The branding process for healthcare centers: Operational strategies from consumer’s identification to market development

ABSTRACT

Medical centers need branding approach to improve their position in patients’ minds. This study was carried out using mixed method. The participants included main experts, hospital managers and headquarters of the Ministry of Health. The data collection tool was a semi-structured interview and a researcher-made questionnaire. Branding process was conceptualized in 5steps, including Market Identification, Brand Identity, Brand Positioning, Development and Consolidation Strategy. All path coefficients were defined in the range. The results of the indices showed that the fit was good and the final model was valid. The activities of Medical centers should be based on the identification of the target market. Unique services with new knowledge and equipment and experienced clinical staff to meet patients’ needs with appropriate price and quality have to be provided.

Keywords:

• Branding process
• medical centers
• operational strategies
• consumer's identification
• market development
• hospital
• structural equation modeling
• patient

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Ethical approval The present study was approved by ethical committee Iran University of Medical Sciences (ethics code IUMS/SHMIS 2016-9221532207). Thus, the authors find it incumbent to appreciate the managers and all the staff members who offered their sincere contributions to this article.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Omid Khosravizadeh

Omid Khosravizadeh, PhD, Assistance professor of health service management, Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Research Institute for Prevention of Non-Communicable Diseases, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran. His research interests include: human resource management, healthcare marketing, hospital branding.

Soudabeh Vatankhah

Soudabeh Vatankhah, PhD, Associate professor of health service management, Department of Health Services Management, School of Health Management and Information Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Her research interests include performance evaluation, healthcare marketing, and Human resources management.

Najmeh Baghian

Najmeh Baghian, PhD candidate in health service management, Research Development Center, Shahid Rahnemoon Hospital, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran. Her research interests include: Human resources management, translating specialized texts, Performance evaluation.

Saeed Shahsavari

Saeed Shahsavari, PhD student in Biostatistics, Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Research Institute for Prevention of Non-Communicable Diseases, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran. His research interests include: Structural Equation Modeling, Interrupted time series analysis.

Mozhgan Sadat Ghaemmohamadi

Mozhgan Sadat Ghaemmohamadi, Master of health service management, Student Research Committee, School of Health Management and Information Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Her research interests include: Quality Improvement, Hospital accreditation.

Bahman Ahadinezhad

Bahman Ahadinezhad, PhD, Assistance professor of health economic, Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Research Institute for Prevention of Non-Communicable Diseases, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran. His research interests include: Economic assessment, healthcare marketing, and performance evaluation.