Even at the beginning of the last century in many countries (including Russia) there was a need for the active use of marketing tools in almost all areas of activity. This, of course, also applied to medicine. What makes he althcare marketing stand out? What are its main principles, features and functions here? Let's look into these and related issues in this article.
He alth industry
To understand he althcare marketing, let's imagine the medical field in an unusual format. as an industry. What we get here:
- Participants that make up the industry. Two categories can be distinguished here. The first one is individual entrepreneurs who produce and sell pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, as well as doctors in private practice, commercial medical centers. The second category includes a broader sector. Like: manufacturers of medical services and goods, equipment, information support, factories,producing pharmaceuticals, specialized media and Internet resources, clinics, hospitals, sanatoriums, dispensaries.
- The State. These are institutions providing medical education, various bodies for the supervision of the activities of the he alth service, medical research institutes, medical institutions, organizations providing he alth insurance.
- Patients. People who are he alth care consumers.
The he althcare industry is huge. It includes various funds, communications, logistics, transportation, trade, dissemination of information, procurement of raw materials, education, repair, maintenance and more.
The he alth care industry is not only organizations that provide medical services. This is also the entire set of enterprises that provide these institutions with medicines and equipment. These are medical universities, and research institutes, and supervisory authorities, and consultants in pharmacies, and specialized information portals.
What is this?
He althcare marketing is a system of methods, principles and measures that are based on a systematic study of consumer requests (in this case, a patient) and purposeful formation of a proposal by representatives of the medical industry.
In this case, marketing can be divided into several areas:
- Drugs.
- He alth services.
- Medical technology.
- Medical technology.
- Scientific ideas in this area.
Peculiarities of marketing in medicine
Until now, many believe that marketing in the he alth sector is impossible, that this is a purely commercial term. But this is not his only focus.
We should not forget about non-commercial marketing, which is carried out by those individuals and organizations that act in the public interest, not seeking only financial profit. The purpose of their work is to meet the needs of the organization's customers, to create its positive image. Often a successful non-commercial campaign is associated with just the same large cash costs, and not with profit.
What are the features of management and marketing in he alth care? The trend is that non-profit organizations serve those segments that are not of interest to commercial firms. As a rule, because of insignificant profit. An excellent example is the provision of medical services to the population in remote, hard-to-reach rural areas. There will be no private medical centers, only a public hospital.
Social Variety
Today, social marketing in the he althcare system is gaining more popularity. Its main idea is to present a social problem in such a way that its solution is effective both from the side of social utility and commercial benefit. At the same time, not only the company itself is connected to the activity, but also its customers.
What are the areasapplication of social marketing in he alth care? Regarding the Russian Federation, the following can be highlighted:
- Disease prevention. Moreover, this includes not just informing the population about the consequences of a particular infection, pathology. The main thing here is to develop in every citizen the need to be he althy, to maintain this state with all your might.
- Formation of new flows of patients to medical organizations, as well as optimization of existing ones.
- Reducing the incidence of dangerous infections that are sexually transmitted. First of all - HIV, syphilis. If this direction of social marketing is successful, then such an achievement will significantly improve the quality of the he alth of the population of the Russian Federation.
Main Functions
What is the main function of he althcare marketing? This is the provision of all the necessary resources for the normal implementation of medical, sanitary, curative, he alth-improving, diagnostic and preventive processes.
He althcare marketing must also guarantee the following functions:
- Providing citizens with medical services and medical supplies.
- Formation of the medical community with its own attitudes and principles.
- Strives for the scientific knowledge of diseases, scientific methods of their treatment and prevention.
Medical staff, medical, diagnostic, preventive institutions, therefore, should direct their workin order to satisfy patients who want to restore, strengthen their he alth. At the same time, the state satisfies public interests in the field of he althcare, and private medicine is aimed at clients whose financial situation allows them to pay for medical services on their own.
Medical Services
The modern concept of marketing in he alth care is best seen through this example.
First let's define the concept. Medical services are goods whose value to the consumer is determined by the ability to satisfy the needs of his personal he alth. A way to help solve problems associated with poor he alth.
Medical services are a fairly broad segment. To have a complete picture of it, you should refer to the detailed classification:
- By character. Diagnostic, organizational, expert, medical, statistical, rehabilitation, combined services.
- By areas of the he althcare system. Outpatient, inpatient, sanitary and hygienic, polyclinic, epidemiological services.
- According to the level of medical care. Qualified, specialized, medical, pre-medical.
- By intensity. Planned, fast, urgent.
- By invasiveness. Invasive and non-invasive.
- According to the qualification of the source providing the service. High, mid, low.
- On technology. High tech, routine.
- According to the standard. Relevant andinappropriate. The last category is further subdivided into: justifiably, unreasonably, erroneously non-compliant.
- According to the timing of the achievement of the final results. On-time and off-time.
- For legal compliance. Appropriate, inappropriate, negligent and erroneous.
When planning marketing activities, it is important for a specialist to know this classification. Moreover, not only to a marketer, but also to the organizer of the system, manager, expert of the insurance company. Given the specifics of each type of medical service, it is much more efficient to build your activities.
He althcare Marketing
In this case, the main task of marketing in he althcare is to motivate the population to improve their own he alth, an appropriate lifestyle, and create an attractive image of a person who has chosen a he althy lifestyle.
Medical services is a field of activity that includes a tangible impact on the human body. Among all classes of services (according to Lovelock's classification), it will always be in demand. On a par with catering establishments, sports clubs, beauty salons, passenger transport, hairdressing salons. The task of marketers is to be able to properly manage this demand.
Main characteristics of medical services
Continuing to look at the basics of he althcare management. Marketing activities in the field of medical services necessarily take into account their four main characteristics:
- Intangibility.
- Variable quality.
- Inseparable from the source.
- Permanence.
Accordingly, the task of the marketer is to overcome these properties. Let's take a closer look at this.
Intangibility
Medical services cannot be seen, tasted, touched, and so on. Therefore, the patient cannot know in advance the results of diagnosis and treatment. It is important for him to be sure of the quality of these services. The conclusion is made on the basis of the impression about the location of the center, the cost of services, the qualifications of the staff, the modernity of the equipment.
A service provider can increase the tangibility of a product in the following ways:
- To focus on the benefits of the client when ordering a medical service in this particular center, to provide its detailed spelling.
- Approve brand names for your own services.
- Involve a celebrity, opinion leader to promote your center.
Inseparable from the source
Services are provided and consumed at the same time. They cannot be separated from the source, be it human or machine. The he alth worker is thus part of the service. The surgeon will not be able to perform the operation without the presence of the patient. Other users are involved as well. For example, queues that spoil the mood are so cool.
You can overcome this limitation like this:
- Work simultaneously with multiple patient groups.
- Speed up the quality of your activities.
- Get more to worknumber of he alth care providers.
Variable quality
Much depends on the human factor: with some patient the doctor is extremely polite, with others he communicates dryly. A novice specialist may not provide a service as quickly as an experienced one. The quality is also affected by the patient himself. For example, if he does not sit still on the dental chair, constantly grimaces and shudders.
What is the relevance of applying the concept of he althcare marketing here? This is the adoption of measures that can overcome this property of the service:
- Allocate funds to recruit highly qualified specialists.
- Monitor the quality of patient satisfaction (same complaint book).
- Mechanize the process of providing medical services.
Permanence
The service cannot be kept until better times. This feature is very negative in conditions of volatility in demand. For example, in the summer, many patients are passionate about their summer cottages and travel. Demand for medical care is falling.
The marketer saves the situation by stimulating him: he introduces profitable promotions, discounts on services during the period of their not being particularly relevant.
He althcare marketing is not an innovation, but a tribute to the times. Marketing technologies today help bring medicine to a new level, stimulate patients' interest in their he alth, and improve the quality of medical services.
