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A large academic medical center was interviewing candidates for the position of marketing director.  One interviewee was a vice president of marketing for a large consumer food product firm.  During the interview, the interviewee was asked what skills he had for the position.  He responded, “I’ve sold products all my life and have been successful.  Marketing a food product is no different than marketing a hotel, airline, or hospital.”

1. Is this view naïve?  Why or why not?
2. How is health care marketing similar to marketing other products or services?
3. How is it different?

Source: Chapter 9 Problems (Essentials of Health Care Marketing  – Berkowitz)

Respond to Devonte Edwards

A) Is this view naïve? Why or why not?

I think the view is naïve, because the healthcare services that an individual is trying to market is way different than other products that can be touched or held. Products are usually delivered by people which tends to come at inconsistent times, while on the other hand the health service is consistence. The reason for this is because it’s not an item that has physical features but can help prolong your own.

B) How is health care marketing similar to marketing other products or services?

The health care marketing compared to regular marketing both have many similarities. Both have the same objectives such as target market, sells, service objective, and advertising (Berkowitz, 2022). Most of these are basic constants that can be used when marketing. By having these objectives in line, it helps organize and develop your company at a progressive rate.

C) How is it different?

Selling a food product is tactile, which means the customer can feel it, touch it, and even eat it if possible. However, when it comes to the medical services it’s more of an untouchable product. For an example, going to visit the doctor for a daily checkup that is covered by your personal health insurance. The doctor is telling the patient what is happening and how to take precautions so that it doesn’t progressing even further, such as the containment of Covid which is highly contagious. This service and change or even save an individual’s life for just knowing the basic information.

Reference:
Berkowitz, E. N. (2022). Essentials of health care marketing. Jones & Bartlett Learning.

RESPOND TO Kelly Hicks

1. This view is definitely naïve. Marketing medical products and services is not the same as marketing a food product. When marketing a food product, the consumer can touch and hold the product as they are being sold on it. Marketing for medical products or services is not fixed, it cannot be held like a food product. The circumstances of the medical product or service you are marketing is not fixed, it can change based on patient, provider, and circumstance.
2. Healthcare marketing is similar to marketing of other products and services in that they both will have a similar strategic marketing plan (Berkowitz, 2017). Both require financial analysis, SWOT analysis, target market research, and quantitative projections (Berkowitz, 2017).
3. Medical marketing is different in that it is not tangible. A food product will be the same no matter what, it comes from a distribution center dedicated to that specific product or group of products. Medical procedures can vary per patient and provider. You cannot know the actual outcome until services are rendered and that outcome may change patient to patient. This is why medication marketing we see has to give a disclaimer of all possible side effects, even if it is disclosed at super speed. The medication can affect bodies in different ways.

References

Berkowitz, E. N. (2017). Essentials of health care marketing. Jones & Bartlett Learning.