Preparation and Designing a Checklist for Health Care Marketing Mix, with Medical Tourism Approach

Authors

1 Student Research Committee, School of Management and Medical Information, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

2 Department of Health Services Management, Health Management and Economics Center (HMERC), School of Management and Medical Information, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

3 Health Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Introduction: Increasing pressure on available funds in health care section especially hospitals, enhances the need of analyzing different strategies in economic terms. One of the solutions for the optimal use of financial resources and potentials in hospitals and health care centers is using elements of the marketing mix. In this way we could make the best use of the resources and cause a return on investment and also generate income.   
Methods: This is a cross-sectional and qualitative study. To prepare checklists, author used previous studies in marketing by referring to relevant web sites and designed the first draft. In next step, Delphi’s technique was used for validity check; the checklist was sent to health care management specialists who had studied in medical tourist fields or those who lived in cities active in this field.
Results: the final checklist included 8 aspects (mixes) and 79 indexes in which Product Mix had 11 indexes, Place Mix had 3 indexes, Promotion Mix had 13 indexes, Price Mix had 9 indexes, Personnel Mix had 12 indexes, Promotion Mix had 6 indexes, Physical attraction Mix had 19 indexes and Physician Mix had 6 indexes.
Conclusion: this instrument could be used in various studies that could help asses' health care units state specially hospitals so that alternatives could be considered for improvable points and make maximum use of the potentials. 

Keywords

References

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International Journal of Travel Medicine and Global Health
Volume 1, Issue 3 - Serial Number 3
November 2013
Pages 103-108

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History

  • Receive Date: 25 September 2013
  • Accept Date: 25 September 2013

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