What Is a Healthcare CRM?
A healthcare CRM (HCRM or medical CRM) is a customer relationship management system designed specifically for healthcare organizations. The software aims to retain and engage existing patients/customers while attracting new ones and improving care throughout the patient lifecycle.
Key capabilities include identifying cross-sell and upsell opportunities, uncovering new care prospects through data analytics, and flagging “forgotten” patients needing follow-ups. Healthcare CRM benefits extend beyond doctor’s offices to hospice providers, pharmaceutical companies, medical device manufacturers, and diagnostics firms.
Common functions include:
- Customer/Patient management
- Team management
- Order fulfillment/management
- Medication/prescription management
- Referral management
- Lead generation
- Sales presentation customization
- Customized dashboards and reporting
- Internal and external communications
- Marketing assistance
Benefits of a CRM Built for Healthcare Companies
The healthcare market segment covered in this article was projected to reach $395 billion in U.S. revenue for 2020. Globally, the healthcare CRM market was valued at $8.8 billion in 2018 and forecasted to exceed $17 billion by 2023.
Improved Organization of Customer/Patient Data & Interactions
Centralized hubs organize critical patient/customer data with comprehensive profiles. Everything from interactions to scheduled appointments, notes, and communications can be managed within one system, leading to increased sales, new patient acquisition, and improved care.
Reduction of Duplicate Record Keeping
Quality CRM systems integrate with existing Electronic Medical Records (EMRs), appointment calendars, content management systems, and accounting software, eliminating duplicate records across multiple platforms and creating a clean, centralized database.
Simplification of Business Processes
Centralizing information streamlines customer/patient service, sales, marketing, and billing through intuitive business intelligence, automation, and improved insight.
What to Look for in a Healthcare CRM
Different healthcare organizations have varying needs. However, certain features remain universally important:
Ability to Utilize the CRM Anywhere
Healthcare CRM software must function on mobile devices for field teams and healthcare professionals conducting rounds or home visits. A “mobile-friendly CRM organizes important data in one place, ensuring teams have everything needed.”
Visualization Capabilities
Data visualization unlocks insights often missed in line-item text reviews. Customized visual dashboards and reporting enable employees to identify priority areas while managers maintain oversight for proactive, data-backed decisions.
Built-In Activity Tracking
Activity tracking prevents customers or patients from “falling through the cracks” across all healthcare organization departments. Managers can monitor what’s happening, what needs to happen, and when.
HIPAA Friendly & GDPR Compliant
Patient information protection is both important and legally required. Healthcare CRMs should ensure HIPAA compliance and GDPR adherence. Many systems use two separate solutions: an EMR for health information and a CRM for non-medical data like contact information.
When all-in-one solutions are needed, multi-level authentication, data encryption, and digital signatures protect patient data. The CRM should support GDPR and HIPAA-compliant data transfer and storage.
Top Healthcare Sales CRMs
Veeva Multichannel CRM
Best for: Pharmaceutical companies
An end-to-end solution providing personalized customer experiences through in-depth insights and intelligent engagement, specifically designed for pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. Features include event management, multi-channel communications, performance metric analysis, and customizable dashboards.
Netsuite’s Cloud ERP
Best for: Medical device companies
The “#1 cloud platform” in the medical device industry, this Oracle product combines ERP functionality with robust CRM capabilities, emphasizing supply chain and quality control. Offers inventory management, eCommerce, financials, and CRM functionalities, though it requires significant setup and learning investment.
hc1 Healthcare CRM
Best for: Medical diagnostics companies
A cloud-based platform integrated with healthcare systems, specifically designed for labs and diagnostic companies. Enables seamless integration, organization, analysis, and visualization of organizational data, helping teams streamline client relationships, sales activities, and operations.
Salesforce Health Cloud CRM
Best for: Hospice/healthcare services companies
Built specifically for healthcare providers, this platform emphasizes patient-centric care. Features include one-to-one relationship management through robust patient profiles integrating EMR data, medical devices, and wearables. Private Communities enable secure caregiver collaboration, allowing patients to view care plans, connect with providers, and complete forms ahead of visits.
Map My Customers
Best for: Mobile/on-the-go sales teams in any healthcare industry
A mobile-first CRM designed with outside sales representatives in mind, providing industry-leading activity tracking and smart routing. Works as a standalone CRM or integrates with existing systems, simplifying daily activities and enabling data-backed decision-making.
Why Healthcare Organizations Need an Industry-Specific CRM
Healthcare CRM platforms streamline processes, enable multi-channel engagement, and facilitate knowledge sharing. These systems help optimize internal communications, acquire new patients, and maintain lifelong engagement while delivering personalized, high-quality care faster and at lower costs.
The right CRM matches your organization’s specific needs. Consider requesting demos and asking critical questions about team requirements before selecting a solution.
