Patient education: a potential marketing tool for the private physician

To keep pace with increasing competition, the private physician is encouraged to consider a patient education program as a marketing tool. Meeting the educational needs of patients is presented as an opportunity to create a trusting environment in the practice, enhance the doctor-patient relationship, and increase the active role of the patient in the health care process. A management model is proposed for successfully planning, organizing, staffing, leading, and controlling the patient education program.