Scope
Healthcare institutions have adopted several management practices that include strategic healthcare planning and marketing orientations. Though marketing of healthcare centers is always aimed at enhancing profitability, it has played an integral part in ensuring effective management of the institutions. In this regard, the main purpose of this research is to provide evidence on the existing coordination between marketing procedures and strategies and the processes of management in healthcare institutions.
Rationale
The modern ways of management in the field of healthcare across the globe has caused controversies. Instead of focusing on the quality of services such as the treatment of patients, the institutions have become profit oriented. This is evident from the fact that nurses and physicians take a long time to respond to emergency cases in hospitals unless more money is paid for their services. In fact, this has increased the death rate across the globe. This topic is important as it helps us understand the major reasons why financial performance has highly influenced healthcare globally. Besides, the research helps us understand the coordination and relationship that exists between marketing procedures and strategies and the processes of management in healthcare institutions.
Analytical methods used
To study the above-mentioned topic of research, a survey was carried out using a suitable developed questionnaire. The questionnaire was reviewed to determine content and validity. All the possible marketing activities that exist in healthcare institutions were listed and responses concerning the same and managed care activities sought. The survey included all the healthcare institutions in the state of Virginia in the years 1993 and 1999. The surveys conducted were then sent to over 100 hospitals in the years 1993 and 1999.
Analytical limitations
A number of limitations accompanied the analysis of the survey. To begin with, the survey conducted focused only on the healthcare institutions in the state of Virginia. This locked out and did not consider relevant data from other hospitals outside the Association. Secondly, the evaluation of the survey was only focused on the financial data of the sample hospitals and did not take into consideration the quality care and other performance factors of the institutions.. Thirdly, the survey did not involve patients through getting responses from them yet they have more knowledge about the quality of services offered by healthcare institutions.
Salient findings of the research
The research found out that 48% of the hospitals that were surveyed and responded in the year 1993 indicated that marketing played an integral role in developing managed care contracts. However, in 1999, the hospitals that confirmed the same had dropped significantly to 12.8%. The research also found out that the management responsibilities in such institutions were left to senior managers. However, the senior managers were not executive staff members involved in marketing processes. It was also found- out that, 84.9% of surveyed hospitals gave signs of prioritizing marketing. Finally, a number of sampled hospitals confirmed that the existing marketing functions would play an integral part in their future management.
What I learned
From the research, it is learnt that for the better performance of healthcare centers, there should be coordination between the marketing procedures and strategies and the management processes. Secondly, it is learnt that a good number of staff members inclined towards administration undertakes the managed care processes in healthcare centers. Thirdly, the research learnt that the confinement of managed care processes to marketing functions are decreasing year in year out.
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Grammar
C
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Formatting
B
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Organization
D
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Style
D
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