A study on marketing decisions and strategies of hospitals: Sample of private hospitals

This study was conducted to determine the perceptions of managers working in private hospitals about the decisions they make regarding marketing strategies, to evaluate their opinions about the competitive advantage by the marketing strategies they prefer, and to determine how marketing mix elements are adopted and implemented within the hospitals. In the study, the opinions of senior managers in private hospitals in Izmir who agreed to be interviewed were used and evaluated. The population of the research consists of 22 private hospitals and 50% of the population has been reached. According to the findings all hospitals within the scope of the research have a marketing unit, with different titles. Patient satisfaction is considered first and foremost as it is thought to increase preferability in institutions. In terms of target audience, particular importance is given to the foreign market. Among the promotion element, advertising has been determined as the most preferred tool. Social media has become the most prominent tool.. Social media analyzes are carried out professionally by both internal and external analysts. Hospital managers work with a team of experts on social media, or hospitals have a social media unit separate from the marketing unit. When making marketing decisions in health services, the target audience, current conditions, institutional infrastructure and competencies, and patient needs must be well known. It is very important for hospital managers to constantly improve these issues. Key Words: Healthcare Marketing, Marketing Mix Elements, Private Hospital