Customer vs. patient: a sublime difference in hospitals.
Although the words are being used interchangeably in health care literature today, indicating a change in hospitals, there is a difference between a customer and a patient. The subtle difference in calling patients customers or consumers is a result of American hospitals becoming more businesslike. Management should be wary of this shift in attitude as hospitals fight to survive in a competitive marketplace while ensuring appropriate quality health services for the community.
D003132:Commerce; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D006739:Hospital Administration / Q000639:trends*; D008389:Marketing of Health Services; D010361:Patients; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D014481:United States