Effective marketing process puts in the right product in the right place, at the right price and the right time. Since products and services are interchangeable in most marketing cases, when you put in the right product, it could simply means putting in the right services for your patients, at a reasonable price to attract business–and at the right framework of mind. Thomas described marketing mix as, “the set of controllable variables that an organization involved in marketing uses to influence the target market.” (84). These marketing mix can be used in the healthcare industry. The mx are four P’s- the Product (or Service), Place, Price and Promotion. Products are services and, in some cases, products include health products and services. These products or services are marketed to consumers. For example, high quality surgical equipment is a healthcare product of marketers. A good way to understand the 4 Ps is to define marketing specifics. It is 100% possible to apply marketing mix to healthcare industry. Price is important to healthcare providers, sponsors, and consumers. High co-pays are not so attractive to patients, which may stray them from one facility to another. Consumers of healthcare or patients may choose to elect providers with cheaper co-pays; as well as drug price options- generic and non-generic. Just like any other industry sponsor, providers provide health plans that can create communications and help new members better appreciate their coverage.
Thomas, Richard. Marketing Health Services. Chicago: Health Administration Press, 2010.Print
Although medical facilities are usually associated with providing healthcare services, there is also a need for people to run medical facilities as businesses. Thus, health service administrators–also known as medical or health services managers or health care executives–are responsible for ensuring effective and efficient delivery of health services while achieving profit margins.
Nowadays, the delivery of health services depends on a growing group of professionals working together, as different interdisciplinary teams. At the same time there are many forces that are shaping the delivery of healthcare. Many of these changes are being driven by the markets; changes in concepts of health and leadership and wellbeing; technology, and research and discovery. However, it is only through dynamic leadership that professionals, themselves will be in a position to guide these transformations. The last decade was an important period for health care. Annual increases in health care costs flattened, enhancing American competitiveness in a global economy. The gatekeeper model enhanced the role of primary care. The gap narrowed between primary and subspecialty reimbursement. The fragmented physician communities began to consolidate. New technologies, drugs and strategies improved morbidity and mortality for many conditions, while decreasing reliance on acute-care environments. These positive changes came with a price tag. Prepaid health care delivery models pitted physician against physician and physician against hospital. Many integrated networks failed, leaving physicians unpaid and, occasionally, unemployed. Administrative and regulatory burdens became increasingly onerous. Prepaid health care also created a wall between physicians and patients. Capitated payment systems offered minimal rewards for individualized, compassionate patient care. For many physicians, medical practice lost much of its meaning.
