Marketing Techniques and Strategies in Healthcare, Essay Example

Abstract

This work in writing examines marketing techniques and strategies in healthcare including those used in television, internet, radio and other media marketing. This study has been conducted through an extensive review of literature in this area of study located in academic and professional journals and articles. The findings in this study include that word-of-mouth marketing is highly utilized and very effective in reaching the mass public for health care services and providers. Word-of-mouth marketing also refers to social marketing such as takes place via Facebook, MySpace and other online forums. This type of marketing in healthcare is realizing a great amount of success in modern times. This work states an opinion on the current use of marketing strategies in healthcare as well as examining the impacts, both positive and negative that affect health care workers in today’s healthcare industry and concludes by stating that social media is a new and effective method of health care marketing.

Health Care Marketing Reflection

Objective

The objective of this work is to examine current health care marketing techniques in television, the internet, radio, or any other media source. Some examples include but are not limited to, advertising trends in pharmaceutical marketing, promotion of specialized clinics and hospitals, public relations events related to health care, or sales promotions of health care products or services. This work will state an opinion of current health care marketing techniques and trends and will state whether current marketing techniques appears to affecting consumer trends and if so then, how? This work will examine any positive or negative impacts on health care workers due to marketing techniques and trends.

Introduction

Health care marketing strategies and techniques have been transformed by the new social media in today’s world. Never before has ‘word-of-mouth’ marketing been so vital as in today’s globalized and technologically revolutionized society. Digitas Healthreports on its website that when consumers are knowledgeable, “confident and proactive on their own behalf, they get and give better care.” (2011)

Social Media and Healthcare Marketing

It is reported that hospitals and health providers must critically “rethink their healthcare marketing mix to include social media. The proof is in the numbers: 34% of consumers use social media to search for health information, according to research data from How America Searches: Health and Wellness.” (TopRank Online Marketing, 2010) Five examples of social media found to be effective in health care marketing are those stated as follows: (1) Tweet Live Procedures–It is reported that the “social media channels have helped open up an area of healthcare previously only available to a select few: the operating room.” (TopRank Online Marketing, 2010) (2) Train Medical Personnel – Health care organizations are acknowledging the possibility to impact the leveraging of social media channels in order to enhance training efforts. Interweaving health care training and social media may provide the benefits stated as follows: (1) Providing those being trained with a forum to pose questions and receive quick and relevant answers; (2) providing immediate feedback from trainees to presenters; and (3) Enabling the organization toenhance healthcare marketing efforts by sharing slideshows, pictures, videos from social websites. (TopRank Online Marketing, 2010) (3) Reach Mainstream Media – It is reported that approximately 70% of journalists use social networks to assist them in reporting. (TopRank Online Marketing, 2010) (4) Communicate in Times of Crisis – In times of disaster such s flooding, earthquakes or even terrorists attack health care providers and hospitals are centric to the activity and social media networks can be leveraged to make provision of ‘real-time updates. When disaster strikes – whether it be a flood, an earthquake or a terrorist attack – hospitals and healthcare providers are at the center of it all. Healthcare providers can leverage social media networks to provide real-time updates both for those directly affected by the crisis and those watching from afar; and (5) Provide Accurate Information to Patients. (TopRank Online Marketing, 2010)

Opinion of the Writer on Current Health Care Marketing Techniques and Trends

The current health care marketing techniques and trends are of the nature that makes use of the most up-to-date technologies in social media including facebook, twitter, mainstream media, mySpace and others. This type of word-of-mouth marketing and social media marketing is cohesive to the lifestyle of today’s consumer groups and is able to reach consumers across a broad range of media and technology applications. These current marketing techniques are affecting consumers trends in that today’s consumer is more knowledgeable about services and procedures in health care and also a price- and quality-conscious in acquiring health care services and products.

References

5 Examples of Social Media in Healthcare Marketing (2010)TopRank Online Marketing. Jan 2010. Retrieved from: http://www.toprankblog.com/2010/01/social-media-healthcare-marketing/

Digitas Health (2011) Who, What… Retrieved from: http://www.digitashealth.com/#/people/

Healthcare Marketing That Grows Your Reputation And Your Bottom Line (2011) Ethical Marketing and HealthCare. Health Care Success Strategies.  Retrieved from: http://www.healthcaresuccess.com/