Healthcare consumer behavior intrigues Stovall because of the necessity of medical care in our lives. His research into consumer behavior, digital marketing and sociocultural influences on consumption behavior provide insights into how patients consume healthcare messaging and how to influence healthy behavior.

“Physicians want to create change – they’re the ones who see the problems on the ground level and understand that status quo may not be the best way forward,” says Stovall. “Once we are open to new ways of doing things, we can develop innovative solutions. For physician leaders, this may be understanding how to convince hospital administrators to approach a clinical challenge from a new angle.”

Stovall feels the opportunities to use marketing to improve healthy behaviors are far-reaching. His research in digital marketing and healthcare consumer behaviors suggest physician MBAs have a critical role to play by pairing their clinical expertise with innovative marketing ideas.

“Marketing allows you to be creative, to think outside the box and try new things and determine which new idea works,” he says. “Can wearing a smartwatch help your patient remember to take her medicine? In the long run, it might be a sound investment in the technology, but bouncing ideas like this off each other in class can help you think creatively about exploring new options.”

It’s that discussion and experimentation that Stovall enjoys most in teaching physicians in the Business of Medicine MBA Program. Because physicians bring to the classroom a wealth of knowledge and experience, Stovall feels his role is to introduce new ideas and support physicians as they mold the concepts to solve their own challenges.

“Our physician students are the ones implementing change; I’m simply the tour guide on their journey through healthcare marketing,” he says. “We discuss successful marketing approaches and they can share how this idea could benefit their organizations. Sharing current challenges and solutions in a room of diverse physicians from various specialties and geographies ignites new ideas and new approaches. It’s very exciting to see them take these lessons and apply them in real time.”