Marketing as an efficiency tool for health care institutions

Abstract

The importance of marketing in health care is increasing within the context of planned restructuring of health services in the Czech Republic and privatization of hospitals. While it is possible to apply marketing axioms even to this sphere, it is necessary to consider several specific features. Standard rules of supply and demand are difficult to apply to the market of health services. The main reason is that supply is determined by the number of medical facilities in given area, specific structure of these facilities, number of physicians, the options of medical treatment which are dependent on the equipment available, possibilities to perform certain medical interventions, but also by the general approach of the state, health insurance companies and the citizens towards health care. The aim of the paper is to present the results of research concerning the level of using marketing in health services within the Czech Republic and to determine essential areas of development of marketing management.