If you rely on first- or last-click attribution, enquiries are slipping through the cracks.

These may be straightforward metrics, but they hide the real touchpoints that influence appointments. Was it a PPC ad or a brochure they downloaded while researching, for example?

Without visibility of the patient journey, you’re missing vital insights that drive conversions.

Missing attribution data = ineffective decision-making

With tight budgets, NHS overflow pressures, and competition, attribution is essential.

Clinics lack insights into how different activities guide patients through the complex healthcare landscape. A call may have been triggered by PPC – but most analytics platforms can’t make that connection.

Without visibility into channel performance, there’s no way to know if you’re using the right messages or targeting the right touchpoints.

“If you’re not collecting the data needed to identify which touchpoints drive enquiries and appointments, you’re risking investment and efficiency,” explains Faye Thomassen, Head of Marketing, Mediahawk.

The middle phase: Where trust builds and insights hide

Patients researching health concerns, procedures, and providers can easily fall into a research rabbit hole. They need confidence that they’re making the right decision about when and where to seek care.

This makes healthcare marketing high-touch, with many opportunities to lose patients if you miss the moment to convert.

“Momentum builds between the first and last clicks,” says Faye. “Those middle touches – where prospects explore your services are where you establish trust. That’s when your marketing needs to work the hardest.”

This is why clinics increasingly use call tracking to connect effort to outcomes; enabling 100% attribution, and allowing marketers to trace the patient journey from initial contact to appointment.

Call tracking connects the journey

More than 75% of marketers surveyed by Mediahawk use call tracking. With it, you can:

  • Report on how each channel, campaign, activity, and keyword performs
  • Identify which strategies deliver the best ROI
  • Make informed decisions about campaigns, messaging, and targeting
  • Understand the research journey to ensure your website builds confidence
  • Optimise every touchpoint so your clinic is top of mind when patients book.

Summary

First- or last-click attribution leaves critical gaps in the journey. To maximise enquiries and make smarter decisions, clinics need complete visibility – capturing every touchpoint where trust is built.

Call tracking connects the journey, giving marketers the insights to optimise campaigns, prove ROI, and ensure their clinic is the first choice when patients are ready to act.