Community Medical Marketing: Making a Difference in Rural People's Lives

Community Medical Marketing: Making a Difference in Rural People's Lives

I've previously written about community marketing, but now Phul Kumari Mahato Memorial Hospital is moving ahead on a marketing plan that is very much commuunity based.

During the last few weeks, with the help of staff and medical interns, Phul Kumari Mahato Memorial Hospital (PKMMH) is moving forward with implementing our new marketing plan.  Included in this are our vision, People living in the Hospital catchment area have the ability and understanding to access excellent health care leading to  healthier lifestyles;  our mission, Create an environment such that people living within the Hospital catchment area use PKMMH as their first choice for health care and are treated with excellent customer care; and three objectives: 1) Develop and provide community services; 2) Provide excellent Hospital customer care; and 3) Create better communication both internally and externally.

Seeing beyond one's own experience isn't easy for any of us.  Something that might seem obvious to us or a black and white issue is never that way when it comes to other's perspectives.  Understanding data and how I might interpret this isn't necessarily soneone else's interpretation. 

When I think and talk about providing community medical services, person to person, as a venue for engaging the community and as the core of how PKMMH should be marketing, not everyone agrees. 

How can I be so positive that this is the path that we must take?  I know that literacy, based on the 2011 census in Siraha District where we are located, is only at 50%. From the census I also know that less than 36% of households own a radio or TV and a minute portion own a computer; however 56% own a mobile phone.  From five years of living overseas and a one year stint at the Lancaster, Pennsylvania Central Market, I know that relationships are what really counts, i.e. if one has developed trust and people listen they will use one's service.

Let's take a more in-depth look at what PKMMH stands for.  Although there are a number of health instituitions in the area, most of them do not offer the infrastructure and cleanliness that one can find at PKMMH.  We aren't perfect and have a ways to go, but we do offer the community a beautiful facility.  We want those we serve to have healthy lifestyles something which is simple to say but difficult to provide, primarily because the people we serve are not used to preventative health care.  One major issues is basic health awareness. 

As a charity hospital, while also a business, we want people to use PKMMH as their first choice when it comes to health care.  But this may not come through waiting for patients to come to use our medical infrastructure.  This only comes because people trust us, because somehow they feel that our medical services are better than our competitors.  Transportation is a major issue for many people, but if somehow we can provide excellent customer service, people will find a way to come. 

Providing a trusting institutional environment comes from lots of communication whether it is through newsletters and advertisements but even more through talking to others.  As I've written in previous articles, local markets or haat bazaars are regular places for the community to gather, a perfect environment for providing free dental and medical  screenings and going to the people.  Free medical/dental camps are another method for providing awareness about one's services.  A plethora of holidays adds to an environment of having a "captive audience" to market to. 

Treating people well when they come to the Hospital will also help us to differentiate ourselves from our competitors.  Basic training in customer care will be necessary for our staff to understand how every interaction makes a difference.  We have to show that we care about our community and that is why we are working at PKMMH.

Finally we must decrease communication gaps.  Often times people don't communicate enough leaving one with the impression that work is not being completed.  This must be lessened by providing accurate information both to our staff and the public.  This is a difficult task given the ability of misinformation to travel quickly.  This must be combatted through treating our employees well.  In communication battles they are the first line of defense. 

Community medical marketing is not the be all and end all approach.  More traditional forms of marketing through television, radio, social media all have their place.  But one must pay close attention to the audience, in this case, patients and their level of understanding in determining the modes of marketing which make the most sense.