Marketing by High End Private Hospitals in Bangalore City - Changing Landscape

Abstract

Background: Marketing is becoming increasingly important for private hospitals due to rising investments in infrastructure, advanced technology, specialized manpower and increasing competition. At the same time, healthcare carries a social service obligation, raising ethical concerns regarding commercialization.

Objectives: To study the marketing practices adopted by high-end private hospitals in Bangalore and to examine the ethical issues associated with hospital marketing.

Methods: A descriptive study using both primary and secondary data. Primary data were collected through in-depth interviews with marketing professionals in high-end hospitals, an office bearer of the Indian Medical Association and an ex-McKinsey consultant who worked in the healthcare sector. Secondary data included newspaper articles and medical journals. The study was limited to multispecialty tertiary/quaternary care private hospitals in Bangalore.