Can services marketing concepts be applied to health care?

To generate thought and discussion regarding the application of key features of generic services which may influence management and marketing decisions in health care.

Health care, as many other services provides benefits to the consumer, the quality of which is largely dependent on the interpersonal element of the service delivery. Services now dominate the UK economy, and consumer participation in service delivery is as important in health care as in services in the private sector.

There is now an established body of research on the nature of services and the particular management and marketing challenges posed by service provision. The application of general management concepts and tools to the public services is an area of current debate.

The paper firstly discusses key features of services and their application to health care contexts. Secondly, a discussion of strategic classifications of services seeks to identify common themes which exist across the diverse service sector.

Nursing and midwifery managers have much to gain from understanding the use of services management frameworks, and have scope for much creativity in adapting generic frameworks for their own areas of practice.