Health marketing

Health marketing is the name given to the marketing of companies in the health economy.

Delimitation of health marketing

Health marketing is operated by companies in the health industry. These are primarily health insurance companies, hospitals, rehabilitation clinics, pharmacies and doctors. It is a specialty area of ​​service marketing. As such, it draws on the 7 Ps in the marketing mix. However, individual instruments, such as pricing policy, can only be used to a limited extent. Another special feature compared to other marketing fields is that health marketing largely takes place in a regulated market. For a long time, it was distinguished by the fact that proven marketing methods and techniques were transferred to the healthcare industry. In recent years, however, the increasing importance of health marketing has also led to greater independence. Health marketing takes into account different stakeholder groups.

Health marketing is an interdisciplinary field that overlaps with the areas of marketing , psychology , medicine , economics and communication management . Manifestations include:

• Health insurance marketing
• Hospital marketing
• Practice Marketing
• Pharmaceutical marketing
• Eco-marketing
• Social marketing

Importance of health marketing

The market is gaining in importance in numerous areas of the health sector. As a result, marketing is becoming more and more important for the actors involved there. Last but not least, pharmacies, health insurance companies, hospitals, nursing homes, pharmaceutical companies, "wellness" facilities, but also food companies and sporting goods manufacturers try to use marketing tools to convince health-conscious consumers of their range of services.

Health marketing is also being used more and more frequently to initiate changes in behavior in the area of ​​prevention. The aspect of health marketing, understood as social marketing , should lead, among other things, to people moving around more, eating more consciously and behaving less risky.

literature

• Hoffmann, S. and Müller, S. (2010): Health Marketing: Health Psychology and Prevention, Huber.
• Harms, F. and Gänshirt, D. (2005): Health Marketing: Patient Empowerment as a Core Competency, Lucius & Lucius.
• Kreyher, VJ (2001): Handbook Health and Medical Marketing. Opportunities, strategies and success factors, R. v. Decker.
• Lüthy, A. and Buchmann, U. (2009): Marketing as a strategy in hospitals, Kohlhammer.
• Meffert, H. and Rohn, F. (2011): Healthcare Marketing - A Critical Reflection, Marketing Review St. Gallen
• Stoffers, C. (2014): Toolbook Hospital Marketing, Med. Wiss. Publishing company.
• Zerres, MP and Zerres, C. (2001): Health Marketing, Hampp.