Healthcare Marketing And Ethical Considerations

This paper pertains to the marketing of Health Care Services and provides the steps and history of marketing in health care and the effects of marketing on the health care delivery system from 1950 to 1990. It introduces the health care consumers and their role in the marketing process as well as the factors that influence consumer behavior. These factors influence the success of marketing in health care. It also provides the requirements for successful marketing and current techniques and strategies used by health care organizations.

"In the past two decades or so, health care has been commercialized as never before, and professionalism in medicine seems to be giving way to entrepreneurialism," commented Arnold S. Relman, professor of medicine and social medicine at Harvard Medical School (Wekesser 66). This statement may have a great deal of bearing on reality. The tangled knot of insurers, physicians, drug companies, and hospitals that we call our health system are not as unselfish and focused on the patients' needs as people would like to think. Pharmaceutical companies are particularly ruthless, many of them spending millions of dollars per year to convince doctors to prescribe their drugs and to convince consumers that their specific brand of drug is needed in

A philosophy of an organization helps differentiate themselves from their competitors and set a foundation for future success. It also helps shape an organization by presenting the goals they want to accomplish with specific activities. To improve this, many organizations understand the important of sharing values and goals and realize employee recognition. This helps staff from moving forward toward success of the organizations. Chapter 4 introduces “Codes of Ethics in Health Services.” Code of ethics is a guideline for healthcare professionals to accomplish and serve as a member of a society. Similar to other professions, managers have their own code of ethics in maintaining their duties and responsibilities. They also use the codes for ethical decision-making in dealing with ethical issues. Chapter 5 deals with “Organizational Responses to Ethical Issues.” It provides assistance for managers and organizations in their decision making. It is manager’s duty to figure out the problem and resolve it (Darr, 2011,

"People have been brought up to believe that health care is an entitlement," says (Jeanne Holland, executive director of Northeast Physicians-Hospital Organization) at Beverly Hospital. "They think 'Life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness and health care on demand. ' Consumers need to change their thinking."

Managed Care is a system of health care in which patients agree to visit only certain doctor and hospitals, and in which the cost of treatment is monitored by a managing company. David, a clinical supervisor of one pad was responsible for the clinical supervision of eight clinical case managers. On typically day, he receives around 40 phone messages about clients that are in need of his services. His job is to field calls from mental health providers seeking authorization to provide treatment for clients. There are those who believe that managed care is simply another example of corporate America discovering a means to increase profits for shareholders of insurance companies, at the expense of individuals seeking mental health treatment. (pg.

The training will includes healthcare codes of ethics for managed care and five ways to improve ethics in the managed care organization.

Midland Association for Retarded Citizens (MARC) consumers/clients need considerably more care, requires twenty-four hour supervision by a licensed nurse, CPR certified direct staff and often suffers serious health problems. The residents HCS of MARC requires help with very simple tasks such as; walking, eating, and taking medications. But the ICF of MARC residents are more self -sufficient. Countless numbers of facilities require a lot of individual attention must share rooms and their privacy is limited. A majority of the patients are born with the disabilities and spending time

Kotler, P., Shalowitz, J., & Stevens, R. J. (2008). Strategic marketing for health care organizations: Building a customer-driven health system. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Everyone knows that direct- to consumer-marketing is focused on the patients. There are a lot of ways to get the attention of these patients. Advertising can be done through social media, print, radio, television, and word of mouth. “Prescription direct-to-consumer advertising has become a highly scrutinized and researched topic in healthcare marketing,” (Rollins, B.L., King, K. Zinkhan G., & Perri, M., 2011.).

(1.1) In the healthcare profession various dilemmas can be encountered, sometimes everyday that put a professional in a position where they must make certain choices that can be classified as difficult or complicated depending on the individual or the situation. In the nursing profession not only do they have to consider the welfare of the patients but they also have to regard their wishes, which may create a conflict of interests in regards to promotion of well-being which would lead to the importance of informed consent. Respect for a person 's autonomy as well as respect for the individual are essential requirements; however so is promoting public interest.

The advertising strategies within the major hospital in the area had some similarities; a more distinctive adverting strategy was sought after. The research was conducted to identify the best way in which to communicate to give the hospital a competitive advantage over its competitors.

Marketing has become so prominent in health care today because the health care system is more and more resembling a business. There are many functions to be performed and many complex and sophisticated skills involved. There has been so much growth and competition that health care is advertised and marketed like any other product.

Everyday, healthcare professionals are faced with ethical dilemmas in their workplace. These ethical dilemmas need to be addressed in order to provide the best care for the patient. Healthcare professionals have to weigh their own personal beliefs, professional beliefs, ethical understandings, and several other factors to decide what the best care for their patient might be. This is illustrated in Mrs. Smith’s case. Mrs. Smith is an 85 year old who has suffered from a large stroke that extends to both of her brains hemispheres which has left her unconscious. She only has some brain stem reflexes and requires a ventilator for support. She is unable to communicate how she wishes to proceed with her healthcare. Mrs. Smith’s children, Sara and Frank have different views regarding their mother’s plan of care. The decision that needs to be made is whether to prolong Mrs. Smith’s life, as Sara would like to do, or stop all treatments and care, as Frank feels his mother would want. In the healthcare field, there are situations similar to this case that happen daily where moral and ethical judgment is necessary to guide the decision that would be best for the patient. The purpose of this paper is to explore and discuss, compare and contrast the personal and professional values, ethical principles, and legal issues regarding Mrs. Smith’s quality of life and further plan of care.

The central concept of marketing is the exchange of something of value between the provider and the purchaser. Determining what the consumer need, want and desire and delivering it better than the competitors is the goal of marketing (Longest, Rakich and Darr, 2000). Healthcare is becoming more business oriented and using marketing tactics to increase consumer use of the services and products the health care system offers. Ensuring marketing of the right products and services is successful the organization’s mission and marketing need to be in alignment. This alignment begins with the strategic planning process, which

The information contained within this memo will immediately go into effect. It is the responsibility of all staff to represent the Mayo Clinic brand in a uniform and responsible way so that patients and all who enter the clinic have a very positive experience. Word of mouth marketing has been our strongest ally and serves as a very powerful tool. In order to create a cohesive marketing research design strategy this memorandum will outline specific