The start of a new year is a perfect time for health systems to encourage patients to prioritize preventive care—here’s how to turn that motivation into action.
As the new year begins, many people take the opportunity to set health goals, establish new routines, and prioritize preventive care. More than 80% of U.S. consumers rank wellness as a top priority, with 79% of New Year’s resolutions involving improving health. As people renew their focus on personal well-being—and new insurance benefits take effect—the start of the year presents an ideal moment to translate these intentions into actionable healthcare steps.
With new insurance plans often encouraging individuals to schedule annual screenings or seek different healthcare teams to optimize their coverage, health systems have a unique opportunity to guide them through this process. By educating patients about essential screenings, streamlining the task of finding in-network doctors, and highlighting the long-term benefits of preventive care, hospitals can play a pivotal role in helping people take control of their health as the year begins.
Key Preventive Health Actions to Start the Year Right
As patients consider their next appointments, marketers should prioritize strategically promoting specific services, exams, and screenings at the right time to meet their needs. Healthgrades’ 2026 Health Observances Calendar can serve as a valuable marketing tool to guide these efforts, offering insights into the service lines your organization can emphasize throughout the year. Additionally, you can direct current and potential patients to the Healthgrades resource hub, which provides educational guides to help them maintain their health between appointments.
The momentum from Q4 in the previous year carries into Q1, as those who couldn’t secure year-end appointments will likely continue seeking care. This seasonal trend is especially significant for elective procedures, preventive care, and health-related resolutions. Highlighting how early-year care can align with new deductibles and health-focused New Year’s resolutions positions your brand as a trusted partner for lifelong health.
Kickstart your 2026 marketing strategy by spotlighting essential and recommended screenings for men and women. Here are a few worth advocating:
1. General Wellness Exams
Annual check-ups are the cornerstone of preventive care, providing patients with a clear understanding of their health. These visits enable doctors to recommend personalized strategies to address potential risks and support long-term wellness. Preventive screenings conducted during wellness exams can also help detect health issues early, improve outcomes, and lower healthcare costs over time. Despite these benefits, only 65% of consumers receive recommended preventive care, with rates even lower among Gen Z (43%) and Millennials (56%).1 Targeted outreach to these groups can help close the care gap and encourage proactive health management for improved overall wellness.
2. Cancer Screenings
Screenings for breast, colon, skin, and cervical cancers are critical for early detection that can save lives. They can often make the difference between treatable conditions and advanced stages of disease. Many insurance plans cover these screenings, which help reduce financial barriers. With rising cancer rates among younger generations, health systems should emphasize the importance of routine screenings for patients across all age groups, highlighting their lifesaving potential.
3. Heart Health Screenings
Around 80% of premature heart disease and strokes are preventable with education and early action. Regular monitoring of blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood glucose levels can help identify risks for cardiovascular disease—the leading cause of death in the United States. Health systems can empower patients by promoting these screenings and demonstrating how early intervention supports long-term heart health and reduces preventable risks.
4. Mental Health Evaluations
Mental health screenings have become increasingly important, especially as 33% of Gen Z report being diagnosed with depression.1 Early intervention not only provides relief but also reduces stigma and meets the growing demand for mental health care. Offering telehealth options and asynchronous consultations improves access for those who prefer digital communication. By normalizing mental health discussions, health systems can foster a supportive, judgment-free environment that encourages patients to seek the care they need.
5. Vaccinations
Vaccinations remain critical in preventive care, protecting people from illnesses like the flu, COVID-19, and other preventable diseases. Bundling vaccinations with general wellness visits can simplify healthcare management, particularly for busy parents juggling family schedules. Given that vaccines are an increasingly controversial topic, it is essential for health systems to educate consumers about their safety and efficacy. By providing clear and accurate information, your hospital can help build trust and encourage people to stay up to date with their vaccinations alongside other preventive services.
6. Lifestyle Counseling
While not a traditional “screening,” lifestyle counseling on topics like diet, exercise, and smoking cessation plays a significant role in preventive care. These discussions equip consumers with actionable strategies to enhance their overall health and mitigate chronic disease risks. Hospitals can amplify engagement by offering integrated support, such as referrals to dietitians, fitness programs, or smoking cessation resources like Quit For Life, which provides evidence-based coaching, Rx home delivery, and innovative reach strategies. Additionally, transformational tools like Wellos positively guide behavior change, helping patients celebrate their progress while making healthier choices. By leveraging patient data to identify risk factors, health systems can create personalized interventions that encourage lasting behavioral change.
Helping Patients Navigate New Insurance and Engage in Preventive Care
As mentioned, the new year often brings changes in insurance plans, driving individuals to review coverage, meet deductibles, and find in-network doctors. According to a Healthgrades survey, 28% of respondents cite out-of-pocket costs as a leading healthcare concern.1 As such, reminding them to schedule care early in the year not only helps them budget more effectively but can also reduce overall costs. Plus, preventive care is typically more affordable than addressing advanced illnesses later on.
The same Healthgrades report found that nearly half of respondents value staying within the same health system when choosing a doctor.1 For health systems aiming to attract new patients, this preference can pose challenges, especially as many individuals feel overwhelmed by the process of finding in-network doctors or specialists. Simplifying this journey with online tools and support services can make a significant difference. By providing clear information on insurance compatibility, availability, and scheduling options, health systems can help consumers establish trusted healthcare relationships early in the year.
So, how can health systems support patients during this decision-making process? A multimedia omnichannel approach is key. Leverage email campaigns, portal notifications, and social media posts to reinforce the importance of preventive care and guide patients through the process of finding a doctor or specialist.
Tools like online directories with clear in-network labels, step-by-step guides, and chat support can help them navigate their options. To maximize these efforts, ensure that your own website is updated with accurate, user-friendly information while also verifying that third-party listings are current and correct. This approach ensures your health system reaches patients wherever they are searching for care. Since 20% of Americans cite “forgetting to schedule” as a primary reason for missing appointments,1 proactive reminders and educational tools can help bridge this gap. Additionally, if your system offers it, emphasize the convenience of online scheduling to make booking appointments easy and accessible, helping consumers connect with the right doctors faster. Partnering with platforms like Healthgrades can further enhance your visibility and credibility, ensuring patients can find and trust your services across multiple touchpoints.
That said, different demographics may require tailored approaches to engagement. For younger patients, telehealth and asynchronous care options are particularly appealing, especially for mental health and initial preventive care consultations. Highlighting these services is key to connecting with Gen Z and Millennials, who prioritize digital-first healthcare experiences. According to Healthgrades research, Gen Z values transparency and is more open to virtual healthcare, with 59% seeking information from sources beyond their healthcare teams, including online and social media. Millennials, equally tech-savvy, prioritize convenience and flexibility, making digital tools and remote care essential to meeting their needs effectively.
Other groups also have specific healthcare expectations. For instance, parents who often juggle their own health needs alongside their children’s value streamlined healthcare solutions. Health systems can resonate with this audience by offering resources like checklists, immunization reminders, and alerts during cold and flu season. Tools such as ParentNotices by Transact can enhance communication by delivering updates in preferred languages, keeping parents informed about vaccinations, outbreaks, and other critical health matters.
The ultimate goal is to position your brand as a trusted partner. When patients feel understood and supported throughout their entire healthcare journey, they’re more likely to build lasting confidence in the systems that prioritize their well-being.
Partner with Healthgrades for a Strong Start to the Year
The new year offers a fresh opportunity for consumers to prioritize their health through preventive care. By promoting wellness exams, essential screenings, and mental health evaluations, health systems can help them take proactive steps toward long-term well-being, improve health outcomes, and reduce healthcare costs.
Healthgrades is here to help hospitals connect with patients during this critical time. With our comprehensive suite of solutions, your organization can reach the right audience right when they’re ready to schedule preventive care, setting the stage for a healthy start to the year.
Healthgrades Advertising Solutions for Health Systems
As America’s leading platform for doctor-patient connections, Healthgrades’ Advertising Solutions for Health Systems ensures prominent branding and actionable calls to action on healthgrades.com and our partner sites, guaranteeing conversions. We also promote your brand and medical staff as alternative options directly on competitors’ profiles so that your health system remains top of mind for consumers. By enhancing your SEO and SEM strategies, we increase your relevance in search results, driving more qualified leads to your organization. Our solutions also focus on attracting commercially insured patients to key service lines.
Physician Profiles and Elevated Profiles
A new year brings new opportunities for patients to find the right care, and your online presence is often their first stop. Claiming and optimizing your free Healthgrades physician profile makes it easy for patients to discover your expertise and feel confident taking the next step toward preventive care.
For greater impact, an Elevated Profile highlights your expertise, removes competitor and consumer ads, and adds a direct scheduling link—helping health-minded consumers turn their resolutions into real appointments.
Healthgrades Brand Solutions
With our advanced Audience Intelligence tools, Healthgrades’ Brand Solutions combines billions of behavioral site interactions and HIPAA-compliant, de-identified claims data with exclusive machine-learning modeling techniques to help us identify the consumers most likely to schedule appointments soon. Your health system can also maximize your branding investment through PatientConnect’s hyper-targeted display advertising on healthgrades.com and PatienTarget’s strategic omnichannel advertising across web, video, connected TV, and audio platforms to reach people on their preferred medium.
Healthgrades Automation Solutions
Our Automation Solutions for Health Systems and Practices, powered by Medchat·ai, streamline patient communications and optimize workflows for healthcare organizations during this high-intent time of year. This fully customizable, HIPAA- and SOC 2 Type 2-compliant AI platform simplifies administrative tasks such as routine patient inquiries, appointment scheduling, and specialty pharmacy enrollments to deliver a smooth and seamless experience for patients and healthcare teams alike.
With Healthgrades, your health system can start the new year by elevating its brand, connecting with patients when it matters most, and achieving measurable results. Connect with us today to position your organization for success in the year ahead.
- RVO Health Consumer Healthcare Study, May 2024, n=2,985; Among US Gen Pop (n=2,535), Gen Z (n=219), Millennials (n=706), Gen X (n=704), Boomers+ (n=906)
