isn’t just about dumping PDFs on your website or spouting off buzzwords at conferences. It’s about serving up fresh, insightful perspectives that make your audience say, “Wow, they really get it…” For sales teams, it’s the perfect assist. Instead of chasing down leads with worn-out pitches, they’ve got something substantial, something that sparks meaningful conversations. Imagine this: An insurance exec armed with a research-packed whitepaper on managing industry-specific risks… suddenly, they’re less of a salesperson and more of a trusted advisor. Boom.

In the financial sector, where trust is paramount, thought leadership plays a crucial role in establishing credibility. By sharing valuable insights and demonstrating deep industry knowledge, consulting partners can position themselves as trusted advisors rather than mere service providers, or worse, body shoppers.

Real-Life Examples

1. A major American Bank’s Initiative “Women’s Global Banking Insights” – The large bank struck gold with a series of reports focused on empowering women financially. Did they post cute slogans and call it a day? Nope… They dug deep, offering data and advice that real businesses could use. The payoff? Corporate clients who not only took notes but also opened accounts. Talk about turning insights into income…
2. Insurance Providing company’s Sustainability Commitment – They went all-in on sustainability and climate resilience, and they didn’t just stop at fluffy PR. They published juicy whitepapers and hosted can’t-miss webinars about sustainable investing and ESG trends. Cue the applause from institutional investors. The result? Not just warm fuzzies… they scored big with sustainability-linked insurance sales. Proof that doing good can be good for business.
3. Card Business’s Small Business Advocacy – During the COVID-19 chaos, this card company became a lifeline for small businesses with its Recovery Insights platform. It was like a treasure trove of data on consumer trends and recovery strategies… Think actionable, not academic. Businesses loved it. Mastercard’s sales of related tools and products? Through the roof. Who doesn’t love a partner who really gets their pain points?

Thought Leadership Directly Aids Sales

1. By Lead Nurturing: Blogs, webinars, and reports give your prospects reasons to stick around and reasons to buy… eventually.
2. By Priming Brand Preference: By demonstrating deep understanding of industry challenges, companies can become top-of-mind when customers seek solutions.
3. By Creating Urgency: Well-crafted thought leadership content can highlight emerging issues, creating a sense of urgency for potential clients to act.
4. By Facilitating Multi-Stakeholder Engagement: In complex B2B sales, thought leadership helps engage various decision-makers within an organization by providing relevant insights for each role.
5. By Transcending Transactional Relationships: Thought leadership enables sales teams to build long-term, value-driven relationships with clients, moving beyond one-time transactions.
6. By Upselling Opportunities: Your clients see your content and think, “Wow, these folks are ahead of the curve…” Suddenly, they’re buying more because they don’t want to miss out

Bottom line?

As we move towards what some are calling “AI Powered Thought Leadership,” the integration of thought leadership and sales is likely to become even more pronounced This evolution will likely see a greater emphasis on data-driven insights, personalized content delivery, and the use of AI to identify and address emerging industry trends. By committing to strong thought leadership initiatives, companies can directly enhance their sales efforts, build stronger client relationships, and establish themselves as trusted industry leaders. As the landscape continues to evolve, those who master this synergy will be well-positioned to thrive in an increasingly competitive marketplace. Thought-Leadership isn’t just about flexing your brainpower… It’s a full-on growth strategy. When done well, it’s a win-win for the sales team, the clients, and let’s be real, your bottom line. Who says being thoughtful doesn’t pay off?