In this episode, Frank MacPherson of ChristianaCare shares a grounded, operator-level view of what’s actually changing in healthcare marketing and what teams need to do about it.
From the rise of zero-click search and AI-driven discovery to the reality that patients are often choosing between care and no care at all, Frank breaks down the forces reshaping patient acquisition. He also shares a practical case study on how his team transformed their online reputation, and why some of the most impactful work in healthcare marketing isn’t flashy.
This is a conversation about adapting in real time, staying focused on what matters, and building strategies that reflect how patients actually behave today.
Takeaways
- In addition to competing with other providers, health systems are competing with patient apathy and delayed care decisions
- AI and LLMs are fundamentally shifting behavior toward zero-click engagement, keeping users inside platforms instead of visiting provider websites
- Search now requires “generative optimization” alongside traditional SEO to stay visible in AI-driven results
- Simple, operational improvements can drive massive impact, like increasing review volume to better reflect true patient experience
- ChristianaCare improved its average rating from 2.7 to 4.5 by systematically asking for feedback
- Reputation management is a bridge between patient experience and public perception
- Cross-functional collaboration (marketing, clinical, IT) is critical to execute even “simple” campaigns in healthcare
- The best marketers today are adapting in real time, “building the airplane while it’s already in the air”


