Discussion: Market Segments of Health Care Organizations

Market segments help organizations determine how to appropriately market products and services to consumers. For example, consider baby aspirin. This product is used by pediatric patients for pain relief and by older adults for the prevention of heart conditions. The plan for marketing baby aspirin would vary depending on the market segment, particularly in relation to communication techniques. Techniques used with parents of young pediatric patients would likely differ from those used with older adults. Communication, whether written or oral, is a key element of marketing. For this Discussion, you examine the impact of market segments on health care marketing.

To prepare:

• Scan current health care delivery systems in your local community and select a health care organization. Consider that you have been hired by this organization’s board of directors to develop a new segmentation service.
• Identify market-based segments of the health care organization you selected.

By Day 3

Post an executive summary that addresses the following:

Describe market-based segments of the health care organization you selected. Include demographic characteristics of segmented consumers that influence buying behaviors of the market. Then, analyze how the organization is responding to these market segments. Finally, evaluate the impact of these market segments and consumers on the future of the organization’s market. Support your response by identifying and explaining key points and/or examples presented in the Learning Resources.

Discussion: Ethical Considerations of Health Care Marketing Research

When conducting market research, health care organizations use a variety of methods to collect and report data. From how this data is collected to who collects it, when they collect it, and how they report it, it is essential for organizations to establish ethical standards for the research process. For this Discussion, you examine ethics in market research and recommend strategies to address unethical behaviors.

To prepare:

• Select a data collection or reporting method used in health care marketing research and reflect on related ethical considerations.

By Day 3

Post a cohesive response to the following:

Analyze ethical considerations for the data collection or reporting method you selected. Then, recommend strategies to address unethical behaviors that may occur when using this method in health care marketing research. Defend or argue your recommendations. Support your response by identifying and explaining key points and/or examples presented in the Learning Resources.