Hospital marketing comes of age

M H Narasimhan Einstitute for Learning

Hospital marketing comes of age

Marketing as a concept is the same in product and service industry. There is a product or service - one section produces it and the other consumes it. Marketing is an interplay between producers and consumers.
Ashok Anantram, president, business development, Apollo Hospitals, Chennai,

Marketing Department
The marketing department is said to be the voice of hospital where the brand is fashioned and communicated, internally as well as to the community at large,
Anne Marie Moncure, managing director, Indraprastha Apollo, New Delhi.

Hospital marketing concept

Since a hospital makes a lot of investments in setting up the infrastructure and offering its services, selling the services of a hospital needs a proper system. Therefore, the role of the marketing department in our hospital is of paramount importance. Apart from helping to create a brand image for the healthcare institution, the department acts as an interface between the doctor and the public.
Dr Mitul Thakkar, senior manager, marketing, Asian Heart Institute and Research Centre (AHIRC),

Hospital marketing concept

We provide the liaison between the doctors and the public.

Urmila Nabar, marketing manager, Nanavati Hospital, Mumbai,

Hospital marketing concept

The marketing department has assumed more importance after the boost in medical tourism,
Colonel B S Khimani, director, administration, Jaslok Hospital. .

Hospital marketing concept

The marketing department liaisons with the medical officers of the foreign consulates to bring patients from abroad. FICCI is helping hospitals to utilise the potential of medical tourism. Jaslok hospital has recently tied-up with FICCI to utilise the potential of this upcoming sector,
official from Jaslok Hospital

Hospital marketing concept

The success of the marketing department depends on its association with various other departments. Organisational excellence is very important than the departmental excellence. The front end cannot perform its duties without the backing of the quality of back end operations,
Anantram.

Marketing Strategies
Though there are no specific strategies for hospital marketing, a systematic approach to marketing has evolved over the past few years. Unlike earlier, now the corporates prefer a long-term association with the healthcare institution by signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU),
Deepika Gupta, marketing executive, S L Raheja Hospital, Mumbai.

Marketing strategies

Marketing experts believe that a sound Client Relationship Management (CRM) forms the basis for soliciting corporate tie-ups, today

Marketing Strategies
Events, both indoor and out-reach programs, play a significant role in marketing of healthcare institutions. Continuous medical education, awareness sessions for general public, check-up camps for public, organising events on various health days, conducting interviews of specialists on visual media, informative and interactive website, printing and making readily available various emergency or appointment numbers are the commonest marketing tools

Marketing Strategies
With the surge in concern in health check ups, hospitals have fashioned various types of special health check up packages catering to executives, pregnant women, servants, shop keepers to slum dwellers.
Dr K S Bhimwal, medical director, Rockland hospital,

Marketing Strategies
Recently, we celebrated Liver Day at Apollo, which was aimed at educating and creating awareness amongst children and parents, so we organised a fashion show and health quiz, which generated a lot of interest,
Moncure,Apollo Indraprastha

Marketing Strategies
Though hospitals are publicising through advertisements,, hospitals should create goodwill for themselves and should not completely rely on advertisements. As patients are the best ambassadors, it is important to take care of their needs and provide them with best possible care. Their apprehensions should be addressed so that they have the courage to come back to the same facility,
Dr Saumitra Bharadwaj, marketing manager at Fortis hospital, NOIDA

In this business, every satisfied customer brings thousand new customers ,Anantram,

Future

We can no longer rely on word of mouth for getting patients. Hospitals, mainly the corporates ones, would definitely get more aggressive to survive the intense competition,
Juhi Bhandari, marketing manager, Hinduja Hospital.

Future
Aggressive marketing is not necessary in healthcare sector as it would not fetch more patients. Patientss decision to choose a hospital is based on three factors: facilities available in the hospital, expertise of doctors and vicinity.
Nabar

Future
, As

in the West, in future, tertiary care Indian hospitals need to conduct research so as to segmentise the market and tap that area from which patients are not turning up. For instance, if research shows that a hospital is not attracting enough patients from a particular age group or a disease profile, it needs to strategise to get those patients.
Case studies of marketing strategies of few hospitals Fortis, Noida

Future
Fortis was the first hospital to organise an exhibition in the National Capital Region, wherein the general public could visit all departments of the hospital and get answers from experts. Secondly, Fortis launched a dialysis technician program for women from the weaker section of society in which they were given free training by the hospital and they will be assimilated in the hospital itself.

Future
Apart from organsing CMEs almost every week, camps, theres a special OPD where consultants charge Rs 100 only. Internally, we have patient co-ordinators, counsellors, ward incharge etc to take care of all need of patients. Theres also a system of taking feedback from patients and visitors.
Dr Saumitra Bharadwaj, marketing manager, Fortis hospital, Noida