Protecting Patient Volume in the Age of AI
The Authority Signal Framework™
OUR METHODOLOGY
The Problem Traditional Healthcare Marketing Can't Solve
AI algorithms don't click through to your website. They don't see your paid ads. They evaluate your organization based on digital authority signals most healthcare marketers don't even know exist—then recommend competitors before patients ever see your name.
Our Proprietary Assessment Methodology
Stage 1: Competitive Visibility Mapping We test 50-75 patient-intent queries across your key service lines in major AI platforms (ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, Perplexity, Claude). We document which organizations AI recommends first, second, third—and where you rank.
Unlike traditional SEO rankings, AI recommendations don't follow predictable patterns. A #1 Google ranking doesn't guarantee AI citation. We measure what actually matters: algorithmic trust.
Stage 2: Authority Signal Analysis
We audit your digital presence against 47 distinct authority signals AI algorithms use to determine expertise:
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Clinical content structure and depth
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Academic credential presentation
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Research publication visibility
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Physician profile optimization
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Schema implementation completeness
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Cross-platform citation patterns
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Patient outcome transparency
Most healthcare organizations have strong traditional marketing but weak authority signals—creating a visibility gap AI amplifies.
Stage 3: Competitive Differential Analysis We don't just assess your position—we reverse-engineer why competitors rank higher. What content patterns are they using? What authority signals have they activated? Where are your specific weaknesses relative to theirs?
This reveals precisely where to invest for maximum competitive displacement.
Stage 4: Revenue Impact Modeling Using your payer mix, average patient values by service line, and current competitive disadvantage, we calculate annual revenue at risk. This isn't theoretical—it's based on documented patient inquiry volume shifts when AI citation frequency changes.
Stage 5: Foundation Gap Identification We evaluate your current marketing strategy against the new reality. Which tactics are building real authority? Which are compensating for foundational weaknesses? Where is budget being wasted on channels AI has already undermined?
Stage 6: 90-Day Action Planning: We provide specific, sequenced recommendations prioritized by revenue impact and implementation complexity. Every action is tied to measurable competitive position improvement.
Why This Works When Traditional Marketing Doesn't
Traditional healthcare marketing optimizes for patient clicks. Authority Signal Framework optimizes for algorithmic trust. When AI trusts your expertise, patients never see your competitors—they only see you.
THE FOUNDATION PROBLEM MOST HEALTHCARE ORGANIZATIONS DON'T SEE
Most healthcare marketing strategies are built for a world where patients clicked through search results. That world is disappearing. AI now provides direct answers and recommendations—bypassing your paid ads, your carefully optimized landing pages, and your organic rankings.
The result? Healthcare organizations are spending more on marketing while getting less. Not because their agencies are incompetent, but because they're optimizing for the wrong metrics on a foundation AI has already undermined.
We fix the foundation first—then help you reallocate spend toward tactics that actually work in the new reality.
OUR PROCESS
PHASE 1: Revenue Risk & Foundation Assessment
Duration: 2-4 weeks | Investment: Fixed-fee project (scaled to organization size)
Quantify exactly how much patient volume you're losing to competitors in AI search results—and identify where your current marketing strategy lacks the foundations to compete.
What You Receive
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Competitive Position Analysis: A comprehensive report showing how you rank against your top competitors when AI answers healthcare queries in your market.
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Service Line/Specialty Vulnerability Assessment: Identification of which services are most at risk, with specific revenue impact estimates tailored to your organization's size and payer mix.
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Marketing Foundation Audit: Evaluation of your current digital presence against AI algorithm requirements—identifying gaps that undermine your marketing effectiveness.
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Marketing Spend Efficiency Analysis: Assessment of which current marketing investments are building real digital authority versus which are compensating for foundational weaknesses AI has exposed.
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Executive-Ready Financial Analysis: Clear documentation of estimated annual revenue loss and marketing efficiency gaps—formatted for board presentation (health systems) or partner/owner review (private practices).
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90-Day Priority Action Plan: Specific, sequenced recommendations for immediate implementation to stop revenue leakage and begin rebuilding digital foundations.
Deliverable Format
A comprehensive report with executive summary, detailed findings, and actionable recommendations. Includes specific guidance on marketing budget reallocation opportunities appropriate to your organization's scale.
PHASE 2: Strategic Authority Building
Duration: 6-month initial engagement | Investment: Monthly retainer (scaled to organization size)
Reposition your organization as the definitive expert in your specialty and market, ensuring AI search recommends you first—while creating the digital foundations that make every marketing dollar work harder.
Our Approach:
Phase 2 is not a one-size-fits-all program. Based on your Phase 1 assessment findings, we design a customized engagement that addresses your specific competitive vulnerabilities, organizational structure, and resource constraints.
For health systems, this might mean focusing on repositioning your academic credentials or untangling complex multi-facility messaging. For private practices, it could mean building authority signals that help you compete against better-resourced hospital-owned competitors.
Implementation Components May Include:
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Digital Authority Repositioning: Strategic content overhaul for high-value service pages to establish unmistakable expertise and authority signals that AI search algorithms prioritize.
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Marketing Strategy Alignment: Comprehensive review and optimization of your overall marketing approach to ensure all efforts build on AI-ready foundations rather than working against them.
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Marketing Spend Optimization: Ongoing guidance on reallocating marketing budget from obsolete tactics to high-impact channels that leverage your strengthened digital authority.
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Competitive Monitoring & Response: Ongoing tracking of competitor positioning with rapid response strategies when competitive threats emerge.
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Physician Referral Protection (Health Systems & Specialty Practices): Digital tools and content strategies designed to strengthen referring physician relationships.
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Patient Conversion Optimization: Streamlined intake processes and digital pathways that reduce friction and maximize conversion from initial interest to scheduled appointment.
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Monthly Performance Reporting: Clear metrics on competitive position improvement, patient acquisition trends, marketing efficiency gains, and ROI.
For Private Practices: Turnkey Execution
Unlike health systems with internal marketing teams, private practices often need more hands-on support. Our practice-focused engagements include direct vendor management, content development oversight, and implementation coordination—so you get strategic expertise without needing to build internal capabilities.
Success Metrics We Track:
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Competitive visibility score by specialty/service line
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AI search citation frequency vs. competitors
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New patient inquiry volume by channel
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Cost per new patient appointment
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Revenue per marketing dollar invested
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Marketing efficiency ratio (patient value generated per dollar spent)