title: Consumer product branding strategy and the marketing of physicians' services.
abstract: Hospitals have traditionally maintained physician referral programs as a means of attracting physicians to their network of affiliated providers. The advent of managed care and impending healthcare reform has altered the relationship of hospitals and physicians. An exploratory study of marketing approaches used by twelve healthcare organizations representing twenty-five hospitals in a large city was conducted. Strategies encountered in the study ranged from practice acquisition to practice promotion. This study suggests that healthcare providers might adopt consumer product branding strategies to secure market-share, build brand equity, and improve profitability.
authors.affiliation: Albert Einstein Healthcare Network, Philadelphia, PA 19154, USA.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Friedrich
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Witt
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003256:Community Participation; D003625:Data Collection; D018578:Hospital-Physician Relations; D008389:Marketing of Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009511:New England; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000458:organization & administration*