title: Orientation to the patient as a marketing strategy in the Romanian healthcare system.
abstract: In the context of the European political and socio-economic changes of the early 90s, health care reform in Romania has become inevitable, both for patients and for health professionals in the system. The first stage of the health care reform in Romania is focused on decentralization and improving primary health care. The Romanian medical system is currently in the process of changing the mentality, which requires time, patience, and perseverance, despite the unforeseeable or resistance inevitably faced. It is a commonly known and recognized fact that in this painful period of transition, Romanian medicine, like other fields too, has traveled a winding road, with obstacles (medical malpractices, scandals in the press related to the misappropriation of funds or underfunding of the public health system, etc.) often hard to overcome.
authors.affiliation: "Titu Maiorescu" University, Faculty of Medicine; Center for Military Medical Scientific Research, Ministry of National Defence, Bucharest, Romania.
authors.forename: B I
authors.initials: BI
authors.lastname: Coculescu
authors.affiliation: "Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Bucharest, Romania.
authors.forename: E C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Coculescu
authors.affiliation: "Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, Bucharest, Romania.
authors.forename: V L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Purcărea
mesh_terms: D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D018166:Health Care Reform; D006801:Humans; D040541:Marketing; D009949:Orientation; D012383:Romania
keywords: Romanian public health system; medical marketing; patient-centered care