Identifier
etd-11012007-193518
Degree
Master of Arts in Liberal Arts (MALA)
Department
Liberal Arts
Document Type
Thesis
Abstract
There's no doubt that the emergence of public report cards and governmental requirements for transparency in healthcare are forcing healthcare providers to work vigorously to improve quality and decrease costs. The results of these report cards and rankings are of interest to consumers - who wouldn't want to know whether or not the healthcare provider you're intrusting your life to is the best. The lengths to which consumers will go to proactively seek this information is another topic within itself; however, if the information is handed to them through strategic marketing and advertising efforts, could the marketing of quality rating information by individual providers be powerful enough to achieve the ultimate marketing objective: positively shift market share? A convenience study uses consumer research conducted by individual healthcare organizations across the U.S. to determine if the use of ratings or awards in marketing messages influences consumers' perceptions or preferences of the provider. The findings of this study indicate that advertising ratings or awards can positively impact both benchmarks, but more so perception than preference in terms of the organization overall. However, when considering specific service lines, data indicates marketing of ratings can have a more significant impact on both perception and preference equally. This study revealed the lack of measurement and dedication to ROI by the majority of healthcare marketers.
Date
2007
Document Availability at the Time of Submission
Release the entire work immediately for access worldwide.
Recommended Citation
Burdette, Rebecca Acosta, "Marketing quality to consumers - does it work for hospital marketers?" (2007). LSU Master's Theses. 4150.
https://repository.lsu.edu/gradschool_theses/4150
Committee Chair
Carole Jurkiewicz
DOI
10.31390/gradschool_theses.4150