Elements of the Hospital Marketing Mix: A Qualitative Study

Introduction and purpose: The health system is one of the most extensive and productive service delivery systems in Iran and worldwide. Utilizing marketing science and specialized tools, such as the marketing mix, can play a significant role in marketing and managing the opportunities and challenges faced by health organizations. The present study explained and implemented the marketing mix in hospitals. Methods: This qualitative study was conducted in the autumn of 2021 using content analysis inspired by the analytic steps of Graneheim and Lundman. The statistical population included experts and key individuals from health organizations in the field of hospitals in Mazandaran province, Iran. The participants were selected using purposive and snowball sampling. In addition, semi-structured interviews were carried out to collect data until data saturation was reached after 27 interviews. Results: This study included 16 (59.2%) male and 11 (40.8%) female participants. The average interview duration was 35 min. The qualitative results were extracted and categorized into two main categories, intangible and tangible assets, and eight subcategories, including price, service, promotion, process, brand, Place, physical evidence, and people. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that the marketing mix in hospital service is a scientific and practical guide for improving the financial and organizational performance of the hospital. This marketing model can play an efficient and effective role in enhancing hospital coordination and management.