Ignite: Healthcare Marketing Podcast

#186 - Healthcare Growth Starts With Marketing + Operations Alignment

When patient acquisition feels unpredictable, it is usually an operations problem hiding inside a marketing problem. On this episode of Ignite, Cardinal's VP of Brand Marketing Ashley Petrochenko is joined by Stephen Harrell, Director of Marketing at StrideCare, to break down why real healthcare growth depends on tight alignment between marketing, access teams, and clinical operations. You will hear how one of Texas's largest lower extremity healthcare providers is reshaping its patient journey by connecting marketing metrics to on-the-ground operational performance. This conversation shows what today's marketers must prioritize to drive reliable, scalable growth. You will learn: * How marketing and operations partnerships unlock higher converting patient journeys * Why call intelligence and CRM data reveal the real blockers to growth * Ways to tighten workflows so patient demand actually turns into scheduled visits * How to shift your team toward EOS style accountability that supports long term performance If you want marketing that consistently converts instead of guesswork, this is the episode for you. RELATED RESOURCES Connect with Steven - https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-harrell-tx/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-harrell-tx/] 2026 Healthcare Marketing Trends: The New Rules Redefining Growth - https://www.cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/healthcare-resources/blog/healthcare-marketing-trends-2026/ [https://www.cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/healthcare-resources/blog/healthcare-marketing-trends-2026/] Marketing + Operations: Why Total Alignment is Vital to Growth - https://www.cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/healthcare-resources/blog/healthcare-marketing-operations-alignment/ [https://www.cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/healthcare-resources/blog/healthcare-marketing-operations-alignment/] What is a Patient Journey? Examples to Grow Your Practice - https://www.cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/healthcare-resources/blog/what-is-a-patient-journey-grow-your-practice/ [https://www.cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/healthcare-resources/blog/what-is-a-patient-journey-grow-your-practice/] Why Capacity-Driven Marketing Is Non-Negotiable - https://www.cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/capacity-driven-marketing-media-investment-strategy/ [https://www.cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/capacity-driven-marketing-media-investment-strategy/]

#185 - How We Fixed Meta's Lead Problem

Healthcare marketers write off Meta for one reason: lead quality. High volume or cheap leads don't matter when leads are unqualified, uninsured, or never convert to patients. Cardinal's paid social team cracked the code. Through systematic testing of Meta lead forms—adding SMS verification, progressive insurance qualification, and strategic engagement tactics—they transformed Meta from a brand channel into a legitimate performance driver. The result? A 78% reduction in cost per qualified lead compared to Google Ads, with quality that actually converts. In this episode, Lisa Fisher and Caro Costa walk through the exact testing framework and optimization strategies that made it work. You'll leave with a replicable playbook for your own Meta campaigns. RELATED RESOURCES 10 Ways to Succeed on Meta in 2025 - https://www.cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/healthcare-resources/blog/10-ways-to-succeed-on-meta-in-2025/ [https://www.cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/healthcare-resources/blog/10-ways-to-succeed-on-meta-in-2025/] How Meta's Data Restrictions Impact Healthcare Advertising Strategies - https://www.cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/healthcare-resources/blog/meta-announces-major-changes-healthcare-advertising/ [https://www.cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/healthcare-resources/blog/meta-announces-major-changes-healthcare-advertising/] Performance Creative: The Key to Paid Media Success - https://www.cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/healthcare-resources/blog/performance-creative-the-key-to-paid-media-success/ [https://www.cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/healthcare-resources/blog/performance-creative-the-key-to-paid-media-success/] 5-Step Paid Media Strategy to Attract Your Ideal Patients - https://www.cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/healthcare-resources/blog/paid-media-patient-acquisition-guide/ [https://www.cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/healthcare-resources/blog/paid-media-patient-acquisition-guide/]

#184 - Orthopedic Growth Starts With Urgent Care

In this episode of Ignite, Cardinal CEO Alex Membrillo sits down with Heather Lang, Chief Marketing & Experience Officer at Twin Cities Orthopedics, for a deep dive into how TCO is innovating in patient acquisition, brand differentiation, and digital strategy. You'll gain actionable insights on aligning marketing with business outcomes, leveraging data to secure budget increases, and using consumer research and bold creative to stand out in a crowded market. If you're looking for practical ways to drive new patient growth, improve attribution, and take calculated risks in your campaigns, this conversation is packed with valuable takeaways just for you. RELATED RESOURCES Connect with Heather - https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-lang-4126517/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-lang-4126517/] How to Build a Full-Funnel Healthcare Marketing Strategy - https://www.cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/healthcare-resources/blog/healthcare-full-funnel-marketing-strategy/ [https://www.cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/healthcare-resources/blog/healthcare-full-funnel-marketing-strategy/] 5-Step Paid Media Strategy to Attract Your Ideal Patients - https://www.cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/healthcare-resources/blog/paid-media-patient-acquisition-guide/ [https://www.cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/healthcare-resources/blog/paid-media-patient-acquisition-guide/] Performance Creative: The Key to Paid Media Success - https://www.cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/healthcare-resources/blog/performance-creative-the-key-to-paid-media-success/ [https://www.cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/healthcare-resources/blog/performance-creative-the-key-to-paid-media-success/] When & How to Expand Your Healthcare Media Mix - https://www.cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/healthcare-resources/blog/expanding-channel-media-mix-strategy/ [https://www.cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/healthcare-resources/blog/expanding-channel-media-mix-strategy/]

#183 - Why Your Healthcare Brand Needs a Multicultural Strategy

In this episode of Ignite, Cardinal CEO Alex Membrillo talks with Diana Ochoa, Sr. Director of Multicultural Marketing at Sage Dental, exploring what it takes to authentically connect with multicultural audiences and drive real business growth. You'll learn why understanding data, cultural intelligence, and acculturation levels is essential for effective segmentation and communication, and how to move beyond simple translation to create meaningful, trust-based relationships. You'll gain actionable strategies to ensure your marketing, from ads to landing pages to community engagement, truly resonates with diverse populations—helping you stand out and succeed in today's rapidly changing healthcare landscape. RELATED RESOURCES Connect with Diana - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianaochoa1/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianaochoa1/] How to Reach Niche Audiences with 3P Data - https://www.cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/healthcare-resources/blog/reach-niche-audiences-3p-data/ [https://www.cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/healthcare-resources/blog/reach-niche-audiences-3p-data/] 5-Step Paid Media Strategy to Attract Your Ideal Patients - https://www.cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/healthcare-resources/blog/paid-media-patient-acquisition-guide/ [https://www.cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/healthcare-resources/blog/paid-media-patient-acquisition-guide/] How to Build a Full-Funnel Healthcare Marketing Strategy - https://www.cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/healthcare-resources/blog/healthcare-full-funnel-marketing-strategy/ [https://www.cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/healthcare-resources/blog/healthcare-full-funnel-marketing-strategy/] Performance Creative: The Key to Paid Media Success - https://www.cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/healthcare-resources/blog/performance-creative-the-key-to-paid-media-success/ [https://www.cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/healthcare-resources/blog/performance-creative-the-key-to-paid-media-success/]

#182 - Scaling Growth Through Smarter Investment with Action Behavior Centers

How do you scale marketing while hitting aggressive growth goals? Matt Stringer, CMO of Action Behavior Centers, joins Cardinal's Chief Strategy Officer, Rich Briddock, to share how ABC quadrupled qualified lead volume by building measurement infrastructure while moving fast—not waiting for perfection before launching. Learn how they expanded into new channels, navigate the quality vs. quantity dance, and communicate strategic risk to executives. From incrementality testing to revenue-proxied metrics, discover the practical framework ABC used to test new channels like Meta, while maintaining guardrails that allow fast failure without burning budget or trust. RELATED RESOURCES 5-Step Paid Media Strategy to Attract Your Ideal Patients - https://www.cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/healthcare-resources/blog/paid-media-patient-acquisition-guide/ [https://www.cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/healthcare-resources/blog/paid-media-patient-acquisition-guide/] When & How to Expand Your Healthcare Media Mix - https://www.cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/healthcare-resources/blog/expanding-channel-media-mix-strategy/ [https://www.cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/healthcare-resources/blog/expanding-channel-media-mix-strategy/] RevRx™: Unlocking the Power of Media Mix Modeling - https://www.cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/healthcare-resources/blog/media-mix-modeling-revrx/ [https://www.cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/healthcare-resources/blog/media-mix-modeling-revrx/] Marketing + Operations: Why Total Alignment is Vital to Growth - https://www.cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/healthcare-resources/blog/healthcare-marketing-operations-alignment/ [https://www.cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/healthcare-resources/blog/healthcare-marketing-operations-alignment/]