The need for a social marketing perspective of consumerdriven health care

• Published in: International journal of pharmaceutical and healthcare marketing 2009-09, Vol.3 (3), p.236-257
• Main Authors: Marshall, Kimball P., Skiba, Michaeline, Paul, David P.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Consumers; Health insurance; Health services; Public health; Social marketing; United States of America
• ISSN: 1750-6123
• DOI: 10.1108/17506120910989660

Purpose Consumerdriven health care CDHC has been proposed to reduce the USA health care costs through greater free market economic exposure. The purpose of this paper is to review the USA health care system, insurance plans, and CDHC plan elements and assumptions regarding patients, service providers, and insurers, in order to identify research and social marketing needs of CDHC. Designmethodologyapproach The paper is an assessment of literature from academic and practitioner communities. Findings Social marketing programs can contribute to preparing consumers and practitioners for CDHC. However, the degree to which CDHC can reduce health care costs is uncertain. More research is needed comparing CDHC plans with traditional plans and comparing CDHC enrollees with enrollees in other types of plans to determine the true benefits and costs of CDHC and to identify consumers' information needs. Research is needed into how to gather and provide understandable health care provider quality and costeffectiveness information, and into how current insurers can help consumers make effective CDHC decisions. Research is needed as to how CDHC is perceived by consumers, providers, and insurers, and the use of CDHC reimbursement accounts and their effect on behavior and costs. Research is also needed into which decisions can be made by consumers without specialized professional knowledge. Provider research is needed into outcome risk adjustments, how practitioners view CDHC, how willing practitioners are to participate in a more openfree market, and how CDHC may affect professional practices. Originalityvalue Insights gained from this paper can contribute to social marketing program designs needed for practitioner and consumer acceptance and effective use of CDHC.