AHS Utilizes Strong Strategic Planning Services to Tame the Healthcare Advertising Beast

Advertising is everywhere and that is no secret. Yankelovich Inc., a reputable U.S. market research firm, recently reported that a single American is exposed to an estimated 5,000 ads each day (www.adbusters.org). While this figure seems staggering and nearly impossible, take a moment to consider how many advertising mediums exist today. When all of the billboards, TV commercials, radio spots, posters, newspaper inserts, storefront promos, magazine ads, web banners, spam emails, product placements, sponsorship logos, and so on are calculated, the number does not seem that far fetched after all. Advertising is a multi-billion dollar a year industry in the United States. With healthcare and pharmaceutical companies contributing significantly to the mass of messages being broadcast, the general public is absorbing much more medical knowledge than ever before. Therefore, it is critical to understand what role advertising plays in the way that products and services are being delivered to more informed consumers. American Healthcare Solutions is aware of the impact that medical advertising can have on the patient population. As a result, the AHS Strategic Planning services line is designed to guide healthcare organizations through the challenges that advertising, and other outside elements, can yield.

Whether they are aware of it or not, patients are in some way swayed by the advertisements they see. Healthcare ads can be a double edged sword, creating both opportunities and threats in the messages they carry. On the positive side, these ads can provide valuable information that helps to increase the general awareness of many prominent diseases and illnesses. Advertisements can empower patients to take immediate action and seek medical consult for symptoms that they may be experiencing. This can lead to screening, early detection, and effective treatment.

At the same time however, when ads motivate patients to make their own healthcare decisions, the outcome can be very negative. People may begin to believe that they know more than the professionals and challenge their knowledge of a specific medical topic. When patients are convinced that they require a certain medication because of an advertisement they saw, it is hard for physicians to counsel them otherwise. Ads can promote thoughts of need/want for a certain drug or treatment without any physical evidence to warrant it. When quick fixes to disorders such as insomnia or depression become main stream, patients look to get on board even if, in reality, they are only following a “fad” the media has created. The bottom line is that healthcare providers need to be aware of what information is circulating and how to deal with the demands of an evolving market.

American Healthcare Solutions Strategic Planning services offer a great deal of insight into the specific markets our clients serve. Through extensive analysis, trending, and forecasting, we are able to evaluate what is happening now and determine future direction. We develop and facilitate a customized process that clearly defines goals and the mechanisms through which they can be achieved. Our team of experts profile internal strengths and weaknesses, assesses an organization’s unique culture, and takes into account any environmental constraints. We work with, not for, our clients to build a plan that will have the most advantageous results.

Advertising is here to stay and healthcare providers need to take action in order to remain current. With the prolific amount of information viewed by the public, it can be hard to determine what is relevant and what will fade. Updated or increased service lines will help to keep hospitals competitive as new demands unfold. A strong strategic plan can help by creating a clearer vision of what the patient population is being exposed to now and what their actual medical needs may be in the future.

Contact us directly (http://www.americanhs.com) for more information on Strategic Planning or any of American Healthcare Solutions other services.


About American Healthcare Solutions
American Healthcare Solutions is a health care consulting firm singularly focused on the business of hospitals and healthcare organizations. We help our clients improve financial performance, enhance competitive position, and achieve the most productive organizational alignment among medical staff, management, and trustees to optimize overall performance.