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Barriers in Healthcare Marketing

HA575

The following questions focus on personal or professional observations of ten barriers in a diverse healthcare marketing environment. These barriers include environmental, communication, diversity, cultural, demographic factors, and global pandemics.
According to Marketing Health Services, Fourth Edition (Thomas, 2020), communication barriers like jargon and poor design can hinder healthcare. Additionally, environmental barriers related to socioeconomics and medical SEO are significant. Cultural barriers highlight the need for healthcare marketing to be authentic and relatable to its audience, as noted by “Bringing DEI to the forefront of healthcare marketing” (Martin, 2024). Inclusivity in community marketing efforts is another key aspect. The disparities exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic are also represented.
Accessibility in healthcare marketing is crucial for all consumers. The question aims to identify the accessibility improvements that individuals would like to see from their healthcare organizations. Another question addresses the communication barrier where the sharing of knowledge and information is lacking (Thomas, 2020). With the shift in healthcare marketing towards more preventative services, it is essential to evaluate how well this change has been communicated (Thomas, 2020). Trust is a significant barrier when accessing online health information, and consumers must verify the validity of the information they encounter. The final question addresses this trust barrier.
1.Communication barriers – Have you ever found a healthcare brochure difficult to understand?
2.Environmental barriers – Have you ever felt that socioeconomic factors prevented you from finding reliable healthcare information online?
3.Cultural barriers – Have you ever noticed healthcare ads featuring models that look too staged or ads that are excessively focused on specific cultural themes?
4.Diversity barriers – Have you ever watched a commercial for a healthcare product or service that left you feeling confused or frustrated?
5.Demographic barriers – Have you ever been invited to a town hall or community healthcare event specifically designed for a younger audience?
6.Global pandemic – How satisfied are you with the communication from healthcare providers about COVID-19 safety measures?
7.Accessibility barriers – What steps would you like your preferred healthcare organization to take to enhance access to care services?
8.Communication barriers - Have you ever watched a healthcare commercial that motivated you to take a more active role in your care but left you wondering how to get started?
9.As a healthcare consumer, have you observed a decline in discussions about extreme treatments over the past few years?
10.Trust barrier – As a healthcare consumer, how frequently do you use the internet to search for health information, and do you trust the credibility of the information you find online?