2025 Trend: The Decline of EHR Aggregators
LANE4.io delves into the trend most impacting EHR advertising in 2025
A Seismic shift has begun in the EHR advertising landscape. Increased competition, evolving technology, and shifting priorities have reshaped how EHR ad inventory is brought to market. The once-dominant EHR ad aggregators have not pivoted and are in full decline. For EHR ad sellers who don’t want to share the same fate as aggregators - here’s what you need to know.
Challenges Facing EHR Aggregators
Rising Competition from DSPs
Demand-side platforms (DSPs) are stepping up, representing advertisers’ interests across multiple media channels, including EHR. These platforms offer advertisers greater transparency, efficiency, and the ability to manage campaigns across diverse channels—reducing the reliance on traditional EHR aggregators. As DSPs attain more access to EHR inventory and advertisers accelerate the adoption of programmatic, it has become increasingly difficult for aggregators to compete.EHR Ad Sellers Adopting New Strategies
EHR platforms are exploring innovative ways to bring their ad inventory to market, bypassing traditional aggregators. From direct programmatic selling to partnering with DSPs (Demand-Side Platforms) or specialized SSPs (Supply-Side Platforms), EHRs are regaining control over their ad supply. These strategies reduce aggregators’ stranglehold on EHR inventory and enable EHRs to maximize revenue and maintain alignment with their brand values.Shifting Aggregator Priorities
Aggregators are redirecting their focus away from media and advertising. Instead, they are prioritizing areas like copay assistance programs, data and analytics services, and hub services. While these areas are lucrative for aggregators, they leave EHR ad sellers without a dedicated partner focused on helping them bring their ad supply to market effectively. This lack of emphasis on media creates a vacuum that EHRs must fill on their own.Advertiser Demands for Transparency
Advertisers are increasingly demanding transparency in pricing, performance, and inventory allocation. Aggregators’ opaque practices no longer align with industry expectations, further eroding their value in the eyes of advertisers and EHRs alike.
What This Means for EHR Ad Sellers
The extinction of traditional EHR aggregation presents both challenges and opportunities for EHR ad sellers:
Challenges: Without a dedicated partner to manage their inventory, EHR platforms may struggle to navigate the complexities of ad sales and campaign management. This shift requires them to build in-house capabilities or find new, reliable partners.
Opportunities: EHRs can take full control of their ad inventory by embracing new technologies and programmatic solutions. Platforms like LANE4.io provide tools to optimize ad revenue, maintain transparency, and create direct relationships with advertisers.
Selling EHR —The Path Forward
To thrive in this new era, EHR ad sellers need to adapt quickly. Here are some strategies to consider:
Invest in Programmatic: Selling Programmatic solutions offer efficiency, transparency, and direct access to advertisers. EHRs can streamline their ad sales process and maximize revenue by leveraging platforms like DSPs and SSPs.
Build In-House Expertise: Owning ad inventory management and campaign strategy can reduce reliance on third parties and ensure alignment with organizational goals.
Forge Strategic Partnerships: Partner with DSPs or SSPs that understand the unique needs of the healthcare advertising market and prioritize EHR ad inventory.
Leverage Data and Insights: Utilize analytics to understand inventory performance, optimize pricing, and identify trends that inform future strategies.
The Takeaway
The decline of traditional EHR aggregators marks a pivotal moment in EHR advertising. While their shifting priorities create immediate challenges, they also open the door for EHR platforms to redefine how their ad inventory reaches the market. By embracing programmatic solutions, building in-house capabilities, and forging strategic partnerships, EHRs can ensure sustained and scaleable success in this evolving landscape. The future belongs to those who adapt and innovate.