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Putting a new face on managed care. Consumers need convincing about quality issues
Howard P Greenwald1, Robert J Chen, Margaret Johnston-Zamora
1University of Southern California (USC) School of Policy, Planning, and Development, USA. greenwa@usc.edu
Marketing Health Services
|March 8, 2002
Summary
Consumer suspicion about managed care quality persists. Marketers should emphasize physician relationships, expertise, access speed, and service comprehensiveness, especially for women, to build trust.
Area of Science:
- Health Services Research
- Consumer Behavior Analysis
Background:
- Consumer trust in managed care organizations (MCOs) is low.
- Understanding consumer perceptions of quality is crucial for MCOs.
- Women's perspectives on healthcare quality are key drivers of family healthcare decisions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify key quality indicators for managed care plans from a consumer perspective.
- To provide marketing guidelines for enhancing the perception of managed care quality.
- To specifically address the concerns and preferences of women regarding managed care.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of existing research on managed care quality perceptions.
- Qualitative data collection through focus groups with consumers.
- Synthesis of research findings and focus group insights.
Main Results:
- Women prioritize personal physician relationships, medical expertise, rapid access to care, and comprehensive services.
- These factors are significant indicators of perceived quality in managed care plans.
- Consumer suspicion highlights a gap between MCO offerings and public perception.
Conclusions:
- Managed care marketers must actively promote quality attributes that resonate with consumers, particularly women.
- Building trust requires demonstrating expertise, accessibility, and comprehensive, relationship-centered care.
- Strategic marketing focusing on these core values can improve the reputation of managed care.