HEALTH CARE MARKETING

Health Care Marketing

Abstract

In today's competitive business environment, healthcare organizations need to concentrate on competing for consumers' discretionary income more so than with each other. They need to compete with all the other advertised products, such as the new hottest laptop or automobile, which patients may choose to spend their disposable income on rather than healthcare treatment. The purpose of this paper is to explore the concept of marketing and apply it to healthcare industry and discuss current techniques of marketing in healthcare organization.

Table of Contents

Abstract2

Introduction4

Discussion5

Marketing5

Health care and Marketing6

Current Techniques in Healthcare Marketing7

Conclusion7

References9

Health Care Marketing

Introduction

A thorough understanding of marketing is important for the success of any business that provides consumers with products or services. Healthcare organizations are small businesses that provide a service to their patients; a service that is often discretionary. Marketing has become increasingly necessary to attract new patients, retain existing patients, and expand a dental practice. In an environment where there are many choices of practices for consumers, appropriately targeted and efficient marketing efforts may provide the competitive advantage.

In the past, more emphasis has been placed on internal marketing rather than external marketing techniques. The literature shows an abundance of information regarding internal marketing advice whereas there is much less importance placed on external marketing methods. External marketing efforts tend to be those that are more expansive, expensive, and aggressive. In today's competitive business environment, healthcare organizations need to concentrate on competing for consumers' discretionary income more so than with each other. They need to compete with all the other advertised products, such as the new hottest laptop or automobile, which patients may choose to spend their disposable income on rather than healthcare treatment. In such an environment, external marketing techniques may be more appropriate. There is an abundance of information regarding marketing techniques for healthcare organizations in journals, newsletters, and lecture circuits, but unfortunately, the majority of the advice presented is often anecdotal and lacks scientific support.

Discussion

Marketing

The definition of marketing has changed many times throughout history. Marketing is about putting the consumer first, identifying their needs, and providing whatever is necessary to satisfy them, preferably for a profit (Delany 1998). Increasingly more health service providers, dentists, and orthodontists have turned to marketing techniques to improve public awareness, determine consumer need, and increase their personal business by convincing the consumer that the service they are providing can satisfy this need.

Other terms often used related to marketing include public relations, promotion, communications, and advertising. Public relations (PR) gain an organization or individual exposure to their audiences using topics of public interest and news items that do not require direct payment. PR can be used to build rapport with employees, customers, or the general public. In healthcare, public relations are often used in an attempt to influence attitudes, whereas marketing seeks to elicit behavior, such as increase case starts and referrals (Mindak 1987). Communication is a process of transferring information from one entity to another. Communication is usually a two-way process in which there is an ...