Hospice care: mapping the message

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Marketing and Consumer Behavior
• Palliative Care and Hospice Services
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Community image is vital for Hospice of Central Iowa (HCI) to navigate the healthcare market.
• Consumer perceptions significantly impact the growth of hospice services due to the personal nature of end-of-life care decisions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To guide Hospice of Central Iowa (HCI) in making strategic decisions regarding its market position.
• To quantify and rank factors influencing consumer choice for terminal care settings.
• To assess the effectiveness of HCI's public relations messaging and compare its image against competitors.

Main Methods:

• Utilized perceptual mapping techniques to analyze consumer perceptions.
• Quantified and ranked the importance of various factors in selecting a care setting for terminally ill individuals.
• Compared the perceived image of HCI with that of hospitals, nursing homes, and home health agencies.

Main Results:

• Identified key factors influencing consumer choice for end-of-life care settings.
• Assessed the reception of HCI's public relations messages among consumers.
• Provided a comparative analysis of HCI's image relative to competing healthcare providers.

Conclusions:

• Perceptual mapping is an effective tool for understanding consumer perceptions in the hospice market.
• HCI can leverage this data to refine its image and appeal to potential consumers.
• Strategic image development is essential for hospice organizations to thrive amidst competition.