The healthcare sector has changed significantly especially in technology application and level of competition. The primary areas where innovative measures are applied include imaging, customer relationship, genetic testing among others where patients now have more options in line with medical facilities more than ever before. Therefore, there is an increased need to improve on the level of productivity and customer experience. One of the primary development strategies is application and advancement of the four Ps of marketing. The mix plan is a good starting point in that it helps one to see through the business plans while focusing on success and involving the least probability of risks. As a manager in a healthcare corporation, the following is an analysis of the use of the marketing mix elements and the expected benefits.
The Four Ps Model
Product/service - the healthcare sector is a service industry which means that the point at which the activities involved are taking place is very vital (Crawford et al. 2012). To be able to promote the organization as well as improve customer experience, the strategy would view services from the aspect of customization. In this case, the service providers would work towards a primary goal of reducing patient concerns. A primary activity is availing delivery products such as testing kits and medications. Reflecting on a scenario where the patient has minor injuries, the physician should be in a position to provide medication for pain management as well as other products that might help the patient recover faster.
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Price - with the high cost of medical services, the price issue is among the main concerns in most nations especially when medical insurance and coverage measures are involved. For the organization, the central practices include the inclusion of health insurance plans, reduction of overhead costs, and the creation of opportunities such as free tests for HIV and blood pressure check-ups. These facilities improve on client awareness of some of the most prevalent disease and how to control them on time. The insurance policy is an advantage to both the patients and the organization in that best care services are offered at the least costs.
Place- placement or products distribution reflects on the process of making a service available at the point of need (Fees, 2016). For a healthcare corporation, the services are produced and consumed at the same place which means that customer experience can be improved with ease. Some of the main areas of focus include well-designed offices, skilled nursing units, expanded working hours, and community reach out programs. The organizations also consider seeking out new locations to enhance more access to services and standing out from the competition.
Promotion- involves the acts of differentiating and communicating about the services being offered by the company and how to access them (Greene & Kesselheim, 2015). In most case, most health providers tend to overlook the promotion element when working towards their marketing mix plan. The organization strategy considers assuring quality through the building of patient-physician relationships, use of mass media and publication of educational materials which outline the services being offered. Additionally, there is the aspect of community involvement projects such as dental programs to help reach those individuals at the grass-root levels.
Conclusion
Provision of medical care as a whole is the primary goal of any health corporation keeping in mind that the human life is above all other survival factors. Through the four P's of the marketing mix, there is the fulfillment of the desire to increase efficiency in service provision. Similarly, understanding these elements provides a manageable starting point to work towards set targets. The activities involved determines how best existing methods can be improved as well as testing of new techniques. All these efforts work towards increased accessibility for health services to minimize the patient concerns.
References
Crawford, M. J., Rutter, D., Manley, C., Weaver, T., Bhui, K., Fulop, N., & Tyrer, P. (2012). Systematic review of involving patients in the planning and development of health care. Bmj , 12-63.
Fees, F. (2016). Recommendations for the conduct, reporting, editing, and publication of scholarly work in medical journals. The Milbank Quarterly , 82 (4), 581-629.
Greene, J. A., & Kesselheim, A. S. (2015). Pharmaceutical marketing and the new social media. New England Journal of Medicine , 363 (22), 2087-2089.
Longest, B. B., Rakich, J. S., & Darr, K. (2016). Managing health services organizations and systems (pp. 150-177).
