Social marketing principles in healthcare program design and implementation

¶ … healthcare access, quality, and costs have been vocally addressed. This is because of the growing concerns by the consumers of these services. A number of scholars have conducted research on the effectiveness of health care programs. They have also looked on how these programs can be improved. However, as this happens, the issue of awareness and acknowledgement of quality healthcare as an essential aspect of life has received less attention. The article titled "Social marketing in healthcare" by Aras (2011) addresses this concern as shown in this study.

Review of the Article

The article advances the importance of social marketing in healthcare. For effective delivery of healthcare services, Aras (2011) indicates that a background of social market is necessary. The article further suggests that the success of any healthcare program is dependent on the participation level of the consumers. According to the author, the principles of social marketing are indispensable in the process in order for healthcare providers and policy makers to design and implement efficient healthcare programs (Leslie, 2004).

The article reviews other literatures in projecting the benefits of embracing social marketing in healthcare. Various research studies were conducted to establish the necessity of social marketing in the healthcare field. The results captured in the article found social marketing as a crucial aspect in designing healthcare programs; it aids the selection of the right product vis-a-vis the healthcare needs of the community. It also aids the right healthcare program at the right place (positioning). Social marketing helps the healthcare providers and policy makers to develop the right strategy of promotion of the given healthcare program. Finally, social marketing assists the healthcare providers to develop the right price for the healthcare products and services offered by the program, which makes these programs effective and sustainable.

The article suggest that the right products have to be selected using the right promotional strategy and at the right price in order to attain satisfactory results. However, along with favorable factors such as institutional sustainability, financial sustainability and market sustainability social marketing will be a success. Thus, article ascertains the likelihood of effectiveness of the principles of social marketing and approaches towards the promotion of health. It further states that health care employees are required to respond and understand the desires of the public and realize their aspirations as they find a solution to the problems. Social marketing enhances the facilitation of relationships with consumers and ensures that their lives remain healthy though the optimization of public health (Leslie, 2004).

The article establishes the need to address the issues of product, price, promotion, and place in the delivery of healthcare programs; social marketing plays other roles in healthcare. These include ensuring that the institutional sustainability, financial sustainability, market sustainability of the healthcare programs is attained. The major findings of the article emphasize on the importance of healthcare workers to conduct social marketing through consumer research. This research will enable them understand and respond to the needs of the society. As a result, they will develop the best programs to attend to these needs. The last finding suggests that social marketing optimizes public health through building positive relations between consumers and healthcare workers and better health outcomes (Aras, 2011).

The key Points

The key points in the article include the need for health workers to use social marketing tools in conducting consumer research prior to developing and implementing healthcare programs. In this case, the article advances that healthcare workers needs to embrace social marketing as a tool in conducting consumer research. This is because it would aid the collection of valuable information. This information will be used in the implementation of the healthcare programs (Aras, 2011).

The article also emphasizes on the need for policymakers in healthcare conduct social marketing. The article advances that policymakers in healthcare should make policies and programs. These programs should address the real needs of consumers in question. In this case, the only way the real needs of the consumers may be known is through reaching out to them via social marketing research.

The other crucial aspect addressed is the need for the healthcare programs to address the real needs of the community, reflected through consumer research. The article opines that some of the existing healthcare programs have not been effective; they did not reflect the real case in the markets they were designed for use. The article shows that the development of healthcare programs based on informed views the healthcare needs of the people for such disparities to be reduced is essential (Leslie, 2004).

Finally, the article supports the need for health professionals to develop exemplary relations with the consumers of healthcare programs through social marketing. The author finds social marketing as an effective tool, which will build positive relations between healthcare workers and consumers of healthcare programs. On overall, the article argues that social marketing has a high potential of improving the quality, development, and implementation of healthcare programs (Aras, 2011).

In the area of benefits, the law covered here is that healthcare programs, without effective consumer research are null. The consumers benefits from healthcare programs, which address their real healthcare problems. The concepts presented in the article are paramount. I would only emphasize on the importance of developing a project of training healthcare workers on social marketing methodologies prior to their involvement in social marketing. The recommendation I would provide to an employer is that consumer research is necessary prior to the implementing any project involving the public.

Conclusion

On overall, the study has reviewed the article titled "Social marketing in healthcare," by Aras (2011). Evidently, the role of social marketing in the development of effective healthcare programs is principle. It is evident that the effectiveness in the development of healthcare programs depends on the effectiveness of the consumer research. The effectiveness in the process of conducting consumer research in this age is in social marketing. In essence, healthcare workers should conduct social research prior to developing healthcare programs.