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When it comes to a noble and respected profession, the health-care profession rises to the top. For the past 18 years, nurses have consistently ranked as the most ethical and honest professionals, according to Gallup. The 2019 poll showed that 85 percent of Americans rated nurses’ honesty and ethical standards as “high” or “very high.” Doctors and pharmacists also ranked high, at 67 percent and 66 percent, respectively. The World Health Organization declared 2020 the Year of the Nurse and the Midwife to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birth, an especially meaningful honor amid a global pandemic. Health-care organizations looking to show appreciation and celebrate nurses and other health-care workers often turn to promotional products. According to PPAI research, health care is the top market for promotional products sales and in 2018, it accounted for 8.5 percent or $2.4 billion of total distributor sales. From recognition programs to helpful items for daily use, promotional products are a proven way to help show health- care professionals how vital they are to their organizations and communities. Promotional items are also useful tools in promoting telehealth services and staying top-of-mind when patients are moving away from face-to-face interactions. Healthgrades reports that since the pandemic began, most Americans feel comfortable using electronic information and telecommunication technologies. Approximately 83 percent of consumers say that telehealth services can replace some or all of their in-person appointments, and 34 percent say they have used telehealth services recently. Read on for a pulse on today’s health-care market and get a dose of ideas for using promotional items for your health-care clients. Market Snapshot The global pandemic has underscored the world’s critical need for health-care providers—and the continuing demand for more of them. By 2033, the U.S. could face a shortage of as many as 139,000 physicians, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). Nurses are also in high demand, especially as the population ages and brings on the need for more complex care. More than 200,000 registered nurses are needed by 2030 to replace the retiring generation, according to the Health Resources and Services Administration. Those who currently work in the health-care field face a higher risk of burnout than any other workers, according to Mayo Clinical Proceedings. A study by the Archives of Internal Medicine reveals that nearly half (41 percent) of physicians experience at least one symptom of burnout. Women physicians are more likely to experience burnout, notes the National Academy of Medicine, largely due to greater responsibilities at home and less control over their workloads than their male counterparts. The strain isn’t just felt by health-care providers—patients also feel stress when finding the care they need. According to an AAMC poll, 35 percent of respondents say they had difficulty finding a doctor in the past two to three years. This number is up 10 points from 2015, highlighting an opportunity for physicians to get in front of their community with branded products. Now is also an ideal time for health-care providers to spread awareness about their virtual offerings, from telehealth services to online preregistration and wait-time tracking. Patients are no longer loyal to their providers simply because they receive good care—they value convenience as well. NRC Health found that 80 percent of people who were satisfied with their care said they would switch health-care providers based on convenience factors alone. 3d imagination / GO DESIGN / Evgeny Karandaev / Shutterstock.com. Photo illustration by SPARK Publications | SEPTEMBER 2020 | 59 GROW