Ignite: Healthcare Marketing Podcast

Hosted by Cardinal Digital Marketing

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255

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Oct 2026

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About the show

Hear the latest performance marketing strategies, industry news, and innovative tactics that will help grow your healthcare organization. Brought to you by Cardinal Digital Marketing, our CEO Alex Membrillo sits down with industry leaders and the nation's top healthcare marketing professionals to uncover practical insights to boost your digital presence and attract more patients.

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October 27, 2026Episode 22933 min

#229 - How Piedmont made marketing accountable for growth

What does it take to make healthcare marketing accountable for patient growth, not just campaign performance? In this episode of the Ignite Healthcare Marketing Podcast, Lauren Leone, President at Cardinal Digital Marketing, sits down with Douwe Bergsma, Chief Brand & Growth Officer at Piedmont Healthcare, to explore how marketing evolved from a tactical function into a strategic driver of growth. Douwe shares how Piedmont aligned marketing with system-wide priorities, made the team accountable for patient volume and brand health, and built a measurement framework to guide investment decisions and improve patient experience. You'll learn How Piedmont shifted marketing accountability from activity metrics to patient visits and appointments Why physician outreach and PR emerged as some of Piedmont's highest-ROI activities What it took to build healthcare-specific marketing mix modeling How to balance brand building, patient acquisition, and patient experience to support growth If you're looking to prove marketing's business impact and earn greater influence in strategic decisions, hear how Piedmont approached the challenge.

October 20, 2026Episode 22817 min

#228 - Introducing OmegaHealth, Cardinal's AI growth operating system

Healthcare marketing runs on disconnected data, but what if AI could connect the dots and reveal what's really driving patient growth? In this episode of the Ignite Healthcare Marketing Podcast, Lauren Leone, President at Cardinal Digital Marketing, and Rich Briddock, Chief Strategy Officer, introduce OmegaHealth, Cardinal's new AI growth operating system built for multi-location, multi-brand healthcare organizations. Rich explains how combining marketing data, operational insights, and healthcare-specific expertise can help teams move beyond manual reporting, uncover barriers to patient acquisition, and make smarter growth decisions. You'll learn Why healthcare-specific AI delivers more value than generic AI tools How connected data can uncover operational issues hurting patient acquisition How AI can align advertising budgets with appointment availability across locations How automating analysis frees marketers to focus on strategy and optimization If you're looking to connect the dots between marketing performance and patient growth, this episode is worth a listen. RELATED RESOURCES The healthcare marketing audit: 6 strategic checkpoints - https://www. cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/ healthcare-resources/blog/ healthcare-marketing-audit- checklist/ The healthcare marketer's guide to conversion signal optimization - https://www. cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/ healthcare-resources/blog/ conversion-signal- optimization-strategy/ Building a privacy-safe engine for patient growth - https://www. cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/ healthcare-resources/blog/ health-system-privacy-safe- measurement-framework-case- study/ Healthcare PPC & Google Ads marketing trends in 2026 - https://www. cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/ healthcare-resources/blog/ healthcare-ppc-google-ads- trends-2026

October 6, 2026Episode 22719 min

#227 - Google's Bidding Change Demands Smarter Budgets

Google's recent bidding change is creating new challenges for healthcare marketers managing Target CPA and Target ROAS campaigns with limited budgets. In this episode of the Ignite Healthcare Marketing Podcast, Lauren Leone, President at Cardinal Digital Marketing, sits down with Evan Ilgenfritz, VP of Paid Media at Cardinal, to break down what the change means for healthcare advertisers and how marketers can respond. Evan walks through practical options for campaigns limited by budget, from adjusting targets and consolidating budgets to portfolio bidding, ad scheduling, and rethinking how media dollars are allocated. You'll hear: How to approach Target CPA and Target ROAS under Google's new bidding rules When shared budgets and portfolio bidding can help with budget constraints How ad scheduling can help concentrate spend When limited budgets may call for a broader look at your channel mix If you manage Google Ads across multiple healthcare locations, tune in for practical ways to navigate the change and make smarter budget decisions. RELATED RESOURCES The healthcare marketer's guide to conversion signal optimization - https://www. cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/ healthcare-resources/blog/ conversion-signal- optimization-strategy/ Healthcare PPC & Google Ads marketing trends in 2026 - https://www. cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/ healthcare-resources/blog/ healthcare-ppc-google-ads- trends-2026/ Why healthcare groups shouldn't fear website consolidation - https://www. cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/ healthcare-resources/blog/ multi-site-healthcare-groups- website-consolidation/ The de novo marketing playbook for healthcare - https://www. cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/ healthcare-resources/blog/de- novo-marketing-strategy-new- healthcare-locations/

September 29, 2026Episode 22615 min

#226 - Scaling Up 2026 Where Healthcare Growth Goes Next

Patient journeys are messy, measurement is getting harder, and healthcare marketers are under more pressure to prove growth. In this special episode of the Ignite Healthcare Marketing Podcast, Lauren Leone, President at Cardinal Digital Marketing, and Ashley Petrochenko, VP of Brand Marketing, preview Scaling Up 2026 and the challenges shaping this year's program. From changing patient discovery and AI to measurement, media investment, and complex growth strategies, they break down what healthcare marketers should be preparing for as they head into 2027, including a first look at Cardinal's new AI tools, Pulse and NextSpot. You'll hear: Why patient discovery is expanding beyond traditional search Why healthcare measurement needs to move past clicks and calls What a two year measurement project just proved is possible for patient growth A first look at Pulse and NextSpot, Cardinal's new tools for healthcare growth Scaling Up 2026 is free and happening October 13-14. Tune in for a preview of where healthcare growth is headed and the conversations healthcare marketers should have on their radar. Register for Scaling Up: Healthcare Performance Marketing Summit - https://www. cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/ scalingup-healthcare- performance-marketing-summit/ RELATED RESOURCES The healthcare marketer's guide to conversion signal optimization - https://www. cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/ healthcare-resources/blog/ conversion-signal- optimization-strategy/ Building a privacy-safe engine for patient growth - https://www. cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/ healthcare-resources/blog/ health-system-privacy-safe- measurement-framework-case- study/ The healthcare marketing audit: 6 strategic checkpoints - https://www. cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/ healthcare-resources/blog/ healthcare-marketing-audit- checklist/ Healthcare PPC & Google Ads marketing trends in 2026 - https://www. cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/ healthcare-resources/blog/ healthcare-ppc-google-ads- trends-2026/

September 22, 2026Episode 22520 min

#225 - Pediatric trust beats chasing algorithms

AI can help healthcare marketers create more content, but it can't replace the human connection that earns a parent's trust. On this episode of the Ignite Healthcare Marketing Podcast, host Ashley Petrochenko, VP of Brand Marketing at Cardinal Digital Marketing, sits down with Karen Wright, a pediatric marketing veteran with more than a decade of experience, including at Boston Children's Hospital. Karen shares why strong content starts with understanding what patients and caregivers actually need, and why AI, algorithms, and new channels shouldn't distract marketers from the fundamentals that build trust. You'll learn: Why asking "why" should come before any content or AI decision How to show the human side of clinicians beyond credentials and expertise Why credible, original content matters more than chasing algorithms Where AI can help without compromising accuracy, trust, or humanity If AI is changing how your team approaches content, this episode will help you keep the technology in perspective and the patient at the center. RELATED RESOURCES Connect with Karen- https://www.linkedin.com/in/ karenwrightboston/ The healthcare marketing audit: 6 strategic checkpoints - https://www. cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/ healthcare-resources/blog/ healthcare-marketing-audit- checklist/ How Meta's Andromeda changes healthcare carketing forever - https://www. cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/ healthcare-resources/blog/ meta-andromeda-update/ The PMAX creative strategy behind 44% more bookings - https://www. cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/ healthcare-resources/blog/ creative-strategy-pmax- patient-bookings-case-study/ Healthcare PPC & Google Ads marketing trends in 2026 - https://www. cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/ healthcare-resources/blog/ healthcare-ppc-google-ads- trends-2026/

September 15, 2026Episode 22431 min

#224 - MMM is a powerful tool, but not a silver bullet

Media mix modeling can tell healthcare marketers where there may be more opportunity, but it can't answer every question about where and how to spend. In this episode of The Strategists' Corner, Rich Briddock, Chief Strategy Officer at Cardinal Digital Marketing, and Ben Dutter, Chief Strategy Officer at Power Digital, unpack where MMM fits in a modern healthcare measurement strategy. As MMM becomes easier to access, they explore what it does exceptionally well, where healthcare's long patient journeys and fragmented data create limitations, and why the strongest measurement strategies pair modeling with testing and other sources of data. In this episode, you'll learn: Where MMM adds the most value in healthcare and where it falls short Which leading indicators to model when patient revenue takes months to materialize How match market tests validate and add detail to what MMM predicts What to do when the data challenges existing media assumptions If you're evaluating MMM or making media decisions with imperfect healthcare data, this is the episode to queue up next. RELATED RESOURCES A triangulation approach to healthcare marketing measurement - https://www. cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/ healthcare-resources/blog/ triangulation-healthcare- marketing-measurement- framework/ RevRx™: Unlocking the Power of Media Mix Modeling - https://www. cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/ healthcare-resources/blog/ media-mix-modeling-revrx/ The search plateau problem: Why healthcare marketers need incrementality testing - https://www. cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/ healthcare-resources/blog/ healthcare-incrementality- testing/ The healthcare marketer's guide to conversion signal optimization - https://www. cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/ healthcare-resources/blog/ conversion-signal- optimization-strategy/

September 8, 2026Episode 22337 min

#223 - Healthcare Growth Is Hiding in Your Funnel

More leads won't fix growth if patients are already slipping through the cracks in the journey you have. In this episode of Ignite, Ashley Petrochenko, VP of Brand Marketing at Cardinal Digital Marketing, sits down with Jesse Feist, Director of Growth Marketing at Spring Fertility, to unpack where healthcare marketers are overlooking growth inside the funnel they already have. Drawing on 15 plus years across dozens of healthcare and fertility brands, Jesse breaks down how speed to lead, long-term nurture, conversion friction, and patient advocacy turn existing demand into sustainable growth, and why AI powered search is starting to reward real patient trust over paid reach. You'll learn: Where to find conversion friction before increasing ad spend Why speed to lead can make or break patient acquisition How to nurture patients through long, complex decision journeys How to turn happy patients into advocates that fuel organic and AI driven discovery If you want to uncover more growth from the demand and patient trust you already have, this episode of Ignite is one to listen to next. RELATED RESOURCES Connect with Jesse - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ jesse-fiest-4926369a/ The healthcare marketer's guide to conversion signal optimization - https://www. cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/ healthcare-resources/blog/ conversion-signal- optimization-strategy/ 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/ How to build a full-funnel healthcare marketing strategy - https://www. cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/ healthcare-resources/blog/ healthcare-full-funnel- marketing-strategy/ Marketing + operations: Why total alignment is vital to growth - https://www. cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/ healthcare-resources/blog/ healthcare-marketing- operations-alignment

September 1, 2026Episode 22216 min

#222 - Multi-Location Healthcare Needs a De Novo Playbook

Marketers who wait until opening day to promote a new location are already behind. In this episode of Ignite, host Lauren Leone, President of Cardinal Digital Marketing, sits down with Evan Ilgenfritz, VP of Paid Media at Cardinal, to break down how multi-location healthcare organizations can build a smarter, repeatable playbook for de novo growth. They walk through how media strategy should evolve from pre-launch awareness, to patient acquisition, to an evergreen approach that keeps provider schedules full. You'll learn: How to build demand before a new location opens, without wasting budget too early The real launch trigger marketers miss, and why it isn't the day your doors open Which media channels matter at each stage, from awareness to conversion to evergreen How to turn every de novo launch into a sharper playbook for the next one If you're planning new locations or scaling into new markets, this episode will help you build a smarter, more repeatable approach to de novo growth. RELATED RESOURCES The de novo marketing playbook for healthcare - https://www. cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/ healthcare-resources/blog/de- novo-marketing-strategy-new- healthcare-locations/ 4 essential steps for marketing your de novo office - https://www. cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/ healthcare-resources/blog/dso- de-novo-digital-marketing- strategy/ Why healthcare groups shouldn't fear website consolidation - https://www. cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/ healthcare-resources/blog/ multi-site-healthcare-groups- website-consolidation/ https://www. cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/ healthcare-resources/blog/ expanding-channel-media-mix- strategy/ - https://www. cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/ healthcare-resources/blog/ performance-creative-the-key- to-paid-media-success/

August 25, 2026Episode 22127 min

#221 - Building orthopedic growth through community partnerships

What if orthopedic growth starts long before a patient needs an appointment? On this episode of Ignite, Ashley Petrochenko, VP of Brand Marketing at Cardinal, sits down with Brandon Weinberg, Senior Brand Strategist at Rothman Orthopaedics, to unpack how Rothman builds trust before the moment of need. Drawing on his background in sports marketing with the Philadelphia Phillies and Milwaukee Brewers, Brandon shares how Rothman uses community partnerships, patient stories, educational content, and digital access to stay relevant across the patient journey, from an urgent injury to elective surgery. In this episode, you'll learn: How sports partnerships create trust before patients need care How Rothman balances urgent and considered patient journeys Why authentic patient stories can strengthen orthopedic brand preference How marketing teams can grow demand while staying aligned with physician capacity If you want to rethink how your healthcare brand builds patient relationships before the moment of need, this episode is worth a listen. RELATED RESOURCES Connect with Brandon - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ brandonweinberg/ Why capacity-driven marketing is non-negotiable - https://www. cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/ capacity-driven-marketing- media-investment-strategy/ 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/ How to build a full-funnel healthcare marketing strategy - https://www. cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/ healthcare-resources/blog/ healthcare-full-funnel- marketing-strategy/ Why healthcare groups shouldn't fear website consolidation - https://www. cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/ healthcare-resources/blog/ multi-site-healthcare-groups- website-consolidation/

August 18, 2026Episode 22026 min

#220 - One brand strategy powers 40 dental locations

Most DSOs think scale requires complexity. But what if one brand could actually make growth simpler? On this episode of Ignite, host Ashley Petrochenko, VP of Brand Marketing at Cardinal, sits down with April Sharry, VP of Marketing at Dental Depot. April shares how she has spent 10 years helping scale the organization to 40 general dentistry locations and five orthodontic practices across four states, while keeping one recognizable brand at the center. She breaks down how that approach simplifies campaigns, budget allocation, and marketing operations while preserving the founder-led culture and community roots that make Dental Depot stand out. You'll walk away with: How one brand architecture simplifies marketing across dozens of locations Why founder-led culture protects brand integrity through expansion How fixing review management helped Dental Depot reach 4.7 stars Why community marketing can build recognition beyond traditional ROI If you're navigating multi-location growth or weighing a move toward one unified brand, this episode offers a practical blueprint for scaling without sacrificing what makes the brand memorable. RELATED RESOURCES Connect with April - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ aprilsharry/ DSO marketing: Branded house vs. house of brands - https://www. cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/ healthcare-resources/blog/dso- marketing-branded-house-vs- house-of-brands/ Why healthcare groups shouldn't fear website consolidation - https://www. cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/ healthcare-resources/blog/ multi-site-healthcare-groups- website-consolidation/ 4 essential steps for marketing your de novo office - https://www. cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/ healthcare-resources/blog/dso- de-novo-digital-marketing- strategy/ Dykema DSO 2026 takeaways: What dental marketers need to know for a strong EOY - https://www. cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/ healthcare-resources/blog/ dykema-dso-2026-takeaways- what-dental-marketers-need-to- know-for-a-strong-year-end/