Hospital Marketing
Hospital
marketing is a way of
promotion which provides high quality medical care to the consumer or community
while satisfying patient and family’s needs.
The hospital
marketing may inform the consumers with the correct healthy concept
and accurate consumers' choices, and to promote the quality of medical care.
Hospital
marketing refers to the use of
marketing strategies like advertising, branding and promotional tactics to
improve population health by interacting with community, building trust,
displaying expertise in care in order to acquire new sufferers and create long
lasting relationships. Healthcare advertise has to be genuine at the same time
it needs to demonstrate the capabilities of the clinic or medical so well that
the respective sick persons come by in volumes.
It is a
multidisciplinary area of public health practice, which involves creating,
communicating and delivering health information and interventions using
customer cantered and science-based strategies to protect and promote the
health of diverse populations.
Hospital
marketing is a way of promotion which provides high quality medical care to the
consumer or community while satisfying patient and family’s needs.
The
target market includes patients and families, communities, doctors, medical
personnel, hospital staff, and society.
Hospital
marketing has three functions
First, from the
hospital’s point of view, through analysis of the target market, hospitals can
understand the future needs of consumers and establish good management strategy
for higher profitability.
Second, from
the consumer’s point of view, it provides readily available and vital
information to consumers so as to avoid doctor shopping which may delay
treatment, worse medical condition, and increase medical expenditure.
Third, from a social aspect, consumers get good yet
affordable medical services.
The
research showed that five leading activities that may promote the hospital
image (volunteer medical activities, patient’s complaint report line,
announcement board, educational activities and seminars).
On the
other hand, according to the opinion of the professional medical personnel in
the hospital, newspaper, television and press conference may improve the
hospital popularity.
Healthcare
marketing can create customer base, the Medical business is an especial
profession which is usually not influenced by the economic climate. No matter
how rapid the transformation of the social environment, the medical business
still subsists However, how to win the competition through the hospital
marketing is still an important concern of the administrator.
Factors that influence the hospital choices of
consumers
(1) The factors that may influence the consumer’s
preferences may be concluded in five aspects:
(a)
quality of medical services: refers to good medical care.
(b)
accessibility: refers to location of the hospital, convenience of
transportation and parking facilities.
(c)
medical expenses: total cost of the hospital stays.
(d) facilities:
good, up-to-date or new medical equipment
(e)marketing
promotion: reputation of the hospital, word-of-mouth, efficient communication
and the recommendation of friends and colleagues.
(2) Hospital management may start with product, price,
promotion and place.
(a) Product – medical services can be divided into three
types: curative such as doctors’ curative or medicinal treatments), diagnostic
(such as laboratory analysis, radiology check-up), and other medically related
services (such as home care, physical examination, health maintenance).
(b) Price – patients are seldom price sensitive when seeking
medical treatment, thus a higher price does not impact revenues if the service
is differentiated and better.
(c)
Promotion – this includes
(1)
volunteer medical activities to foster a good image of the hospital.
(2)
publication of hospital newsletters, announcement of hospital activities,
introduction of medical updates, all of which increase the understanding of the
consumers towards hospital.
(3)
holding press conferences periodically or medical column on the newspaper, may
improve the health knowledge of the consumers, and
(4) the
superintendent and the chaplain of the church hospital may preach at the church
nearby, to strengthen the relationship with the nearby churches.
(d) Place – location of the hospital should be convenient
for patients
Types of Hospital Marketing
1.
Marketing of hospital services can be executed offline and online, organic to
gain prospects.
2. Offline
channels include print advertising, medical camps, brochures, awareness
programs & radio
3. Online,
Website with chat, Facebook, YouTube channels, SEO to enhance your hospital
visibility,
4. Organic,
Invest on Patient referrals which is an integral source of bringing new
patients
Benefits of Hospital Marketing
1. Better
competitive advantage results in increased acquisition of patients.
2.
Increased visibility.
3. Focused
patient engagement with relevant, personalised & timely outreach.
4.
Improved patient retention and loyalty.
5. Connect
with patients across multiple channels.
6. Reduced
miscommunication / misinformation.
7.
Improved reputation management.
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