Creating Consumer Demand: An Alternative Go-To-Market Strategy

Launching a novel healthcare technology without established reimbursement or clear ROI is one of the industry’s toughest go-to-market challenges. But history shows that patient demand (not just provider buy-in) can accelerate adoption and bridge the reimbursement gap. Here’s how a consumer-driven “pull” strategy can extend your healthcare IT marketing playbook.

Key Points in This Blog

• Traditional B2B channels alone can’t create demand for a problem the market doesn’t know it has.
• Consumer “pull” marketing has driven healthcare tech adoption for decades, from MRI to 3D mammography to preventive screening.
• Patient demand can bridge the reimbursement gap before formal payer coverage exists.
• Early adopters like academic medical centers offer a faster path to market than waiting for broad reimbursement.
• Consumer marketing only works when grounded in regulatory clearance, peer-reviewed data, and provider alignment. Skip that, and it backfires.

The healthcare IT B2B product marketing playbook is well defined. Build funnels, optimize go-to-market (GTM) strategies, equip sales teams to navigate complex procurement cycles, and pitch earnestly to clinical, operational, and IT leadership. But, what happens when you’re introducing a novel, non-reimbursed, or cutting-edge technology into a market that doesn’t realize it has the problem you solve?

Sometimes, the most effective GTM strategy isn’t to push harder through typical end-user channels. Rather, it’s creating demand from those who would ultimately benefit. While direct-to-consumer (DTC) marketing might not be a healthcare company’s primary strategy, leveraging educated consumer demand can extend a broader product marketing plan.

In this blog, we explore how generating consumer demand can extend your product marketing strategy, bridge key reimbursement gaps, and overcome potential industry pushback.

Building the Demand Chain: The “Pull” Strategy

Think about how pharma utilizes DTC marketing. They don’t rely only on educating physicians. They also educate consumers on a simple solution to an easily-understood problem, prompting patients to ask their doctors: Is this right for me?

In healthcare IT, educating consumers is a classic “pull strategy.” A clear example is placing pull-up banners or playing promotional videos in imaging centers and doctors’ offices. When patients see these materials, learn about new procedures or technologies, and request access, they start a demand chain. Patient inquiries drive provider interest. Provider interest increases clinical procedure volumes. And, rising volumes force health systems, networks, and payers to pay attention.

This dynamic isn’t new. We’ve seen this playbook unfold over the last several decades across several technologies.

• MRI Technology (Late 1980s/Early 90s). MRI technology gained rapid adoption, not only because of physician preference. But, because word spread among consumers about its superior image quality and lack of radiation. Patient demand contributed to the explosion of outpatient orthopedic imaging.
• 3D Digital Breast Tomosynthesis (Early 2000s). Companies like Hologic excelled at educating women on the benefits of 3D mammography. This was especially true for those with dense breast tissue, implants, or a family history of breast cancer. Patient awareness drove women to seek out facilities offering DBT, which accelerated imaging volumes and forced reimbursement policies to adapt.
• Breast Screening. Breast, lung, prostate, and other preventive screening programs developed in partnership with non-profit advocacy groups to raise awareness of available screening technology.
• Preventive Whole-Body MRI Tech. Companies like Prenuvo have recently normalized direct-to-consumer preventive screening by tapping into patient demand for proactive health insights.

Today, the same cycle is starting with AI screening software.

Bridging the Reimbursement Gap in Early GTM Strategies

For young healthcare companies launching novel solutions, getting FDA clearance is often only the first hurdle. Securing broad public reimbursement and private payer coverage is a lengthy, expensive, and onerous process. Without established reimbursement codes, building a traditional financial ROI model for a hospital CFO can feel like an uphill battle.

This is where a consumer-facing pull strategy creates market entry.

• Unlocking out-of-pocket revenue. One imaging AI company is marketing breast screening AI directly to women in imaging centers, where patients can choose to pay a modest out-of-pocket fee (e.g. $40-$50) for an extra layer of AI analysis.
• Fueling hospital competitiveness. Offering the latest technology makes healthcare organizations more competitive in their local market. Higher patient volumes translate to top-line hospital revenue, even before broad reimbursement exists.
• Targeting early adopters. Academic medical centers and research-minded health systems make ideal early targets. They thrive on clinical innovation, which motivates them to offer advanced care options to their patient communities.
• Building evidence for advocacy. To secure long-term reimbursement, healthcare companies need real-world evidence and large patient cohorts. In generating consumer demand and cash-pay volume, companies can capture the clinical data needed to demonstrate economic and clinical value to regulators and payers.

The Caveat: Managing Pushback and Credibility

While consumer marketing can drive demand, poorly executed campaigns carry significant risk. The medical establishment is notoriously skeptical of direct-to-patient promotions and claims. Unsubstantiated or alarmist marketing can trigger a backlash from clinical leaders and advocacy groups.

We’ve seen this friction across the whole-body preventive MRI tech space, where professional medical societies have publicly questioned the cost-effectiveness and clinical utility of scanning asymptomatic patients—citing high false-positive rates and unnecessary follow-up procedures.

To avoid discreditation when using waiting-room displays, digital ads, or social media to educate consumers, ground your market positioning in rigor.

• Clear Regulatory Footing. Make sure the technology has explicit FDA clearances or approvals appropriate for claims.
• Peer-Reviewed Scientific Data. Anchor educational claims in clinical research. Marketing must educate, not overpromise.
• Provider Alignment. Ensure ordering physicians and radiologists feel supported (not blindsided) by the educational materials.

Extending Your Strategy

DTC marketing messaging isn’t a replacement for traditional B2B healthcare marketing. It’s an engine to accelerate it. By combining an intentional enterprise B2B sales motion with an educational consumer pull strategy, healthcare product marketing leaders can drive adoption where traditional channels may fall short.

Are you evaluating your product’s go-to-market strategy? Or looking to build messaging that resonates with clinicians, health system executives, and patients? Our healthcare product marketing experts specialize in helping tech leaders navigate complex market dynamics to drive measurable adoption. Contact us today to start the conversation.