Obstacles to real strategic marketing in health care: an experiential framework

Accelerating technology, increasing competition, changing demographic trends, and fluctuating economic cycles are making it more difficult today to accurately assess a hospital's strategic opportunities and threats. To survive in a highly competitive marketplace, health care institutions must be able to identify and exploit major opportunities that complement their unique strengths, limitations, and clinical orientation. Without the ability to target key markets, satisfy VIP physicians and consumers, or integrate other business functions with its marketing programs, a health care institution could lose touch with its most important resource: its consumers. This article presents the what, why, and how of strategic marketing in health care by an analysis of the five most prevalent obstacles facing health care marketers and policy makers. Key concepts, suggestions, and strategies are offered to assist health care managers to overcome these obstacles and increase their institution's competitive edge. The JZMRS Model reflects the experiential base from which the article is derived.