Why you should work with a digital specialist
The healthcare industry’s relatively slow uptake of digital technologies is understandable, given the lack of digital skills in the space. Healthcare providers aren’t the experts in building digital products — and they shouldn’t expect to be. For this reason, you should work with a specialist in digital when undertaking product builds or transformation projects.
Depending on your unique needs, there are a range of specialists you can work with to ensure your digital products are developed and rolled out effectively. Content writers, UX specialists, designers, strategists and consultants have a strong understanding of the digital space, and can help you achieve a better result than if you ‘go it alone’ with the resources you have (or don’t have) in-house.
Here are a few good reasons you should work with a specialist on your next digital health project.
A specialist has extensive knowledge
While someone in your business or organisation may know a little about building websites or writing content, specialists are immersed in their area of expertise day in, day out. As such, they can offer plenty of insight and will know more about the process than you do.
Taking a ‘DIY’ approach to digital projects can lead to wasting time and money, and may result in a poor end product after lots of energy is spent.
Even though your IT guy may know a bit of coding, it doesn’t mean he can create a website to meet your business’ needs. And just because your receptionist talks to patients every day, doesn’t mean they understand user needs when it comes to the website (although their insights are incredibly valuable).
Having some digital knowledge can certainly help when it comes to rolling out new offerings, but it’s often a better use of your time and skills to focus on what you do best, while letting a specialist guide you. They’ll ensure that the correct research is conducted, findings are reported, and that the project is delivered to budget and by the deadline.
A specialist will save you time and money
While it may seem like you’re saving money by using your own resources on a project, think about how much money might be wasted if you get it wrong and then need to pay someone to fix it.
Doing it yourself can also take a lot of time.
In health organisations, day-to-day business generally takes priority over things like marketing and digital product development, so deadlines are typically the first things to be pushed back.
A specialist can also advise you on the best tools and systems to use in a digital project. You may be able to develop a Wix website for free (and we’re not opposed to that if it’s the right option for you), but if it’s implemented poorly with minimal functionality, it won’t be valuable to your organisation or your customers.
We recommend seeking guidance from someone who knows the craft. It’s better to admit, ‘we don’t know how to write content, let’s go to a copywriting company’, for example, than to waste time and energy trying your best at it.
A specialist will collaborate with you
Specialists are ‘specialists’ for a reason. They know their trade inside-out, and can walk you through the process with ease. The catch is, you need to be open to their direction.
Working with a specialist is a collaborative process that involves both the input from the agency you’re working with together with input from your stakeholders. While the specialist can deep dive into their craft, your team still needs to offer valuable business insights to inform the project.
You will get a great result if you actively engage with the agency you’re working with. Be willing to collaborate and get on the same page. Don’t see it as a chore, or something to ‘dread’. Be open to receiving advice and guidance, and trust in the skills of your specialist.
Tadashi is a specialist when it comes to planning out and executing digital projects in health. We work with our clients from the very beginning, taking a step back to look at the broader picture, identifying challenges and what steps you need to take to reach your objectives. We also work with and steer a group of skilled specialists as required, to help design and execute a range of digital health products.
We’d love to work with you on your next project — Get in touch.
Originally published at https://www.tadashi.com.au on May 3, 2019.