Image of hospitals and image improvement: A research for finding out the image of hospital in public opinion and image improvement

The increase in importance attached to health by individuals, the spread of demand in high quality health care services and the trend of preference of the most suitable among hospitals when in need of health services have led to competition between hospitals. Upon the increase in competition, image formation attempts have gained significance. The general definition of image can be given as the sum of all views concerning a person, enterprise or situation. Today the concept of "hospital image" has become closely related to the management and marketing strategies of hospitals due to its role in the differentiation of a hospital from its competitors, the maintenance of mutual communication between the public and hospitals and the formation of a strong hospital culture. In this study, the views of residents of the central districts of Ankara concerning hospitals, the factors which define the image of a hospital and the method of forming a positive hospital image have been investigated. This study was carried out by means of a questionnaire replied by 575 people. According to results maintained, the most successful hospitals of the questionnaire are as follows, respectively; Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Private Bayındır Ankara Hospital and Ankara Numune Education and Research Hospital. The main reasons leading to the preference of these hospitals by individuals are the employment of successful doctors, the adaptation of scientific and technological developments by hospitals, the utilization of modern equipment and technology by hospitals and regular cleaning of hospitals. According to obtained results the hospitals recalled by people in the first place are as follows; Ankara Numune Education and Research Hospital, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine and SSK. TheIV underlying reasons of the preference of these hospitals are high quality health care services and popularity. The most effective factor in the choice of hospitals by individuals in case of health problems is the type of social assurance. With regard to the type of social assurance, the most preferred hospitals are as follows, respectively: Ankara Numune Education and Research Hospital, SSK Ankara Hospital and Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine. According to the results of the study, the main points which disturb people in hospitals are long patient rows, the complexity of treatment processes, insufficient information of patients by doctors and hospital personnel and negative attitude of hospital personnel. Hospitals can form a positive public image by means of increase in interest shown to patients, priority of patient satisfaction, simplification of bureaucratic processes in hospitals, presentation of high quality health services by high quality doctors and personnel, regular physical cleaning of hospitals and adaptation of scientific and technological developments.