What if a simple online quiz could help people better understand their health risks? And, at the same time, help you connect with future patients before they even walk through the door?

It already exists.

Enter the health risk assessment (HRA). An HRA is a short online questionnaire that helps people evaluate their risk for conditions like heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and more. In minutes, patients get personalized results and clear next steps, including appointment scheduling.

HRAs are simple, approachable, and easy to complete at home. They remove the intimidation factor and act as a natural conversation starter with a doctor. And, when done right, HRAs can be one of the most effective tools in your patient acquisition strategy.

Related: Growth through optimized search and social for HRA

Why HRAs attract patients

Convenience matters, but that’s not the only reason people turn to HRAs. Perhaps they’ve noticed certain changes to their health they’ve yet to speak with their doctor about. Maybe it’s a concern with their family’s health history and how it affects them. Whatever the reason, HRAs meet them where they are with their questions.

It’s part of their unique appeal.

Unlike general health content, HRAs offer a personalized experience. Here are four reasons why they work so well in patient acquisition campaigns:

1. Instant value for patients. Patients get immediate insights, tailored to them, specifically about their health.
2. Low barrier to entry. It’s often easier to complete a quick online quiz than to schedule an appointment right away.
3. HRAs build trust. Offering a free, helpful tool shows your healthcare organization cares about prevention and treatment.
4. Easy to share and promote. HRAs are perfect for digital promotion. Unlike static ads, HRAs are an interactive experience. Paid social, email marketing, paid ads, landing pages… the list goes on.

When people want to know more about their health — especially when those questions arise in between doctor visits or a long layoff since last seeing a doctor — giving them a personalized tool helps you build trust and points them in the right direction for care.

And sometimes, that first step can be life-changing.

The human side of health risk assessments

Before I continue onto why HRAs matter so much in healthcare marketing, it’s worth remembering why they matter to people.

For me, it’s deeply personal.

I lost my mom to breast cancer at a young age, back when regular screenings weren’t something people talked about, let alone something most providers prioritized. Her diagnosis came too late. I watched how a disease that might have been treatable with early detection became something that took her life far too soon. That loss has shaped every part of how I see my own health, especially as a woman navigating the complex, often impersonal world of modern healthcare.

For years, I carried a quiet fear and anxiety about my own breast cancer risk. I brought it up with my doctor more than once. I raised concerns about my family history. I asked questions. I did what I thought was right. But my doctor didn’t see the full picture. On paper, I didn’t look like someone at immediate risk. I was “too young” or “not due yet” for additional screening.

What my doctor saw was one sliver of my health profile: age, recent exams, and current symptoms. What they didn’t see was everything else: the context, the family history, the emotional burden, the gut feeling that something more needed attention.

And then I took a breast cancer Health Risk Assessment. That simple, digital experience did what multiple in-person visits couldn’t. It connected the dots. It gave me validation. It translated my concerns into clinical insights. I printed the results and brought them to my doctor. My HRA results gave me language for what I was feeling and the data to back it up.

For the first time, my doctor paused and saw me differently. They ordered an early mammogram, which led to a referral to a high-risk breast cancer specialist. That single HRA became the catalyst for an entirely different care journey, one that has included follow-up testing, risk monitoring, and a care plan tailored to my true risk.

That’s why HRAs matter to me. They inform, yes. But they also serve as an intervention. HRAs meet people where they are, often when they feel like no one is hearing them or their concerns. They remind us that the path to better health sometimes doesn’t always start in an exam room. Sometimes it can start at the kitchen table when someone takes a few minutes from their day to learn more about their risk.

Stories like mine aren’t rare. Every completed HRA represents a person looking for clarity or next steps, and that’s exactly where the marketing impact begins.

From click to conversion: How HRAs drive patient acquisition

Here’s how the patient journey with an HRA typically works:

1. Awareness. Someone sees your ad, social post, or email promoting the HRA.
2. Engagement. They click and complete the questionnaire.
3. Results. They instantly receive personalized feedback about their risk.
4. Next steps. They’re prompted to schedule a screening, book an appointment, or download additional resources specific to their health needs.

Why HRAs are a game changer for healthcare marketing

Patients who complete an HRA are often motivated to take action. Hence, why they completed the HRA in the first place. They’ve already invested time in learning about their health, so the leap to booking an appointment or scheduling a screening is a natural next step.

For your provider office or health system, the benefits are huge. As healthcare marketers know: there are leads and then there are qualified leads. And HRAs are a game changer when it comes to generating qualified leads.

Since HRAs integrate with customer relationship management (CRM) platforms, tracking responses, nurturing leads, and measuring conversions is far easier than trying to determine whether a lead is qualified or a no-go.

With HRAs, the guessing game is a moot point.

Plus, the impact of HRAs goes beyond the initial interaction. There’s a compounding effect that takes place.

• Boost website engagement: Interactive tools keep visitors on your site longer.
• Increase appointment conversions: Patients who complete an HRA are more likely to schedule follow-ups.
• Provide valuable data: Aggregate responses highlight trends, helping you tailor future campaigns.
• Enhance brand positioning: Offering HRAs positions your organization as proactive, patient-centered, and tech-savvy.

HRAs are both a tool and a strategy. One that bridges the gap between patient curiosity and patient action.

Ready get started with HRAs?

Here’s how to make the most of your HRA strategy:

1. Align with priority service lines. Choose HRAs that support your growth areas (e.g., cardiology, oncology, orthopedics).
2. Promote widely. Share your HRAs through paid ads, organic social, email newsletters, and landing pages.
3. Make next steps clear. Don’t just give results. Encourage scheduling with direct CTAs like “Book your screening today.”
4. Track and optimize. Monitor completions, conversions, and ROI to refine campaigns.

The key is consistency. HRAs work best when they’re part of a bigger patient engagement strategy, not just a one-off campaign.

The bottom line

In healthcare marketing, it’s rare to find a tool that benefits patients and providers equally. Health risk assessments do just that. They educate, build trust, and move patients toward care, all while filling your pipeline with qualified leads.

If your organization is serious about growth, it’s time to put HRAs to work and connect with patients before they ever walk in the door. Unlock Health can help. Let’s talk.

Unlock Health is a full-service marketing communications agency that helps healthcare organizations make authentic connections with patients and communities. Every minute of every day, someone books services they need as a result of our work with clients.