General Product Information
The selected health care product in this case is the maternity and neonatal service as a product. Maternity and neonatal is a product that focuses on providing maternity care to pregnant mothers which include child delivery process and taking care of the newborn child. This product focuses on ensuring positive birth experience for the mother, families and babies by ensuring proper labor management and quality deliver care (France & Grover, 1992). Most health care organizations with this product offer clinicians with an innovative instrument which promote improved communication and promote safety measures for the peace of mind of every maternity and neonatal service receiver.
The maternity and neonatal product will be marketed using various means which include the use of social media, the use of billboards and by use of professional networks. The marketing plan will involve identifying maternity and neonatal facilities and services that are supreme to the company compared to other healthcare organization offering this service. One identified, they should be used to persuade the public into considering its services. The aspect of efficiency should also be demonstrated by showing how the department protects the life of both the mother and the child even in critical condition, enhancing patient satisfaction. The marketing department will use the social media to market its extensive facility, quality services and informing the public on its fair cost among other benefits that one can enjoy. The company should also establish professional network with other surrounding small health care facility which are less equipped to ensure that they refer the patients that needs extra care to the company’s maternity and neonatal department. Developing a detailed website providing more details about the productis another marketing strategy that can be used to market the product. The site should allow forsubmission of customers email address and hence using email to inform them about any interesting changes in the company (Racine, Loos&Illes, 2007). Most health care organizations with this product currently has different marketing strategies that include the use of billboard basically focuses on stating the available units in the department which ensure quality of care even in complicated birth and available evidence based labor pain management strategies. National media was also used to inform the public of any new development in the company (Keila, 2009).
The value of this product is to reduce maternal and infant mortality rate by focusing on promoting health and wellbeing of its mother and the baby before, during, and after birth. The product also promotes quality care and safety to the mother and the child. It also gives extensive range of pain management in labor to promote safe normal child deliver and to reduce induction or caesarian section delivery.
Consumers
The customers’ access to this product can be determined by a number of factors that include insurance provision. Those with insurance cover are highly likely to access this service compared to those without. Another factor is cultural aspect. Some cultures still believe in midwife services and thus, they do not find this product necessary to them even when expecting a child. The decision to access this product will be determine by individual perception of maternity services and quality of care intended to be received for both the mother and the child. Mothers who experience complications in their previous birth are likely to consider an organization with advance maternity and neonatal facility. Also mothers opting for C-section or induced birth and those that are well conversant with the advantage of being in a maternity facility with improved services. Thus, maternity health literacy level may determine the option for access.
Basically the product will only be relevant to pregnant mothers waiting for delivery. The only major competitor is the midwife services which are mostly opted due to culture and lack of knowledge on dangers involved in traditional child delivery method. Thus only those mothers who belief in healthcare services advantages will consider taking the service. This will make our marketing strategy to focus more on educating mothers on importance of receiving maternity services in a health care facility that effectively equipped with necessary units in delivery care and neonatal care.
There is extensive information regarding fetus growth and prenatal care that a mother needs to ensure for the safety of the baby. However, most of them end at guiding mothers on signs in which should make them prepare for deliver and maybe visit the delivery center. Nevertheless, most of the available information does not caution mothers on possible complications that can be life threatening to both the mother and the child. Although some signs are visible, others may require scanning to be visible. Thus it is important for pregnant women to seek maternity services during child birth. Lack of sufficient information on importance of seeking healthcare services has cost life of many mothers and children. Thus, it is important for consumer to seek pre-consultation from the trained midwives before the delivery day is due. Getting the pregnancy progress analysis and report, and seeking proper guidance for an authorized source will assist in enhancing proper care in delivery. The gynecologist and a midwife should give the direction on any needed medication during delivery which the physician should provide as instructed by their prescription.
Impact of Outside Agencies
The American government new Affordable Care Act provides health insurance coverage for childbirth and pregnancy. This include Medicaid that overs its beneficiaries even for maternity services and provision for private company coverage for childbirth and later inclusion of the born child. This assist in reducing the maternity cost and hence encouraging more people including the poor covered by Medicaid to consider to seek for maternity services in recognized health institutions.
Impact of Regulations
Maternity was not initially covered by healthcare insurance companies in the US. However, the 2010 Affordable care Act promoted the inclusion of maternity services in the insurance cover. This has increased the number of people seeking prenatal, delivery and postnatal services in the country (Healthcare.gov, n.d.). The reforms therefore increase the number of the targeted audience since the cost issue in the maternity service has been eliminated. The care reforms will increase the market extensibility where the marking process can focus on all child bearing age women, irrespective of their financial status since those who cannot manage to pay for private cover are probably covered through Medicaid.
Anticipating Changing Market
The provision of maternity healthcare insurance increases the number of people who consider seeking maternity health services and antenatal care in the US. The number is anticipated to keep of increasing as more people get educated on the important of maternity care in credible healthcare organization. This is also expected to increase as people become less attached to their old cultural practices and embrace civilization. The maternity and neonatal services will be ensured to be relevant to the consumer by ensuring that any institution providing these services ensures high quality services and high level of safety. The maternity services should focus on reducing maternal and fetus mortality. This will be ensured by proper equipment of the maternity facilities with surgical units, proper scanning machinery, and well equipped nursery with all facilities, and right professionals to care for both mother and the child, and adoption of evidence based practices in maternity and neonatal services (Keila, 2009).
Importance of Market Strategy
All the addressed factors will be important in my marketing strategies since they indicate the situation on the ground and thus giving the basis for establishing the best marketing strategy to persuade the targeted customers. Knowing the government influence, the aspect that hinders the product use by the targeted audience and understanding possible alternative will guide the marketer in defining the best strategies to use in the market to be able to win over the competitor. It also guides in defining the best method marketing strategies to attain the marketing target.
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