Impact of Healthcare Marketing and Branding on Hospital Services

<jats:title>ABSTRACT</jats:title> <jats:p>Healthcare is one of the many human-centered services offered, the other being legal services, hospitality services, transport services, etc. The healthcare is also the foremost in all of these personal services. Every section of the healthcare experience must embody and convey the message that the hospital is the center of health and wellness in the community. The connection between healthcare provider and patient needs to be developed to improve the delivery model.</jats:p> <jats:p>However with the rise of healthcare costs to providers, increase in operating costs, informative and knowledgeable customers; hospitals need branding to drive strategies, convey their expanding range of services, make an emotional connection with customers and create lasting relationships thereby generating profits.</jats:p> <jats:p>Companies are losing out because there is often little or no integration between Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and marketing departments and their respective strategies. This misses brand building opportunities and may also confuse as well as disenfranchise company stakeholders.</jats:p> <jats:p>Unless CSR becomes central to the marketing director's agenda, it will not have the desired effect and can potentially create a backlash. The nature of the business — category, customers, competitors — should dictate how much and in which ways, a company should promote its CSR-related activities.</jats:p> <jats:p>Here, it lies the importance of developing a more strategic, distinct, sustainable and well defined brand platform. It is ultimately the hospital's brand and the customers’ ability to trust that will aid in the decision-making process between competitive healthcare hospitals. Patient expectations and desires are changing, altering the competitive landscape. Employees are a hospital's most vital force and communication medium. Thus, the brand is the greatest asset for uniting employees around a singular culture and mission. This study highlights a conceptual framework that can be used for healthcare organizations to develop the revenues based on branding.</jats:p> <jats:sec> <jats:title>How to cite this article</jats:title> <jats:p>Kumar PN, Jacob A, Thota S. Impact of Healthcare Marketing and Branding on Hospital Services. Int J Res Foundation Hosp Healthc Adm 2014;2(1):19-24.</jats:p> </jats:sec>