In late 2013, telehealth business American Well, which developed a digital platform that enabled patients to conduct online medical consultations with physicians, is contemplating pursuing a direct-to-consumer (DTC) strategy. American Well was established in 2006, and till now mainly sold its option to health plans, which then supplied their members with online care services using their very own brand names. But while American Well brought a number of huge health insurers as customers, astonishingly small number of individual members used the online care service.
American Well management believed low consumer knowledge-the result of inadequate marketing by health plans, among other variables-was hampering uptake of what should have been an exceptionally valuable offering for all stakeholders. They wondered if a DTC strategy, in which American Well would become a consumer brand and market a telehealth service directly to the general public, for example, through a cellular use, could drive usage and catapult the business to the following degree.
Moreover, the move had to be considered in light of other initiatives the company had recently embarked on, including advertising its platform to pharmacy chains, targeting large employers, and selling kiosks that supplied a real space to run consultations that are on-line. The case forces students to grapple with the challenges and obstacles included in disrupting an established industry, analyze alternate go to-market strategies as well as the time of executing them, and contemplate distinct business models produce revenues and to manage supply. The case also offers a rich analysis of digital marketing problems.
PUBLICATION DATE: March 16, 2015 PRODUCT #: 515032-PDF-ENG
This is just an excerpt. This case is about SALES & MARKETING
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