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Chapter-6 Marketing Practicing of Selected Corporate Hospitals

1. Apollo Hospital, Ahmedabad Apollo hospital is not only a big name in corporate healthcare sector in India

but also in entire Asia. Apollo hospital has extended its empire in different

main cities of India through its corporate hospitals. Apollo hospital widens its

scope by providing various types of medical services. Ahmedabad Apollo

hospital, started on May 11, 2003 with 450 beds. Apollo hospital is the world

famous group and so each hospital is benefited by its brand name. As a

result, the marketing of the hospital becomes easy. Moreover, modern

equipments of the hospital, infrastructure, all quality services and full time

doctors in all section are also useful in the marketing. The marketing team of

the Apollo hospital is made of total 15 members out of which one is marketing

head of the department, three are marketing managers, and other comprise of

assistant managers as well as executives. The marketing team of the hospital

is divided into three divisions in which one team works in Saurashtra, one in

Gujarat and the third team works in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. Different

areas are allotted to the marketing team of the hospital to do marketing in the

allotted area. Marketing activities of the hospital is mainly divided in three part

follows.

Marketing Activities of Apollo Hospital

Corporate Tie-up

Trade TPA Tie-up

Doctors Interaction

Tertiary & Quaternary Care Doctors Interaction

CME Health Talk

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1. Corporate tie-up Apollo hospital has been spread in all the main cities of the country. National

and international companies working in India have made corporate tie-up with

Apollo hospital for pre-employment check-up of their employees, for treatment

and operation in accident and serious ailments and for inpatient treatment.

Ahmedabad Apollo hospital has made such corporate tie-up with the

companies working in Gujarat. The marketing team of the hospital organizes

health talk on different topic by visiting different companies and thereby

provides information to their employees about the equipments and services of

Apollo hospital. The marketing team explains the importance of such tie-up to

the management of these companies and does tie-up to provide them

different services at low rate. The Saurashtra team of Apollo hospital has

made such tie-up with nirma, ultra-tech and pipavav port. Apollo hospital is

famous as multi-specialist all over the country and so different companies

select Apollo hospital for tie-up to get all sorts of healthcare services.

2. Trade The marketing team tries to increase the number of the patient for the hospital

in trade activities. Thus, Apollo hospital has given the target of increasing the

number of the patients to its marketing team. The trade activities are as

under:

I. Doctors interaction The doctors practicing at different places are informed about services of the

hospital, its facilities, and equipments, medical and surgical details and are

persuaded to refer their patients in case of serious illness or accident. They

are also informed about new methods of operation and treatments as well as

about innovations in medical science so that later on patients are benefited. In

doctor interaction, the team of the hospital contacts the doctors practicing at

different places as general practitioner and at secondary care hospital. Such

doctor nearly provides treatment for general illness. The members of the

marketing team inform to these doctors regularly regarding the benefits

received by their referred patients. Such doctors are associated with the

hospital on the regular and permanent basis of interaction.

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II. Tertiary and quaternary care doctors interaction The healthcare services provided by the hospital are classified at four levels

and accordingly the doctors give the benefit of their expertise. The first and

foremost of this classification of healthcare services is called general

practitioners in which the doctors holding BAMS and BHMS degrees give their

services. The second level is known as secondary in which MBBS and MD

doctors give treatment regarding heart problems. The third category is identity

as tertiary in which MS, MDDM and MSMCH doctors give their surgical

services. In the last but not least, the fourth section known as quaternary the

foreign doctors pay visit to the hospital and give the benefit of their latest

knowledge and skill of medical field.

Under the tertiary and quaternary care the marketing team of the hospital

contacts the doctors working in nursing home, trust hospital, private hospital

and providing inpatient medical and surgical services to their patients. The

administrators and doctors of such hospitals are convinced and requested to

send their patients to take the services of Apollo hospital as and when

needed. All the activities done in doctor interaction are also done with such

doctors and hospitals constantly and regularly and thereby they are

connected to Apollo hospital.

III. CME The doctors connected to general practice and other hospitals are often called

for and they given ‘continuous medical education’ so that they could be aware

of innovation, now methods of treatment and operation. During these

sessions, the expert doctors of the hospital give replay to the questions

regarding different diseases. The questions confusing the outside doctors are

solved in such CME programs. The doctors are informed about the new

facilities of the hospital. By this manner, by providing continuous medical

education, the doctors are connected to the hospital on permanent basis. In

such CME programs, the doctors working in the same area are invited to

gather and thereby help them to come closer to one another. The members of

the marketing team are to arrange such CME programs in the area allotted to

them. CME program establishes permanent relation between marketing team

and the doctors and this relationship proves beneficial to other hospitals.

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IV. Health talk Apollo hospital transmits information regarding its services through direct

contact of the people of different caste during their social occasion. The

hospital arranges health talk in public on different diseases. The hospital

invites different workers of social organization, teachers and students of

schools and colleges and people of different classes for health talk. The

expert doctors of the hospital explain the visitors what precautionary steps are

to be taken in accident, what to do in primary treatment and by what way

Apollo hospital could be useful to them. The main objective of the health talk

is to increase trade activities of the hospital.

3. TPA tie-up

Apollo hospital does tie-up and liaisons with many companies. The TPA tie-up

is useful to the hospital doing transaction with mediclaim hoder patients as

well as corporate tie-up companies. Similarly, different mediclaim companies

have also tied-up with TPA companies. The corporate hospital has to do tie-

up all TPA companies. Apollo hospital has such tie-up with almost all TPA

companies working in Indian market. TPA tie-up helps corporate hospital to

get large class of patients. Such tie-up proves to be very significant. Apollo

hospital has also tie-ups with TPA companies working in international market.

The marketing team of the hospital constantly does such new TPA tie-up,

renews the old ones, and thereby does the marketing of the healthcare

services of the hospital. Apollo hospital uses many things in its marketing

programs it does marketing in Gujarat, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. The

hospital uses the following marketing tools to reach its target:

A. Advertisement Apollo hospital uses various media of advertising and thereby does the

propaganda of its services. The hospital does optimal use of brochures,

pamphlets and leaflets. The hospital gives its advertisement in the local TV

channels of Ahmedabad the form of full advertisement as well as strip

advertisement. The hospital does advertising by installing hoarding and

signboard in the different areas of the city. The hospital gives advertisement in

the daily or uses paper insert at the time of beginning new service, new or

distinct activity.

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B. Social marketing Apollo hospital does nominal useful social marketing. The hospital provides

treatment at relief rate to some patients and check-up programs on some

occasions. Such an experiment was done due to the slack period in diamonds

market. The hospital also does social marketing by contributing to other

programs. The hospital also gives financial aid to schools and social

organizations and uses its banner and other advertisement tools to do social

marketing at the places of these institutes. In case of accident, if the victim

belongs to the low class of the society, the hospital provides treatment free of

charge until and unless the patient comes out from crucial condition.

C. Promotions

The hospital uses special stimuli to increase the marketing of its services. The

hospital appoints experts and experienced doctors as full time doctors so that

proper treatment can be available to the patients. Moreover, the hospital

arranges various programs to promote outside doctors. They are also

encouraged by different ways. Recently Apollo hospital undertook the entire

expenditure of the conference held for the doctors practicing in Saurashtra

region. The hospital does finance for outside doctors programs, gives the

benefit of the expertise of the hospital, and thereby encourages them.

D. Camps and awareness programs Apollo hospital organizes camps and awareness programs to attract the

public. Apollo hospital does the planning of check-up camps and treatment

camps in rural as well as urban areas. Some time the hospital arranges such

camps in backward areas and thereby performs its social responsibilities. The

hospital arranges the camps pertaining to cardiology, diabetes etc.

The hospital makes people aware of different diseases and their treatment

through celebration of special days like world health day, women day,

diabetes day and so on. Besides, the hospital organizes awareness programs

of precautions and cares to be taken at the time of accident.

E. Check-up and packages Apollo hospital introduces various programs regarding check-up and provides

check-up facilities at lower rate than the actual charge. The objective of such

check-up programs is to provide this facility to a large group of patients.

Apollo hospital provides total thirteen types of check-up packages. Moreover,

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the hospital also provides packages of operation in which the hospital

provides all sorts of services at low charge. The medical department of the

hospital designs the packages.

F. Branding Apollo hospital is famous all over the world as a brand and all the hospitals of

this brand constantly try to provide the best healthcare services to strengthen

the brand. Use of modern equipments and imparting modern services are the

activities of the hospital. The brand name is also made famous through

publicity programs.

G. Patient satisfaction and marketing Patient satisfaction is of prime importance in services marketing. Hence,

Apollo hospital does efforts to satisfy its patients. The hospital staff of the area

from which the patient come and the marketing member and other staff

together try to establish rapport with the patients and solve their problems to

give them maximum satisfaction. The marketing team keeps live contact with

patients.

H. Medical tourism Apollo hospital takes advantage of medical tourism in two ways.

By using foreign equipments and facilities, the hospital provides services

available in foreign countries to Indian patients. In compensative blood and

cancer center of Ahmedabad Apollo hospital CBCC USA, made equipment is

used as a part of foreign technology. Lifer knife is used in Chennai Apollo

hospital.

On the other hand, Apollo hospital introduces separate wing with more

facilities for foreign patients, NRIs and patients of upper class people of the

society. Foreign patients and NRIs are to pay high charge to get the best

services of the hospital.

I. Apollo city center Apollo runs city center at the center of Ahmedabad city and thereby facilities

patients in the fallow-up of check-up and surgery. Apart from all types of

check-up and treatment, the hospital also provides the facility of small

operation. The city center plays significant role to connect patients of

Ahmedabad to Apollo hospital.

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Thus, Apollo hospital does optimal use of all aspects of marketing and gets

more number of patients from all areas. The hospital decides area wise

marketing team and its target. In the marketing, the hospital attracts the public

chiefly through indirect efforts.

2. Banker Heart Institute, Baroda Banker heart institute is a super specialty cardiac hospital and it chiefly deals

with heart diseases. The hospital not only does its marketing in Baroda city

but also in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh and all over Gujarat. Banker heart

institute provides treatment in all the three states through its round about 24

centers. It gives services like eco-cardiology, TMT etc. The institute itself runs

eight centers based on rent among these centers the remaining are run

through tie-up. In the marketing activities of the institute, indirect method is

used to the maximum extent, whereas nominal direct marketing activities are

done. The institute gives prime importance to services. The hospital highlights

its chief doctors and services and thereby does the marketing. The marketing

team of the institute is made of five members. They do marketing activities as

under:

1. Doctor Marketing Doctor marketing is identified as the referral system. The members of

marketing team is meet BAMS, MBBS, MD, general practitioners working at

different places and inform them about the facilities, services and

achievements of the institute. The team especially meets the doctors doing

good practicing and requests them to refer their heart patients to the Banker

hospital. The hospital gives ten percent commission per referred patient to

them. Bides, the team remains in contact with them by establishing

permanent relation with them. The institute encourages them through financial

and other types of aid on some special event.

2. Centers The hospital runs total 24 centers in Gujarat, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh

out which eight run by the hospital itself on the rental basis. The rest are run

through tie-up with other doctors or truths. Once in a week or month the

expert doctors of the hospital visit these centers and do check-up of the

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patient suffering from the heart diseases. Among these check-up cardiology

test and TMT test are main ones. Patients in need of operations are referred

to the Banker hospital. The follow-up of surgical and non-surgical treatment

the centers are more suitable for the old patients because they need not to

visit the main hospital. The centers of the hospital are in Bhavnagar, Godhra,

Dahod, Badoli, Ratlam and so many places.

3. Corporate tie-up

Banker hospital has done corporate tie-up with many companies of baroda

and near by places. The hospital does corporate tie-up regarding medical and

surgical services and heart problems. The hospital has done tie-up with

ONGC, IOC, IPCL, GSFC, and majority of the banks in Baroda, small and big

industrial units. The marketing team of the hospital meets those companies

and units that do not have tie-up the hospital and gives all details regarding

the hospital. The team gives presentation and uses broachers of the hospital.

Some time the team provides free check-up facilities to the employees and

officers of these companies and makes them ready for tie-up. The marketing

team also did the activities of renewing the old tie-up.

4. TPA tie-up TPA tie-up is essential for corporate tie-up and attracting mediclaim holder

patients. Banker hospital has done such tie-up with about 12 TPA companies.

Besides, tie-ups with some other TPA companies are in process. The hospital

aims at making tie-up with all TPA companies connected to corporate and

mediclaim companies.

The marketing team attracts the public by using by some marketing tools. The

entire staff of the hospital has the uniform dress code. Two main doctors of

the hospital are Dr. Darshan Banker the founder of the hospital and Dr.

Rajesh Desai the expert experience doctors. The hospital deals properly with

the patients and the relatives and responds positively. The patients coming for

follow-up are provided proper services. The hospital gets very good

advantage of mouth marketing.

I. Camps and awareness programs

The hospital arranges the guidance programs regarding heart diseases for the

people of each class of the society. Such programs include the reason of

heart diseases, remedies, importance of exercise and dieting. The awareness

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programs also include poster exhibition, presentation of live video of operation

etc. Banker hospital organizes such programs in rural areas of entire Gujarat.

Banker hospital organizes check up and treatment camps of heart diseases in

the hospital as well as at other places. In such camps, the poor and

economically back ward people are helped with the check-up of the heart

diseases and the treatment at relief rate.

II. Check-up and packages

Banker hospital organizes programs of heart diseases and different check-up.

Such programs are known as healthy heart programs. Banker hospital offers

three types of check-up to the public they are cardiac health check-up,

exertive healthy check and comprehensive health check-up. Such check-up

programs are for the betterment of the health of people.

Banker hospital has managed general, semi-special, special and deluxe

wards for inpatient services. Packages are decided as per selection of the

ward by the patient. Banker hospital also decides the package based on the

operation fee for coroners angiography, balloon angioplasty and other heart

operation.

III. Advertisement Banker hospital does limited use of advertisement it uses signboards in the

nearby areas. At some places, it uses hoardings, self-brochures and

pamphlets in the hospital. The name of the hospital is highlighted in the

telephone directory.

IV. Promotions

Hospital promotes referral doctors very much. The hospital gives them

specific commission, financial and other aid in different programs, gift on

special occasion etc. In patient promotions, the hospital pays special attention

to quality services and takes special care of the patients. The doctors of the

hospital often do telephonic follow up for the discharge patients. The doctors

of the hospital and the other staff are motivated through friendly atmosphere

and high salaries.

V. Branding

The name of the hospital is recognized as a cardiac super-specialty hospital

in Baroda and its nearby areas. Now the hospital is expanding through

nursing college and Physiotherapy College. Moreover, the branding of the

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hospital is also increased by its new centers. The hospital focuses its attention

to provide better services through modern equipments.

VI. Social marketing

Hospital gives some services at free of charge and some of at low charge to

the poor people. The handicap and needy patients are also served at relief

rate. The hospital arranges camps and awareness programs in backward

areas and informs the people regarding heart diseases.

Banker hospital chiefly emphasizes indirect marketing. Besides, the hospital

also attracts people through some marketing activities and thereby remains in

direct contact to people.

3. Baroda Heart Institute and Research Center, Baroda Baroda heart institute was established in 2001. At that time, this was the only

hospital dealing with heart problems in Baroda city. At present, such type of

hospital with modern facilities is also started in Bharuch. Baroda heart institute

is a single specialty dealing only with heart diseases. The institute aims at

providing best services with modern equipments to the patients and the

patients get the benefit of good doctors and modern infrastructure of the

hospital. The two chief doctors of the institute namely Dr. Pervindersingh and

Dr. Mahesh Basge play important role in attracting the patients to the hospital.

The hospital seems to be functioning in such a way that maximum satisfaction

and better services may become accessible to the patients. In the marketing

activities of the hospital, the appropriate combination of direct and indirect

marketing could be seen. The marketing team is made of seven members out

of which three work in Gujarat and two in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.

The marketing activity of the hospital is done by various ways as follow:

1. Doctors Marketing In the marketing of corporate hospitals, doctors marketing or referral system

being inevitable part, Baroda heart institute also uses the methods of doctors

marketing to get more and more patients. The institute contacts the doctors

like BAMS, MBBS, MD, and general physician practitioners working in all the

three state and informs them regarding new facilities or services of the

institute. To enhance the service quality regular meetings with doctors are

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held. Every month the hospital arranges special programs and invites these

doctors. The marketing team does this activity by meeting all practitioners of

Baroda.

2. Centers Centers are very important in the marketing of the hospital connected to heart

problems. Apart from two hospitals in Baroda and Bharuch, the institute runs

32 centers in Gujarat, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. In these centers

different check-up regarding heart diseases are done and patients requiring

further treatment are referred to the hospital. The institute runs some of these

centers on the ownership basis and some other on rent up basis. The institute

also runs centers through tie-up with different doctors or trusts. The hospital

runs such centers in Badoli, Jambushe, Valiya, Godhra, Dahod, Ratlam,

Vadhodiya, Balasinor, Limadi, Ankelawer and Vapi. Such centers are more

convenient to patients for post operation follow-up. These centers contribute a

lot in getting patients in need of operations from different cities through new

check-up for the hospital. The marketing team is constantly thinking the

process of starting new centers.

3. Direct Marketing In order to attract the doctors, lawyers, industrialists to the hospital, the

hospital conveys the people of different professions in the programs regarding

heart diseases. They are made aware of the hospital services and facilities.

They are also informed about the symptoms of heart diseases. The hospital

arranges their heart check-up and informs them abut their heart. Recently, the

hospital has organized such programs in the societies of posh areas for the

people aging about 45 years. The hospital uses marketing approach by

checking their health, informing the remedies to be saving from heart

diseases through exercise, diet, and thereby to establish the healthy society.

Such programs are arranged in almost 82-85 societies of Baroda city. The

marketing team is likely to start such activities in rural areas also.

4. Corporate Tie-up The marketing team of the hospital has done tie-up regarding the treatment

and operation of heart problems with almost 52-53 companies. Such tie-ups

are done with the companies like IOC, Reliance, Air force, GSFC, ONGC of

Baroda, Khambhat and Aanklewer and also with other number less

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companies. Moreover, such tie-ups are made with banks, other institutes,

small and big industries, trade companies and firms. Some tie-ups are about

half yearly or yearly check-up at a discount rate.

5. TPA Tie-up Baroda heart institute has done tie-up with 14 significant TPA companies in

which M.D. India, TTK, Vipul med corporate, E-meditat, Bajaj- Allianz, Medi-

Arrit and Dedicated healthcare are main ones. TPA tie-up is important for

attracting the patients of corporate tie-up and mediclaim holder patients.

Hence, the hospital puts in efforts for new TPA tie-up. Baroda heart institute

has introduced a new system to facilitate the procedure for the patient of

corporate connection with the companies and the entire procedure is

completed speedily so that immediately treatment would be available to the

patients.

6. Tele Marketing The marketing team of Baroda heart institute inquires various companies,

small and big firms, and famous citizens about their associations concerning

their medical check-up through telephone. If such connection are not done,

the marketing team meets them in person, explains about the need the utility

of Baroda heart institute. Similarly, the marketing is done through the web

sites and e-mails of the companies.

7. Internal Marketing Baroda heart institute runs a section entitled inpatient public relation so that

admitted patients may remain in light mood. In this, section the staff holding

MSW degree plays important role in keeping patients tension free and in

helping the patients for quick recovery. The section takes minute care of the

patients. Even the relatives of patients are informed about the recovery.

8. Social marketing

The hospital directly reaches the public through social marketing. The hospital

provides medical services to the poor and backward at low rate or free of

charge. The team of the hospital visits the slum areas of Baroda city as well

as nearby places of the poor and does the check-up regarding heart

problems. At the same time, the hospital also introduces awareness programs

regarding health. One trust is connected to Baroda heart institute and its pays

all charges of operations and treatments on behalf of the poor. Baroda heart

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institute attracts the public by bringing innovations in marketing. Constantly

Apart from the things mention above the hospital uses the strategies for

marketing as follows.

A. Camps and public awareness programs Baroda heart institute organizes camps on illness concerning diabetes, high

blood pressure and heart problems in urban and rural areas. However, the

hospital arranges chiefly the camps on heart diseases. In such camps, the

needy patients are provided the treatment at relief rate.

Baroda heart institute also introduces different awareness programs on heart

diseases. In which the reason of heart diseases, remedies to be saved,

exercise, yoga, diet and rehabilitation are included. Such programs are

arranged by keeping in mind different classes of the society as well as

different age groups. Baroda heart institute arranges such programs for

banks, factories, senior citizen etc. Recently, the hospital arranges the

programs regarding heart check-up for schoolchildren and college students.

B. Check-up and packages Baroda heart institute offers different check-up to the public in which

consultation of doctors, and different tests are included. These are done at

fewer charges than the actual one. In these check-ups essential health check-

up, vital health check-up, extensive health check-up comprehensive health

check-up, complete cardiac health check-up and executive health check-up

are main one.

The hospital gives separate packages operation wise to the needy patients.

These packages are based on ward, type of surgery and material used.

Baroda heart institute offers the packages for interventional cardiology

procedures, vascular procedures, closed heart surgery and open-heart

surgery. In risky operations, 25 percent more charge is taken from the actual

package charge. The difference of the cost of material used in operation is

taken form the patients.

C. Promotions Baroda heart institute provides better services at reasonable rate to the

patients. Moreover, the hospital tries to give maximum satisfaction through its

quality services and pays personal attention to the patients. The hospital gives

priority to follow up patients and manages to them for better services. The

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hospital gives fixed 10% percent commission to the outside doctors for their

referred patients within the time limit of 45 days. Moreover, the hospital

arranges regular meeting, dinner with family, cinema, free check-up and

treatment. The hospital offers free check-up for the doctors working in Baroda

and their wife. The hospital gives its internal doctors and staff modern

equipments, service atmosphere, high salary and other promotion.

D. Advertisement

The hospital chiefly does the advertisement of its services through brochure,

pamphlets and hoardings. Apart from this, with the purpose of bringing novelty

of advertisement, the hospital uses the files giving information about its

services and handbags. The hospital uses newspapers and TV advertisement

on some special events. The hospital also does its advertising through paper

insert, mike announcement in auto, and banners at different places. The

hospital uses all tools of advertising and follows the constant and consistent

advertisings policy. On Diwali festival and other occasion the hospital gives

advertisement of the check-up at low rate through print media and electronic

media and gets good responses.

E. Branding Baroda heart institute is the oldest heart hospital of the city and so it has

spread to maximum extent as a brand. In the branding of the hospital, three

aspects are emphasized they are cardiologist, heart surgeon and electro-

physiologist. They are the main pillars of the branding of the hospital.

Moreover, the target of branding is also fulfilled through better services. The

hospital arranges meetings, lectures, introduction of new methods, knowledge

adaptation for the doctors working in Baroda city and the nearby places and

thereby adds to the brand name of the hospital. The hospital organizes

international conferences regarding heart and does its representation.

Baroda heart institute is well-known reputed institute in the field of heart and it

does its marketing through patients oriented services. The hospital has

developed the methods of direct contact with the patients. Besides, the

hospital also uses indirect methods and clinic methods in its marketing. This

has been the seventh year since the establishment of the hospital and the

hospital earns fame through patient-to-patient marketing. The number of

regular patients is increasing every day.

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4. Krishna Heart Institute, Ahmedabad Krishna heart and specialty institute began in 2000. The founder of Krishna

heart institute Dr. Atul choksi is a practicing cardiologist in New York. He was

motivated to start an international level hospital to protect human life and at

the same time to express gratitude towards the motherland. The motivation

originated from the ‘Bhagwat Geeta’. In other word, one and only aim of

Krishna hospital is to offer sincerely services to humankind. The hospital aims

to be helpful to heart patients as well as patients suffering from different

ailments. At present, the hospital functions in the field of heart disease and

multi-specialty. The hospital is famous all over Gujarat and Rajasthan in the

field of heart problems. The hospital gets the benefits of mouth marketing due

to its popularity. The marketing team of hospital is inexperience and the

members of the team are young ones. The team does the marketing of the

healthcare services of the hospital in Ahmedabad, Saurashtra, other part of

Gujarat and Rajasthan. The hospital allots the area and doctors to do the

marketing of the hospital. The marketing is divided through monthly target,

doctor wise daily call, schedule and achievement. The marketing activities of

the team are chiefly divided in five sections as follows:

Marketing Activity of Krishna Hospital

Indirect marketing

Corporate Marketing

Medical Tourism Social Marketing Direct Marketing

Dr. Promotion

Media & Advertisement

Dr. Speech

Corporate Tie-up

TPA Tie-up

Camps

Patient awareness Programs

Centers

Packages

Schemes

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[A]. Indirect marketing Krishna heart institute does mainly the maximum use of indirect marketing.

The entire marketing team of hospital is connected to indirect marketing. They

do indirect marketing activity as under:

1. Doctors promotion The marketing team meets different general practitioner like M.D. and

M.B.B.S. in Ahmedabad city and nearby area and gives them information

regarding services and different facilities of Krishna heart institute. Moreover,

the team also gives information about different benefits and packages

provided to the patients and thereby it does the marketing of the hospital

services. The marketing team fully exploits doctor-marketing known as referral

system. The team members are allotted different areas in which they are to

meet the specific number of doctors daily, weekly or monthly. The team

members are to use relations marketing and doctor’s patient are to be brought

to the hospital. 2. Print media and advertisement In order to attract patients Krishna heart institute uses various print media.

The institute does advertising through hoardings and banners in different

areas of the city. Moreover, at the place of camps and hospital advertising is

done through pamphlets and brochure New paper advertisement is used in

some special occasion only. The hospital also tries to attract the public

through internet.

3. Doctors speech The Krishna heart institute arranges the speeches of its doctors on social

events of different castes. The doctors inform people about treatment and

care offered by the institute for heart problems.

[B]. Corporate marketing Krishna heart institute uses two methods in corporate marketing to attract

different corporate companies, agencies and mediclaim holder patients.

1. Corporate tie-up

Corporate tie-up includes the provision of the benefits of hospital services

taken of by the employees of different companies. The institute has done tie-

up with government as well as non-government companies like ONGC, ISRO,

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PRL, Gujarat government, ESIS, SBI, BOB, RBI, workers state insurance

scheme and so on. Krishna heart institute chiefly holds tie-ups connected

medical and surgical treatment of heart problems. A large group is brought to

the hospital through corporate tie-up.

2. TPA tie-up The companies that help transaction between corporate tie-up institute or

mediclaim holders and the hospital are known as TPA. TPA tie-up increases

the sale of hospital services. Krishna heart institute adds to its corporate tie-

up by doing tie-up with many TPA companies. At the same time, it attracts

mediclaim holder patients. The marketing of the institute undertakes the entire

management of TPA tie-up.

[C]. Medical tourism Heart surgery is very costly in other countries of the world. Krishna heart

institute uses medical tourism to attract heart patients of outside India. The

hospital has made tie-up with the companies of Nigeria, Uganda, and other

Asian countries corporate companies and government, the employees of

these companies and other people are given the services of heart surgery.

The Krishna heart institutes provide the special VIP treatment to the people of

other countries and thereby attract them towards the institute.

[D]. Social marketing Krishna heart institute also uses social marketing to help to lower class people

of the society by offering heart treatment and operation. Krishna heart institute

is connected to Divya Jyot Charitable Trust and it pays the entire charge

through trust for the poor and backward people.

1. Camps The institute arranges different camps like check-up camps, surgery camps

and other. Such camps deal with cardiac and other heart problems through

ECG and other tests. Monitory relief is provided to economically backward

people who are the beneficiary of these camps.

2. Patient awareness programs The hospital organizes patient awareness programs at different places as well

as at the hospital itself. In such programs information regarding health

problems is given. The institute gives information about the type of facility and

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treatment it provides. Moreover, interaction is done with the patients to inform

them what type of care should be taken in heart diseases.

Krishna heart institute does marketing of its services through direct and

indirect method. Krishna heart institute is established as a super specialty and

accordingly, marketing is done. The institute mainly focuses on indirect

marketing.

[E]. Direct marketing

Krishna heart institute does direct marketing in both Gujarat and Rajasthan.

The institute chiefly does direct marketing through different methods as

follows:

1. Centers

Krishna heart institute runs centers in different areas of Ahmedabad city

based on ownership or tie-up and thereby attracts the patients to the hospital.

Such strategy is used to facilitate patient coming from different areas and

cities. In such centers, special services like ICCU, Cath-lab, and surgical

operation theater are provided. Krishna heart institute runs its own centers in

Ghuma and Parimal Garden and in Bapunagar and Maninagar; the hospital

runs centers of tie-up basis.

2. Packages

In order to attract the people of different social classes, Krishna heart institute

offers two types of packages concerning surgery and wards. In wards

packages special economic package, PCU package, twins deluxe, super

deluxe and VIP deluxe are included. Similarly, different operation is also taken

in to consideration. Besides, keeping in mind the patients needs and institute

facilities, different packages are given.

3. Schemes With the purpose of creating heath awareness among people, Krishna heart

institute introduces different schemes like Krishna family health card through

which special relief are given in check-up as well as inpatient services. In

these schemes, special discount and other benefit provided to general people.

CLVIII

5. Rajasthan Hospital, Ahmedabad Rajasthan hospital uses community based marketing. Rajasthan hospital falls

under trust managed corporate culture hospital and so it keeps in mind

patients satisfaction by providing them proper services rather than doing

marketing for profit only. Thus, the marketing of Rajasthan hospital is service

oriented and it has been famous for the provider of healthcare services to the

people of Gujarat and Rajasthan for last 22-23 years. It hardly needs new

mode of marketing due to its consistent services it is a renowned hospital

among trust as well as corporate hospital. A large number of patients come to

Rajasthan hospital from Gujarat and western Rajasthan and they belong to

either middle class or low class of the society. The hospital focuses its

attention on services and pays nominal attention on marketing. The marketing

team of the Rajasthan hospital is mainly of three members and they do

following marketing activities.

1. Corporate tie-up Rajasthan hospital has made corporate tie-up with different public sector

companies, government and non-government institutes, private and public

limited companies etc. The hospital does such tie-up in Gujarat and

Rajasthan, these tie-ups are concerning pre-employment check-up, and

inpatient services. The marketing team of the hospital visit different corporate

companies and gives presentation regarding hospital services and facilities for

new corporate tie-ups. The hospital gets patients in large group through these

tie-ups.

2. TPA tie-up The TPA tie-up is essential to receive mediclaim holders and employees of

corporate companies. Rajasthan hospital has made TPA tie-up with round

about 15 companies and thereby the marketing of the hospital services is

done.

3. Advertising For providing constant and consistent healthcare services for the last two

decades, Rajasthan hospital does minimum use of advertising and print

media. However, the hospital does use of advertising through pamphlets,

brochures, banners at the hospital as well as at places of the camps. The

CLIX

hospital uses hoarding and advertisement board at the nearby places. The

hospital uses newspaper advertisement and other advertisement on a special

occasion like any achievement, introducing new equipment and new services.

4. Camps Rajasthan hospital functions for common public and it organizes camps for

different disease at different places in both Gujarat and Rajasthan. In such

camps, the needy patients are provided services at free of charge or at

discount rate. The campers are made aware of the hospital services.

5. Packages The hospital provides various packages to different classes of the society as

per the services and facilities given to them. The hospital gives patient

packages regarding different check-ups and operations. The sum of total of

these packages includes charges of check-up, treatment, medicine, operation,

food and hospital stay. The hospital gives concession in the total package

charge. Rajasthan hospital has introduced packages for the poor people who

belong to the low class of the society.

6. Social marketing Rajasthan hospital pays maximum attention to social marketing. The hospital

has been divided in several wards like general, semi-special and special so

that all the classes of the society could take benefit of the hospital healthcare

services. Moreover, the hospital charges are very low for its all services. To

make proper medical treatment available to the poor people, there is the

provision of free wards and board in the hospital. Under social marketing, the

hospital organizes different awareness programs and thereby does patient

oriented marketing.

7. Doctor CME The hospital organizes doctor CME program to make the doctors of the

hospital as well as the outsider doctors aware of new medical inventions, new

medicine and new operation methods. The hospital gives ‘Continuous Medical

Education’ to doctor how could afterwards give better treatment to the patient.

The main aim of Rajasthan hospital is to provide services at reasonable rate.

The hospital gives permanent appointment to the best doctors and thereby

uses service marketing. Rajasthan hospital is certified by ISO-9001. The

hospital gets the discharge patient to fill up feedback forms through which

CLX

continuous improvement is carried on. However, from the viewpoint of

marketing, Rajasthan hospital gives importance to marketing.

6. Sal Hospital, Ahmedabad Sal is a multi special hospital in which all sorts of medical and surgical

services are provided. Hospital does marketing all over Gujarat including

Ahmedabad, north Gujarat, Saurashtra, south Gujarat and Kucch-Bhuj as per

area wise allotment. Apart from Gujarat, hospital also does marketing in some

part of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. Hospital gives maximum importance

to its services in marketing and emphasis to give the best services to the

patients. Sal hospital does nominal direct patient marketing but pays special

attention to doctor marketing. The marketing team adds to the number or

patients of the hospital. The marketing team of the hospital is made of total 11

members. Team is divided in three parts they are general marketing team,

indoor marketing team and corporate marketing team. All the three do

marketing of the hospital through different marketing activities.

A. General Marketing team The general marketing team is made of four members who carry out hardcore

marketing activities. This team does the activities of bringing a large number

of patients to the hospital by arranging programs with outside doctors. The

team does the planning of daily doctors meeting, follow-up of new activities,

arranging camps, awareness programs and CME programs.

B. Indoor Marketing The hospital gives special importance to the concept of service marketing. In

such marketing, the hospital does efforts to gives maximum satisfaction to the

admitted patients. This team is made of three members. They constantly visit

the patients and solve their problems. They managed to give optimal facilities

to the patients.

C. Corporate Marketing The corporate marketing team is made of five members and it does the

marketing of the hospital by making tie-up with corporate companies working

in Gujarat. Moreover, this team undertakes billing and other paper of the

CLXI

patients of these companies. The team establishes relation with corporate

companies.

Marketing activities of Sal hospital are as follows:

1. Hardcore marketing

Normally people contact their nearby doctor for any ailment. If these doctors

are contacted, in case of serious illness, their patients may be sent to Sal

hospital. These activities is included in hardcore marketing considered vary

important in hospital marketing. This type of marketing is also known as

referral system. In hardcore marketing physician and general practitioners,

are in one way or another connected to Sal hospital. The marketing team of

the Sal hospital meets such doctors from time to time and establishes

permanent relation with team. This type of activities gets more success

through non-commercial approach. Hard core marketing includes the

following sub methods.

I. Doctors relation In this type of marketing doctor, relation is very important. The marketing team

constantly keeps in touch with doctors. It prepares area wise lists of doctors.

The team member of the area constantly keeps the content of the doctors.

Moreover, the information regarding the patients sent by the doctors is given

to them and thereby relations are establishing with them.

Marketing activities of Sal Hospital

Hardcore Marketing

Corporate Tie-up

TPA Tie-up

Internal Marketing

Tele Marketing

Doctors Relations

Doctors CME

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II. Doctors CME In hardcore marketing, second important thing is to inform such doctors about

new technology, inventions, methods and medicines, the chief purpose of this

activity is to increase the knowledge of physicians and general practitioners,

once in a month, area wise 100 such doctors are convened at the hospital

and CME programs is arrange or different topic. Marketing members are also

to arrange such programs in their areas.

2. Corporate tie-up Corporate tie-up bears special importance in hospital marketing because the

hospital gets a large number of patients through it. Sal hospital has a separate

marketing team for corporate marketing. Sal hospital has made corporate tie-

up with many international, national and local companies. Sal hospital being a

multi specialty does all sorts of tie-up including pre employment, routine check

up and operation tie-up. The corporate tie-up team establishes relationship

with chief officers of companies, leaders of labor unions and other executives.

Beside, the team visits new companies and makes new tie-up by giving

information regarding the hospital. The team also contributes to marketing

through renewal of old tie-ups. The team arranges health talk and other

programs in the companies; corporate tie-up includes government,

organization, private and public sectors.

3. TPA tie-up TPA tie-up plays important role in transactions between mediclaim holder

patients, corporate tie-up companies and the hospital. The marketing team of

the Sal hospital has made tie-up with 12 TPA companies. The team does

follow up work of pending bells of patients together with TPA companies and

get money so that mediclaim holder patients and employees of corporate

companies are not to pay money to the hospital. The team does all the

procedure and increases the facilities for the patients.

4. Internal marketing Sal hospital considers services superior to all and gives importance to patient

satisfaction. The hospital has spared one separate marketing team in which

employees like pro and medical social worker are included. The team solves

the problems of the admitted patients and gives them mental support to get

recovery. The team also solves the problem of patient relatives and gives

CLXIII

them satisfaction. The hospital gets the benefit of mouth marketing through

such efforts. The discharged patients of the hospital themselves do the

marketing of hospital.

The close relative of indoor patients gets free health check-up from the

hospital. Such marketing is done only in Sal hospital. The hospital gets

feedback from time to time from patients and their relatives and thereby gets

their opinion regarding the hospital. In internal marketing patient satisfaction is

considered most important.

5. Tele marketing Sal hospital uses Tele marketing and increases the publicity of the hospital.

The hospital provides all information regarding its services to outside doctors,

patients and people through telephone and internet. Particularly, such

information is given to doctors optimally. Such marketing is done through

telephonic contact and transmission of information with different corporate

companies. At present, the team is making efforts to make Tele marketing

speedy.

In order to face competition prevalent in healthcare industry, Sal hospital pays

special attention to three things. They are medical services, infrastructure and

attach team. Moreover, packages and full time doctors are also taken into

consideration in competition. The hospital gives equal importance to the

following things:

[A] Advertisement Sal hospital uses different tools of advertisement like broachers, pamphlets

hoardings, etc. hospital uses newspaper advertisement for new programs

occasionally. However, the hospital gives advertisement in medical journal and does advertising through banners and other literature. The hospital did

such advertising through the stall in vibrant Gujarat. The hospital is thinking to

publish its own magazine for its advertisement and for making people aware

of its services.

[B] Check up and packages Sal hospital has remarkable achievement in cardiac services. The hospital

offer check up programs connected to heart problems and other diseases.

Such checks up programs are arranged by keeping in mind illness, age,

gender etc. The benefit of such programs is also given to other institutes

CLXIV

connected to the hospital through corporate tie-up and linkages. At the time of

epidemic, the hospital runs awareness campaign through check up programs.

The hospital gives different packages to the admitted patients at low rate. As

per ward, the price of packages varies. The hospital takes special cares

informing packages as people promptly respond them. From viewpoint of

competition package is a significant weapon. Hence, in marketing a special

importance is given to packages.

[C] Awareness programs and camps Sal hospital does not do direct marketing among patients but through different

awareness programs in nearby areas the people are made aware of hospital

services. The hospital celebrates special days like cancer day, diabetes day,

and world health day as awareness programs. Moreover, on some special

events the doctors of the hospital gives information to the patients and their

relatives through SMS. From time to time, the hospital organizes camps for

patients’ awareness.

[D] Branding Sal hospital is established as a multi specialty hospital. At present, the

marketing team of the hospital does not introduce any special programs for

branding. In order to sustain the brand name of the hospital, hospital services

are kept in focus. Apart from this, the work of branding is also done through

doctor loyalty. The hospital is thinking about a chain in branding.

[E] Promotion Sal hospital constantly encourages its patients, staff and doctors for its

services. The hospital gives complete satisfaction to the doctors working in

the hospital. The hospital appoints them as full time doctors and thereby

provides better services to the patients. The hospital also encourages out side

doctors and establishes permanent relation with them. The journalists

connected to the hospital in one way or another are also encouraged.

The marketing team of Sal hospital uses different styles and does everyday

new marketing. The hospital continuously evaluates its marketing activities.

The evaluation is done through the comparison with the marketing style of the

competitors. The doctors of the hospital do patient follow up and give

maximum patient satisfaction. The hospital does optimal marketing of outside

doctors. Similarly, the hospital gives importance to corporate tie up. In all the

CLXV

activities mentioned above, services are at the center. At present, marketing

could be seen through medical tourism and running of the centers. Sal

hospital gets the special benefit of the selection of its location in the middle of

the city.

7. Shalby Hospital, Ahmedabad Shalby hospital is famous in Gujarat chiefly for its orthopedics specialty. The

marketing team is made of three members and it does the marketing of the

healthcare services of the hospital in the same area all over India. The

marketing team optimally uses the indirect marketing style. The hospital has

the exports doctors for knee and hip replacement and the hospital has

considerable number of dental implantations to its credits. The marketing

team does the marketing of the two services mentioned above in an

aggressive way. Besides, the hospital has been multi-specialty for the last half

and one year and so marketing is done accordingly. The hospital takes into

account the following tools while marketing:

1. Patient awareness programs Shalby hospital arranges various orthopedic programs as well as programs

connected to other’s illnesses. These are arranged either in hospital premise

or at other places. The hospital gives guidance regarding the type of care

taken up and the treatment given. Moreover, patients are given the

information how the hospital could be helpful in such programs. In particular,

the hospital explains what to do in born injuries during accident.

2. Camps Shalby hospital arranges different camps and thereby provides treatment to

patients. The patient how require operation or intensive care have been

referred to the hospital. The camps are arranged in different cities to do the

marketing of hospital services. At present, the hospital organizes the camps

concerning orthopedics, dental and super-specialty fields.

3. Corporate tie-up

The hospital does corporate tie-ups with different companies that include

employees check-up, treatment and operation. Shalby has done tie-up with

reliance, BSNL and other companies of government and private sectors.

CLXVI

Shalby has done tie-up connected to orthopedic surgery almost with all types

of companies.

4. Doctors’ CMEs and knowledge update

Shalby hospital helps enhancement in doctors’ knowledge through

organization of CMEs programs at the hospital or at different centers. Apart

from that, knowledge-updating programs are arranged to increase doctors’

knowledge. Shalby hospital arranges such knowledge programs connected to

orthopedic and dental implantation. Doctors and medical staff are given

medical education through such programs.

5. TPA tie-up The hospital adds to the number of its patients through TPA tie-up chiefly with

different companies. Such tie-ups help the transaction in between the hospital

and different insurance companies as well as mediclaim holder patients.

Patients holding corporate tie-up and mediclaim could easily be attracted to

the hospital through TPA tie-up.

6. Packages and schemes Shalby hospital provides different check-ups and surgery packages to the

patient this type of packages are provided ward wise to inpatient as per

patients needs.

7. Advertisement Shalby hospital uses pamphlets and broachers for its advertisement. It

occasionally uses newspaper advertisement. Similarly, hoardings and

banners are used only in special programs.

8. Publicity When the doctors of the hospital succeed in any major surgery, the news is

conveyed to the public through different media of advertisement. Moreover,

the talks of the expert doctors are relayed on TV9 channel.

9. Indirect marketing Dr. Vikram shah trained one team of doctors in the area of treatment and the

trained team would visit different cities of India to give services regarding

operation and treatment. Moreover, the hospital runs clinics at different places

through tie-up or on the rent basis to give the benefit of its services indirectly

too. The hospital runs such clinics in Bardoli, Surat, Baroda, and Randel and

so on.

CLXVII

10. Branding The founder of the hospital Dr. Vikram shah got the education of knee and hip

replacement in America and started a Shalby hospital in Gujarat. Now Shalby

hospital is the famous brand name in the orthopedic hospital all over the India.

In order to extend the branding of the hospital one team of expert doctors

moves in different cities of India to provide orthopedic services to different

patient. Moreover, the efforts are made to maintain and extend the brand

through advertisement, publicity and various promotional programs.

The Shalby hospital believes in indirect marketing but they are not doing

direct marketing to attract the patient. The marketing of Shalby hospital mainly

focus on orthopedic services like knee and hip replacement, dental

implantation. Now they focus on various other super specialty services. The

marketing team of Shalby hospital does indirect marketing mainly in

Ahmedabad city and all over the Gujarat.

8. Sterling Hospital, Ahmedabad Sterling hospital is famous as a multi-specialty hospital. The hospital puts

special emphasis on full time doctors, modern facilities and equipments in the

marketing of its services. The hospital provides services along with physical

facilities. Like SAL hospital, sterling is also situated in the middle of

Ahmedabad city and so its gets significant advantages of its location. Sterling

is the only hospital providing all types of medical and surgical services in two

main cities of Gujarat namely Ahmedabad and Baroda and it has become

popular among people. The services of the hospital are available to the

people of all classes of the society. There is the provision of different wards in

the hospital. Apart from people of Ahmedabad and Baroda, people of south

Gujarat, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh also use the services of the two

hospitals. The marketing team of Ahmedabad Sterling hospital is made of 11

members. The hospital divides its marketing activities under three categories

like branding, referral and corporate. According to the marketing manager of

sterling hospital Ahmedabad, the division of marketing activities is started by

sterling hospital.

CLXVIII

A. Branding

Sterling hospital is a big name as a corporate hospital in Gujarat. It has

become popular for different emergency services. The hospital provides

significant services other than healthcare services. These services include

lodging boarding facilities for patients and their relatives, specious parking etc.

The hospital maintain its brand name through quality services, special care of

patient, dress code for the staff and so on. The branding team of the hospital

is made of four members now they extend the brand name of the hospital

through some branding activities.

1. Advertisement Sterling hospital does the activities of advertising under branding. The hospital

use brochures, pamphlets, leaflets for its advertising. At the hospital and its

nearby places, advertising is done through hoardings. In Ahmedabad and

Baroda, the use of signboards is done to indicate the road to the hospital. On

the local channels of Ahmedabad and Baroda, limited advertising is done.

Newspapers advertisement and paper inserts are used on some special

events only to give information regarding camps and programs.

2. CME The hospital organizes the programs of CMEs for its doctors as well as

outside doctors in its branding. In such programs, information is given about

innovation in medical field, new treatment and operation methods and new

Marketing Activity of Sterling Hospital

Branding

Referral System

Tie-up Division

Advertisement CME

Press Conference

Publication Department

Corporate Tie-up

TPA Tie-up

CLXIX

medicines. Moreover, the problems confusing to doctors are solved in such

programs. Sterling hospital tries to give expert knowledge to the doctors

through these programs. The marketing team of the hospital arranges such

programs in all the cities of Gujarat from time to time. The hospital gives

information about its services to the doctors.

3. Press conference The press team of the hospital informs the public about any new thing of the

hospital through the media of communication. The information is promptly

communicated through publicity. Some time the public is made aware of new

hospital events through press conference. Different awareness programs,

success of difficult operation are intimated to the public through mass media.

4. Publication department Sterling hospital conveys its information in two ways, one through mass media

and the other through its publications. Sterling hospital is the only corporate

hospital in Gujarat that publishes its own magazine namely ‘Josh’. The

hospital encourages its existing as well as old patients, hospital staff and

doctors through its magazine. The articles of the expert doctors of the hospital

are published in the magazine and these articles enhance the self confident of

the patients. Apart from the magazine of the hospital, the articles on the

hospital are published in other medical publications and thereby the brand

name is extended.

B. Referral system At present, referral system bears much importance in healthcare marketing.

All corporate hospitals, in one way or another way, use referral system for

their marketing. Sterling hospital has also spared one marketing team of four

members that meets the doctors working in rural and urban areas all over

Gujarat and requests them to refer their patients to sterling hospital. In referral

system, marketing is done by meeting physicians, general practitioners and

the doctors running clinics. They are informed about the facilities and services

of the hospital and are prepared to send their needy patients to the hospital.

The trust of these doctors is won through cooperation. They are given gifts,

expert knowledge and patient wise benefit. The marketing team establishes

permanent relations with these doctors to get patients for the hospital. The

CLXX

members of the marketing team working area wise are supposed to

strengthen referral system in their area.

C. Tie-up

Sterling hospital has a separate marketing team made of three members

doing the marketing activities of tie-up. It chiefly does two types of tie-up

activities.

1. Corporate tie-up

Sterling hospital has done corporate tie-up with many PSUs, government and

private companies. In such tie-ups connected to all types of services, pre-

employment check-up regular check-up and inpatients services are included.

Sterling hospital has done such tie-ups with regional, national and

international companies and with almost all banking companies, small or big

local industries and so on. The marketing team of the hospital gives

presentation and other programs in the companies to make tie-ups with them.

The team offers services of the hospital at lower rate than that of other

hospitals to attract them for the tie-up.

2. TPA tie-up The same marketing team undertakes both corporate tie-up and TPA tie-up.

TPA tie-up is essential to provide cashless facilities to the employees of

corporate companies and patients of mediclaim holders. Sterling hospital has

made TPA tie-up round about 15 TPA companies. The hospital constantly

makes efforts to get more TPA tie-up.

Apart from this, hospital organizes various programs to do the marketing of

the hospital some of them are as follows:

A. Patients awareness programs and camps Sterling hospital arranges various awareness programs for the people. These

programs are connected to cancer, heart problems, precautions in accident,

cares to be taken in epidemic etc. These programs are introduced in the

hospital itself or in rural areas and efforts are made to make maximum

number of people to participate in that program.

In rural areas, the hospital arranges camps of special check-up and treatment

to benefit people. Check-up and treatment are provided at low rate in these

camps. Moreover, the needy patients are referred to Sterling hospital to

provide more treatment.

CLXXI

B. Check-up and packages Sterling hospital offers some check-up programs regularly to the people. The

hospital provides different tests, consultation of doctors, snacks to the patient

in such programs. The hospital gives check-up programs of different diseases

to the people of different ages.

Sterling hospital provides different surgical packages to the patients. Chiefly

operations and services connected to them are provided at lower rate than the

actual charge. Each package is based on the ward selected by the patient.

Besides, packages are also decided by keeping in mind the competition.

Sterling hospital provides packages almost for all types of operations.

Moreover, the hospital also provides packages concerning health check-up

programs.

C. Promotions Sterling hospital encourages all journalists connected to the hospital. The

hospital appoints its doctors as full timers and offers them suitable

atmosphere. Outside doctors are benefited by the lectures of expert doctors

and by the other monetary facilities. The hospital gives them certain

commission per patient in the referred cases. The hospital provides better

services and facilities to the patients. Personal attention and satisfactory

answers are given to the patient.

D. Social marketing Sterling hospital does some social activities. Such activities are done to the

collaboration with the NGOs like lion’s club, rotary club etc. Sterling hospital

has spared one separate ward for the poor patient in which services are

provided at nominal rate. Moreover, the hospital provides some free services

to the poor in some camps and programs.

E. Event marketing

Hospital does the marketing of its services through some special program on

the day of its establishment and on other special days like world health day,

Beti Bachavo day etc. Such programs are arranged in the hospital as well as

at other places. The hospital displays its banners and other advertising

literature in programs of social and academic institutes.

Thus, Sterling hospital does its marketing activities by dividing it in three

sections. The hospital keeps its services, infrastructure, modern equipments

CLXXII

and full time doctors at the center in its marketing programs. Hospital does

use of almost all means of advertisements. The members of the marketing

team are allocated different areas and they have to do the marketing through

certain activities in their areas. The hospital also does marketing through

publicity programs.

9. Wockhardt Hospital, Bhavnagar & Rajkot The marketing teams of Wockhardt hospital Bhavnagar and Rajkot are

divided into a manager, facilitator, and the remaining are the team members.

All the members undertake all the activities of marketing together. They work

with real team spirit. The focus of the marketing team is both doctors and

patients. The team covers up rural as well as urban areas. The members of

team visit to the patients of different communities and they meet people of all

age groups. The main objective of the marketing team of Wockhardt hospital

is to bring more and more patients at the doorstep of the hospital. Wockhardt

hospital, Bhavnagar and Rajkot uses aggressive marketing strategies. It does

continuous and regular marketing through various marketing tools.

These team members do marketing activities in rural and urban area. The

entire officer level marketing members do field marketing and event marketing

activities. On the other hand, office assistant chiefly do the work of office

management and filing and thereby backup the entire marketing. Besides,

they do the reporting of the output of the different sections of marketing.

Wockhardt hospital focuses mainly on doctor-call and trade marketing. The

activities of the marketing team of Wockhardt hospital have been given in the

form of the chart as under:

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1. Corporate tie-up Formerly, Wockhardt hospital did oral pact with different corporate agencies

regarding check-up, treatment and operation of their employees. Now the

mutual understanding between the two parties has been given a written form.

The marketing team has made corporate tie-up with Excel industry of

Bhavnagar, Nirma Company, GSFC, IPCL, HDFC, Reliance, Steelcast

Industry of Bhavnagar and many companies of Rajkot and Bhavnagar. The

hospital provides all sorts of healthcare services to the employees of these

companies as well as to their family members. The team has been discussing

with L & T and Pipavav port of corporate tie-up. Moreover, the hospital has

also made tie-up with all the Bhavnagar and Rajkot bank employees and their

families. Wockhardt hospital has also made such tie-up with Indian Airport

Authority for its employees.

2. TPA tie-up

TPA means third party administration. TPA is of prime importance because

through TPA mediclaim holders can use services of the hospital optimally.

TPA tie-up includes the tie-up with those agencies that help in getting billing

amount of the hospital from mediclaim companies. Wockhardt hospital holds

Corporate Tie-up

TPA Tie-up

Trade Branding Social Activity

Other

Dr. Call

Hospital Tie-up

Marketing in Rural Area

Camps

Hospital Facility

Faculty Program

Media

Outdoor

Club Launch

C.M.E.

H.T.

Health check-up

Package

Scheme

Marketing Activities of Wockhardt hospital Bhavnagar and Rajkot

CLXXIV

tie-up with almost all TPA agencies. Wockhardt hospital has TPA tie-up with

Alankit Healthcare Limited, Bajaj Allianz General Insurance Company Ltd,

Dedicated Healthcare Services (India) Pvt Ltd, E Meditek Solutions Ltd,

Genins India Ltd, Health India TPA Services Pvt Ltd, MD India Healthcare

Services (TPA) (PVT) Ltd, Med Save Healthcare Ltd, Medicare TPA Services

Pvt Ltd and TTK Healthcare TPA Pvt Ltd. Some of the TPA tie-ups of

Wockhardt hospital with other companies are in process. They are with the

companies like Anmoal Medicare Ltd, Family Health Plan Ltd, Good Health

Plan Ltd, Heritage Health Services Pvt Ltd, Paramount Health Services Pvt

Ltd, Park Mediclaim Consultants Pvt Ltd, Raksha TPA Pvt Ltd, Rothshield

Healthcare (TPA) Services Ltd, Safeway Mediclaim Services and Vipul Med

Corp TPA Pvt Ltd.

3. Trade Trade is the most significant area of the marketing team and it helps the team

to bring more and more patients to the hospital. In Wockhardt hospital, the

trade functions in its three fold capacities as under:

I. Doctor Calls The marketing team of the hospital meets all the doctors of Bhavnagar and

Rajkot cities and informs them regarding hospital services, facilities, different

schemes and benefits so that the doctors may refer their patients to the

hospital. Moreover, the doctor call also includes invitation to expert doctors as

visiting doctors with attractive package.

II. Hospital tie-up

Wockhardt hospital has tie-up with all the hospitals, small as well big ones, of

Bhavnagar and Rajkot cities. In such tie-ups, the facilities not available in the

hospital are provided at reasonable rate

III. Marketing in Rural

The marketing team strives to do the better marketing of healthcare services

of the hospital in rural area of Bhavnagar, Rajkot and city. It includes the use

of the doctor call as well as hospital tie-up. The team contacts hospitals and

doctors working at Taluka level and in rural area. The team offers different

benefits and thereby attracts their patients. Wockhardt hospital does such and

intensive marketing in almost all the rural areas.

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4. Branding At present, branding is the significant aspect of marketing. Wockhardt hospital

is famous at the world level in the matter of branding and it uses different

strategies to enhance its brand name.

I. Camps Wockhardt hospital organizes different camps in urban as well as rural area

and provides guidance, services to the needy patients. The objective of these

camps is chiefly to provide treatment and operation facilities of the complex

diseases at a reasonable cost and thereby to inform the people of lower class

about hospital services. The hospital has organized the camps like Bone &

Joint camps, Brine & Spine camps, Minimal Access, Internal Medicine,

Nephrology etc.

II. Hospital Facilities Wockhardt hospital does the advertisement of its various facilities in branding.

Wockhardt hospital is the only hospital having modern super-specialty in

Bhavnagar city and it offers almost all sorts of medical and surgical facilities.

Rajkot Wockhardt hospital is also a big hospital in Rajkot city. Besides, the

hospital possesses excellent qualitative medical and surgical equipments.

Hospital facilities chiefly include indoor, outdoor, medical and surgical

facilities. The team informs them through arranging guidance seminars to the

people and thereby does the marketing of the hospital.

III. Faculty Program Under faculty program, the doctors and the medical staff of the hospital are

made aware of different medical research works and new operation methods.

The hospital explains them by what way it could help them in this matter. The

hospital invites different resource persons of medical field to give the benefit

of their knowledge through lectures and to remove the confusion of the staff.

Thus, live contact is maintained in between outsider doctors and hospital

specialists.

IV. Media From the viewpoint of branding and marketing of hospital, media is of prime

importance. Hospital regularly uses all means of advertisement. It conveys all

the details regarding schemes, packages, and camps to the people through

media. Media includes the use of newspapers, TV, pamphlets, brochures,

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hoardings, banners etc. Besides, the hospital arranges patient interviews

through TV and cable.

V. Outdoor

The hospital strives to enhance the branding outside the hospital. It chiefly

installs OPD in rural area and gives the benefits of its services to the out door

patients. The marketing team of the hospital also arranges video conference,

and video presentation in rural area. In outdoor program, the team does the

marketing through the ‘Key Opinion Leader’ also. The team arranges lectures

of religious leaders, the head of the cast or community, the headman of the

village and the leaders of the city at different places for the branding of the

hospital.

5. Social Activities Hospital does different social activities to do the propaganda of its services.

Thus, social activities include mainly three activities as under:

I. Club Launch

The hospital launches different clubs to provide medical treatment to the

patients suffering from very serious and complex diseases by grouping them.

The main objective of the club launch is to give consistent treatment to the

afflicted and to provide them guidance. Wockhardt hospital has launched

different clubs like Kidney Club, Bone & Joint Club, Spine Club and Senior

Citizen Club.

II. CME CME means continuous medical education in which information about

different diseases is imparted to people and what type of steps is to be taken

in what diseases are explained. Wockhardt hospital Bhavnagar and Rajkot

has started the first E-CME in Gujarat in collaboration with Reliance Web

World in which this type of guidance is provided to people and doctors

through the medium of internet.

III. Health Talk Under the health talk program Wockhardt hospital selects the topic and

arranges group discussion among doctors, nursing staff and common public.

In this discussion, efforts are made to solve the problems of the participants.

Wockhardt hospital informs the public regarding its services through the

arrangement of such health talks.

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6. Other Apart from the efforts mentioned above, Wockhardt hospital does several

other efforts to attract the patients. They are as under:

I. Health Checkup Health check-up program encourages maintaining good health and thereby

attracts the public. There is no need of doctor’s prescription for health

checkup in which many tests at once are offered at reasonable charges.

Wockhardt hospital introduces different checkups like Basic Checkup, Senior

Citizen Checkup, Diabetes Profile, Smart Lady Checkup, Master Health

Checkup and Comprehensive Cardiac Checkup.

II. Package

The hospital provides different checkup packages and surgery packages at a

low cost. The main purpose of such package is to give the benefit of the

expert doctors to the patients at affordable cost. The hospital charges less for

checkup, treatment, surgery, hospital stay, diet. The hospital tries to compete

with other hospital through introduction of packages like prostrate checkup,

asthma and lung package, etc.

III. Scheme The marketing team of the hospital does the marketing of the hospital

services by offering different schemes to outdoor and indoor patients and to

outsider doctors. Patients get relief in medical and surgical fees and the team

offers cash and other benefits to doctors. The people of certain communities

are attracted to the hospital through different schemes.

Wockhardt hospital uses different marketing tools to do the marketing of its

services. The marketing of Wockhardt hospital could be divided as follows:

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[A] Direct Marketing

In direct marketing Wockhardt hospital make direct contact of the patients and

there relatives and thereby attract them to the hospital. The hospital take into

consideration the four groups mentioned as under:

1. General Public

In order to attract the public in general the marketing team of the hospital uses

newspapers, advertisement, TV, Hoardings, and Pamphlets etc. Besides, the

hospital arranges celebration of special days like world health day, world

kidney day, save daughter day as a part of event marketing to draw the

attention of the public.

2. Community The hospital adopts community base marketing in small city like Bhavnagar to

develop its business. The ream calls for headmen of different community and

inform them about the hospital staff and hospital facilities. The team offers

special benefits to such communities and thereby does the marketing of the

hospital through special packages.

3. Social Groups

Keeping in mind different groups of the society like cultural, religious, and

academic, the hospital does the marketing of its services. The hospital has

made tie-up with Rotary club, Lions club, Sardar Patel Snatak Mitra Mandal,

Types of Marketing

Direct Marketing Indirect Marketing

General Public

Community

Special Groups

Key Opinion Leader

Doctors

Nursing Homes

Trust Hospital

Workshop& CME

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Swami. Gurukul, SBI etc. As per tie-up, the hospital provides services to the

members of these groups.

4. Key Opinion Leader

The hospital transmits information in cities and villages through the medium of

leading people of the areas. Among such leading people, the head of the

caste, politicians, saints, doctors, lawyers, teachers are included.

[B] Indirect Marketing

Sometimes, the hospital does the marketing of its services through outside

people rather than the patients and there relatives. Indirect marketing chiefly

include the following things:

1. Doctors

The hospital gives information regarding its services to the doctors other than

the doctors of the hospital and requests them to refer their patients to the

hospital. Particularly, the marketing team of Wockhardt hospital does

marketing of the hospital services in urban and rural areas by contacting

doctors that do private practice. The team offers different scheme and

packages to these doctors.

2. Nursing Homes The marketing team of Wockhardt hospital does tie-up with different nursing

homes and makes to exchange the facilities of one another. Especially the

hospital gives treatment to very serious patient and the moment he gets free

from danger, the hospital sends him back to the nursing home. The hospital

has made such tie-up with the nursing homes of urban as well as rural area.

3. Trust Hospital Wockhardt hospital has made tie-up with different trust hospitals and it

provides services which are not available in those hospitals. The patients of

trust hospitals get such services at relief rate. In some of the trust hospitals,

Wockhardt hospital has started OPD section of its own, for example, Bhuta

Hospital Shihor holds such a section.

4. Workshop and CME Wockhardt hospital does an indirect propaganda of its services by organizing

different workshop on different subjects for doctors, medical staff, patients and

public in the hospital campus as well as outside the hospital promise.

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Moreover, under the heading of CME, the hospital does its propaganda of

medical education through different subjects experts.

Thus, Wockhardt hospital uses different methods of marketing and develops

new methods to be used for marketing. Wockhardt hospital optimally used two

other marketing methods. These are as under:

1. Advertising Wockhardt hospital used advertisement tool maximum in its marketing

campaign. Wockhardt used various medias of advertise like TV, various

newspapers, magazines, and so on. The newspaper advertises published on

a routine basis. Before introducing new treatments, new doctors, new facilities

and various programs hospital uses newspaper advertisement. Wockhardt

hospital is the only hospital of all corporate hospitals using newspapers

advertisement optimally and daily in its marketing activity.

2. Promotion Promotion is a most significant aspect of marketing. Wockhardt hospital gives

various promotions to his doctors, medical and administrative staff as an

internal promotional tool. The hospital promotes various external promotions

like outside doctors, patients and other business related party. Wockhardt

hospital also gives cuts and other cash benefits to the outsider doctors. In a

patient promotion are divided in cash benefit, packages, and schemes.