Marketing occupational health: exploring the purchaser perspective

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Healthcare Management
• Service Marketing

Background:

• Limited research exists on purchasers' perceptions of occupational health (OH) services.
• Current literature lacks a comprehensive overview of the purchaser perspective in OH.
• Opportunities exist for OH providers to enhance communication and marketing strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the perspectives and thinking of current and potential purchasers of OH services.
• To understand how OH services are perceived and utilized by those who procure them.
• To identify key factors influencing the purchasing decisions for OH.

Main Methods:

• Utilized iterative purposive sampling for participant recruitment.
• Conducted semi-structured interviews to gather in-depth insights.
• Employed progressive networking to ensure diverse respondent inclusion until data saturation.

Main Results:

• Purchasers' understanding of OH varied, with some associating it with negative connotations.
• Initial information seeking often involved internet searches and personal contacts.
• Key service expectations included expert advice and sickness absence management.
• Identified issues with recommendation quality, timeliness, and partisan advice.
• Clarity and strong working relationships were crucial positive factors.

Conclusions:

• OH providers must reassess communication and marketing efforts.
• There is a need to address knowledge gaps and negative perceptions among purchasers.
• Enhancing staff expertise and interpersonal skills is vital for service improvement.