The Study Of Social Marketing Policy For Chinese Private Eye Hospitals

Even after more than 10 years of development, private hospitals still only play a very limit role in the market of health care in China and the main reason lies on the lack of liability of patients for the weakness of branding. On one hand, the hospitals must undertake the social responsibility of disease control, treatment and prevention as public service organizations. On the other hand, private organizations must consider its goal of pursuing profit. In this situation the private hospitals must combine social responsibility and profit gaining by applying the theory of social marketing to develop its brand. Private hospitals of western countries had begun to apply the methods of social marketing to explore market since the end of last century. This thesis introduced the social marketing theories to private eye hospitals of China and discusses its methods in delivering eye care service to meet the needs of patients and gain more market space for the private hospitals.The thesis starts from identification of the main obstacles for the development of private eye hospitals in China and finds the problem lies on the weakness of branding and reputation. As result we conduct a development strategy and advice to strength the reputation and branding of private eye hospitals via social marketing activities to increase the patient volume and surgeries.This thesis also discusses the 4Ps (Product, Pricing, Place and Promotion) of health care service for private hospitals and adopt a policy of Social Marketing. The thesis suggests private hospitals to strength the advocacy, communication and advertisements to establish a preferable public attitude to them. From the points of social marketing, it's very important to cooperate with the reputed international NGOs or governmental organizations for the building of a reliable brand. The products are designed to cover the full range of category from basic free service to high level service. Free eye screening in community was considered as the most efficient way to extending the brand, find patients and send them to the hospitals. The private hospitals are required to provide excellence service to avoid the harm to its brand. As one of the topic of marketing, it will help the hospital to gain more patients as well as profit.