Marketing Health Services

Abstract

Since the health care industry has now joined the other industries and professions that face intensely competitive environments, excess capacity, new types of competitors, and pressure to cut costs, marketing has become more visible and acceptable than at any time in the history of medicine. Marketing is a new business function in health care organizations in comparison with other management features such as personnel, finance, communications, and public relations. Marketing in health care has taken a low profile because of the medical profession’s unwillingness to promote (advertise) medical services and the physicians’ attitude that their competence and reputation were enough to attract and retain patients. However, as health care moves from the small-scale, cottage-industry practice to the large-scale, corporate organization, marketing programs will become common among health care providers and their organizations.