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Studies and Scientific Researches. Economics Edition, No 31, 2020 http://sceco.ub.ro 

79 
 

 
 

SOME ELEMENTS OF SPECIFICITY OF THE MARKETING 
IN THE HEALTHCARE FIELD 

 
Laura Cătălina Ţimiraş 

University “Vasile Alecsandri” of Bacau,  
timiras.laura@ub.ro  

 
 
Abstract  
The present paper aims to present some of the specific aspects of marketing in the healthcare 
field (with strict reference to the products intended for human consumption), in relation to other 
fields. After a presentation of the fields of marketing applicability in the healthcare, a series of 
specific elements are presented regarding the nature of the motivations underlying the decision 
to consume / use a medical product and the elements of appreciation of their value by the final 
consumers (patients), along with aspects regarding price, distribution and communication. In 
general, the specificity of the marketing activity is given by the category of products targeted - 
ideas, tangible goods / services intended for the consumer market, products intended for the 
business markets, which print certain particularities as appropriate: social marketing, marketing 
of consumer goods, the marketing of services or business-to-business marketing, as well as the 
specific needs that these products address, the role of the prescribers in manifesting this behavior 
or the regulations in the field that aim to protect public health. 
 
Keywords 
healthcare marketing; medical products; customer value; purchase motivation; price; 
communication; distribution   
 
JEL Classification 
M31; I12; I18 
 
 
 
Introduction 
The marketing of healthcare products for human consumption (especially those 
distributed at the level of consumer markets) has multiple particularities compared to 
other fields of application, a fact determined by the specific needs which they address, 
by the role of the prescribers, by the regulations in the field that have the purpose of 
protecting public health etc. Referring to the differences between marketing in the 
healthcare field in relation to other fields of application of marketing Crié, D., Chebat, 
J.C. (2013) stated that patient is not a regular consumer, and the rationalities of the 
actors and the functioning of the markets differ from many points of view. 
Based on information presented in the marketing literature, this paper aims to present 
some of the specific elements of marketing in the health-related field, referring to 
medical services and tangible products (prescription drugs, OTC - medicines can be 
purchased without a prescription, medical devices, equipment etc.). 
 
Categories of products in the healthcare field 
At the market level, medical products can be found in a variety of forms. For example, 
referring to the product offered by non-governmental organizations whose purpose is 
to defend and promote the rights of patients with various conditions, this will be 
represented by all the ideas for which the respective organization militates in the 
direction of increasing the public's adherence to those ideas; the products offered by a 



SOME ELEMENTS OF SPECIFICITY OF THE MARKETING IN THE HEALTHCARE FIELD 

80 
 

clinic are materialized in all the consulting services offered, medical investigations, etc. 
possibly offered by certain doctors / personalities in the medical field, as well as the 
conditions / environment in which these services are provided, respectively the 
characteristics of the equipment used etc.; the product offered by a spa complex will 
consist of all the consultations and recovery services offered, the hotel services and the 
public catering, including even the natural and anthropic resources of the spa resort 
where the complex is located and which the clients can benefit from; the product offered 
by a manufacturer of medicines and medical devices constitutes the totality of the 
medicines and devices manufactured; the product offered by a company whose activity 
is the physical distribution of medical equipment is represented by all the transport, 
storage, handling services, etc. as well as advice, assistance in use, etc. that the 
respective organization offers. 
 
 
Applicability of marketing in the healthcare field 
Due to the diverse nature of the healthcare products and the heterogeneity of the 
operators in this field, the importance of health for the population, the way of 
conducting transactions, etc. the applicability of marketing in the field of healthcare 
knows a multitude of valences. In fact, the use of social marketing to promote socially 
beneficial behavior change in the public health field has increased. (Grier, S., Bryant, 
C.A., 2005). Thus, the marketing activities carried out in the healthcare field can be 
included in the: social marketing, services marketing, consumer goods or business to 
business to marketing; each of the marketing specializations listed with multiple 
features that operators in the respective markets must take into account. 
According to Brătucu G. (2003) marketing in the field of healthcare or "healthcare 
marketing" is a component of social marketing that seeks to raise awareness among the 
general public about the danger of spreading different diseases, promoting "health" 
through health education and reducing the number of illnesses. The actions specific to 
the healthcare marketing target both the healthy and the sick, being differentiated 
strategies of action for each of the two categories of public. A separate category of 
strategies are the "demarketing strategies" that are used for products such as alcohol, 
tobacco, drugs whose consumption can affect the health of the population, in order to 
counteract the actions of the organizations that promote them and to reduce / eliminate 
the consumption as appropriate. them. Healthcare marketing actions are generally 
practiced by private organizations for philanthropic, cultural or charitable purposes, as 
well as public administration bodies, the challenges faced by the initiators of health 
campaigns being (according to Randolph, W., Viswanath, K. , 2004) those to attract the 
attention of the targeted public in the context of the multitude of messages at which 
they are exposed at all times, as well as to find those motivations able to change 
behaviors (with an impact on the state of health) often rooted or, as the case may be, to 
determine new habits, sometimes difficult to adopt. 
Regarding the marketing activities aimed at the medical services (offered in hospitals, 
clinics, individual medical offices, etc.) they fall within the scope of service marketing, 
the medical service providers following through the marketing actions undertaken to 
increase the customer value of the services offered and to satisfy the expectations of the 
clients. / patients. So, referring to a hospital, Kotler (1998) specified that ”a marketing-
minded person will want to know where the patients come from, why they appeared at 
this particular hospital, and how they feel about the hospital care and services”. The 
application of marketing in medical services has intensified with increasing 
competition between healthcare providers and with the growing awareness regarding 
the role of patient satisfaction for the development of the organization and, implicitly, 
in achieving a distinctive competency as Wagner et al (1994) suggested: ”building 
relationship with patients is critical to the success of many health care organizations”. 

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Also, the marketing activities carried out by the operators in the markets of equipment, 
devices, medical supplies and pharmaceuticals fall within the sphere of business to 
business marketing or, as the case may be, the marketing of consumer goods depending 
on the consumer / end-user - organization (hospitals, clinics, medical offices, etc.) or 
individual (as a patient) to whom they are addressed. As in the case of the medical 
services market, the increase of the number of operators and the intensification of the 
competition required the companies to increase the customer value of the offered 
products in order to increase the level of satisfaction of the consumer / user and thus to 
maintain / develop at the reference market level. 
 
Some specific elements about customer value and motivation behind the decision 
of consumption / use of medical products  
Referring to the medical products and considering that in the concept of marketing a 
product exists only by reference to a certain market, its specific elements are presented 
by reference to the final consumer; differences from this point of view, notably existing 
at the level of the consumer markets and, to a lesser extent, the business ones. 
In marketing terminology, the customer value of the products refers to the difference 
between the perceived utility and the perceived cost (Boier, 2006), the subjective 
elements predominating in the appreciation of the value in the case of most products, 
and the motivation behind the purchase decision is often an emotional one. In this 
context, at the level of consumer markets, in the design and development of new 
products an essential role is played by the research of the psychological motivations of 
consumers. However, referring to the medical products precisely because of the need 
to which they are addressed (the consumer will consume / use a medical product in 
general only if the state of health requires it), the motivation underlying the decision of 
consumption / use is rational and not emotional, and, often, it does not belong to the 
final consumer (but to the prescriber: doctor, pharmacist). Thus, at this market level the 
process of developing new products is predominantly the result of the research - 
innovation approach in research laboratories and to a lesser extent the research on 
consumer motivations. On the other hand, the rational motivation underlying the 
consumption / use of a certain medical product, concerns the category and not the 
product / service itself (product brand). For example, the decision to go to the doctor is 
triggered by objective causes, but the doctor / clinic chosen can be based on subjective 
elements (prestige of the medical staff, the environment etc.). Similarly, the 
administration of a certain drug (referring to its active substance) may have a rational 
motivation, but the product (brand) may be based on subjective factors (brand 
awareness, previous favorable experience / brand confidence, appreciation of product 
presentation etc.); this applies both to OTC (when the decision may belong to both the 
prescriber and the patient) and even to prescription drugs (in which case the decision 
belongs exclusively to the doctor). Therefore, in close relation to the aspects presented, 
the role that emotional, subjective aspects can play in customer value 
assessment (perceived utility vs. perceived costs) should not be excluded, though, 
compared to a wide range of other consumer products, the objective elements are 
important in the appreciation of value by consumers. For example, referring to the value 
perceived by the patient of a medical consultation, its usefulness can be appreciated 
both on the basis of functional benefits (the efficiency of the treatment prescribed for 
the medical problem in question), but also emotional (confidence given by the prestige 
of the clinic, the feelings of satisfaction generated by the behavior of the medical staff). 
On the other hand, the cost charged is given both by the price of the consultation, the 
expenses related to the transport, other expenses occasioned by the consultation, 
respectively expenses generated by the return to control etc., as well as by other 
"expenses" not quantified in money: feelings of frustration , anxiety etc. (generated, for 
example, by the lack of respecting of the scheduling time or by the inappropriate 



SOME ELEMENTS OF SPECIFICITY OF THE MARKETING IN THE HEALTHCARE FIELD 

82 
 

behavior of the reception staff, etc.). Similarly, taking the case of a drug, its usefulness 
is given, on the one hand, by the efficiency in treating the diseases to which it is 
addressed, by the possible minimal adverse effects, etc. (useful in a functional nature), 
but also the confidence in the manufacturer, appreciation of the way the product is 
presented, etc. (emotionally useful); and the cost of this will be given both by the price 
of the product, as well as by other expenses occasioned by the purchase of the product, 
by the price of any recommended products to be administered together for the reduction 
of adverse effects etc., but also by feelings of anxiety generated by the administration 
of the product, for example. 
In the context presented, and with increasing competition and reaching the maturity by 
the markets, when the differentiation between products is increasingly difficult to 
achieve, the different operators at the market level place a greater emphasis on the 
emotional benefits. For example, taking the case of medical services, differentiating 
between providers based on the functional characteristics of the services offered 
(specialties, categories of investigations, technical characteristics / performances of the 
used equipment, staff training level, tariffs, etc.) is increasingly difficult to achieve, 
case in which the medical operators place a special emphasis on the emotional benefits: 
the comfort given by the pleasant environment in which the medical services are 
provided - furniture, arrangement, cleaning etc., appropriate signage (reffering to 
hospital services), Vigolo, V., Bonfanti, A.,Sallaku, R., Douglas, J., 2020, specifing 
that ”signage has a positive and significant effect on satisfaction”) etc., diminishing 
anxiety and increasing the confidence in the services offered by the way the staff 
interact with the patient, his / her level of involvement, discretion, accessible manner 
in which all the necessary / requested information and explanations are provided; / 
explanations received during the period of progress etc. Thus, referring to the role of 
communication between the doctor and the patient in the assessment of the medical act, 
Alicja, L.F. (2018) appreciate that the meetings and discussions between the two 
directly influence the effectiveness of the healthcare received by the patient, generally 
the patients giving greater importance to the personal characteristics and 
communication skills of the doctor than the professional competences required. 
The same author Alicja, L.F. (2018), using information from the specialized literature 
(Nowina Konopka M., 2016 and Wróblewska I., Steciwko A., 2013), indicates the 
factors that she considers essential in the communication of the doctor-patient: focus 
on the patient and not on the problem; the involvement of the doctor in relation to the 
patient; the physician's behavior as a humanitarian professional, manifesting empathy; 
treating the patient with respect; adopting the role of "patient teacher"; maintaining the 
connection and listening to what the patient says. 
Even at the level of the medical equipment market, a market that presents the 
characteristics of the business market, the evaluation of the products being carried out 
mainly according to objective criteria (the technical characteristics of the products), we 
do not exclude the role of the subjective, emotional elements in the differentiation of 
the products and, implicitly, in the decision to buy. For example, in the case of two 
similar medical equipment in terms of the technical characteristics and the price, the 
confidence given by the manufacturer's prestige, the (perceived) ease of use of the 
equipment, or, as the case may be, a more efficient communication with the supplier 
can make the difference. 
Beyond the elements underlying the appreciation of the customer value of different 
products and, implicitly, the decision to purchase, it should be mentioned that for a 
significant part of the medical products, the regulations in the field limit the freedom of 
choice of the consumers (as for example, the medicines delivered on prescription (Crié, 
D., Chebat, J.C., 2013), which is a peculiarity of the market for these products. 
 
 

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Some specific elements about marketing communication regarding medical 
products  
In terms of communication, it has many particularities compared to other categories of 
goods resulting from the legislation in force, as well as the specificity of the purchasing 
decision process. 
Referring to the legislation, there are multiple provisions that refer to medicines. Thus, 
at community level, Directive 2001/83/EC of The European Parliament and of The 
Council of 6 November 2001 on the Community code relating to medicinal products 
for human use and the subsequent amendments, regulates the advertising of medicinal 
products for human use, by advertising understanding “any form of door-to-door 
information, canvassing activity or inducement designed to promote the prescription, 
supply, sale or consumption of medicinal products; it shall include in particular: the 
advertising of medicinal products to the general public, advertising of medicinal 
products to persons qualified to prescribe or supply them, visits by medical sales 
representatives to persons qualified to prescribe medicinal products, the supply of 
samples, the provision of inducements to prescribe or supply medicinal products by the 
gift, offer or promise of any benefit or bonus, whether in money or in kind, except when 
their intrinsic value is minimal, sponsorship of promotional meetings attended by 
persons qualified to prescribe or supply medicinal products, sponsorship of scientific 
congresses attended by persons qualified to prescribe or supply medicinal products and 
in particular payment of their travelling and accommodation expenses in connection 
therewith” 
According to this document, any advertising for a medicinal product for which a 
marketing authorization has not been granted is forbidden. Advertising should 
encourage the rational use of the drug, by its objective presentation, without 
exaggerating its therapeutic qualities and without misleading. 
Advertising for the general public and for the professionals in the field, is subject to 
different provisions. Referring to advertising for the general public, it is forbidden for 
drugs that are issued on prescription or those containing substances defined as 
psychotropic or narcotic. The information provided must comply with the information 
listed in the summary of product characteristics. The direct distribution of drugs to the 
public by the companies in the field for promotional purposes is also prohibited. 
Advertising intended for the general public must be designed so that the advertising 
character of the message is clearly visible, and the product clearly identified as a 
medicine; it must also contain the information necessary for the correct use of the 
medicine and an explicit and legible invitation to read carefully the instructions in the 
package leaflet or the outer packaging, as appropriate. Advertising for a drug intended 
for the general public should not contain any material that: gives the impression that a 
medical consultation or surgery is not required; to suggest that the effects of drug 
administration are guaranteed and are not accompanied by adverse reactions or are 
better or equivalent to those of another treatment or drug; to suggest that the health of 
the user may be improved by the administration of the drug or may be impaired if the 
drug is not administered (excluding vaccination campaigns); be intended exclusively 
or mainly for children; to refer to a recommendation of a recognized personality that 
could encourage drug use; could lead to misdiagnosis; to make claims about healing, in 
inappropriate terms, alarming or misleading, etc. 
In the case of advertising for professionals able to prescribe / deliver medicines, the 
advertising must contain essential information according to the summary of the product 
characteristics as well as the category in terms of how the product is delivered. The 
product samples can only be distributed to persons qualified to prescribe them, being 
accompanied by a copy of the summary of the product characteristics; 
The Directive also specifies the information to be found on the label of medicinal 
products. 

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/AUTO/?uri=celex:32001L0083
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According to the same document, the Member States must ensure the monitoring of 
advertising and they may also establish additional regulations in this area. 
In Romania, for example, the advertising of medicines for human use is monitored by 
the National Agency for Medicines and Medical Devices (NAMMD). According to 
Order no. 194/2015 regarding the approval of the Norms for the evaluation and 
endorsement of advertising for medicinal products for human use, all advertising 
materials intended for the general public / patients are, prior to being placed on the 
market, approved by the NAMMD. The same document specifies that advertising for 
the general public through social networks or mobile applications, as well as advertising 
information to the general public containing promotional offers or references to 
discounts, price reductions, special prices is prohibited. Also, outdoor advertising or 
any form of advertising presented on communication channels, other than pharmacies, 
medical offices, audiovisual field, print media, internet is prohibited. 
Beyond the conditions that must comply with, the communication for medical products 
must also take into account the particularities of the purchasing decision-making 
process. Thus, in the market of medical products intended for final consumers, they 
often do not coincide with the people who make the purchase decision, an essential role 
in this respect being the prescriber - doctor / pharmacist. Consequently, frequently on 
the market of medical products for final consumers, the target of communication is 
represented by the doctor / pharmacist (as their prescribers) and not the final consumer 
(the patient), in the context in which patients are not able in most situations to identify 
the product they need for a particular condition, as well as the fact that most of the 
products are released only based on the prescription issued by the doctor. The initiators 
of the communication process must take into account the particularities of the two 
categories of target audience, for the same product the communication from the 
perspective of the techniques used, the channels, respectively the messages may differ 
depending on the category of receivers. For example, taking the case of a new 
pharmaceutical product for the consumer market that can be purchased without a 
prescription, the communication may target both the patient and the prescriber. 
The communication addressed to patients will generally present the specific 
characteristics of the communication on the consumer market (in compliance with the 
regulations in force), between the techniques used, the advertising (through various 
channels: TV, radio, internet, etc.), having a privileged position. In terms of advertising, 
emotional and factual elements can be combined (considering the nature of the need to 
which the product is addressed and, implicitly, the fact that the decision to purchase the 
product category is based mainly on objective elements). The communication 
addressed to the prescribers will be realized mainly by means of the recommended 
techniques to be used in the business markets, respectively: sales forces, print 
advertising (the topic of communication, being a factual nature, indicating the product 
characteristics), events addressed to professionals in the field. 
 
Some specific elements about price of medical products  
Referring to the price of medical products, particularities compared to other markets 
are generated mainly as a result of the policy of clearing medicines and settlement of 
medical devices and services for patients. Thus, patients are rarely aware of the actual 
price / cost of the services they buy because they bear this cost only partially (Crié, D., 
Chebat, J.C., 2013). 
For example, referring to medicines, there are regulations in the EU regarding prices 
and reimbursements depending on their role and how they are used in the health system. 
In Romania, the prices of medicines that are issued on the basis of a medical 
prescription are regulated (their maximum prices are set), and the prices of the drugs 
that are issued without a medical prescription are freely set and modified (Norms 
regarding the calculation method and the approval procedure of the maximum prices of 



Laura Cătălina Ţimiraş 

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medicines for human use, 2017). Regarding the prices of medicines we mention the 
price difference between innovative (reference) and generic drugs. Thus, according to 
information provided by the Association of Manufacturers of Generic Medicines in 
Romania (2019), the prices of generic drugs are lower with values between 20% and 
90% compared to the prices of the reference drugs. Innovative or reference medicines 
are those which enjoy legal protection through the patent. Generic drugs represent the 
therapeutic equivalent of innovative drugs, having the same composition and can be 
produced after the expiration of their latter patents. The differences between the prices 
of the two categories of drugs are to some extent justified by the costs of production; 
the research and development expenses related to the innovative product generating this 
gap. 
Beyond the differences generated by the production costs (of which consumers are 
more or less aware), the higher prices of innovative (compared to generic) medicines 
represent an image of the brand / manufacturer's notoriety, consumer confidence in the 
respective products for which have a certain experience (generic drugs are produced 
after 10-15 years from the appearance of the reference medicine), to the entire 
communication system that accompanies the product on the market. Starting from the 
aspects presented, at the level of the pharmaceutical market the meaning of the term 
"generic" associated with a drug, should not be confused with the meaning of the notion 
of generic associated with the brand, according to the marketing concept. According to 
Vrânceanu, D. (2003), a generic brand is a brand that has lost its ability to differentiate 
the product from its competitors, having a common noun value. 
For the category of medical products in which prices are freely formed, they have the 
specific characteristics of the reference market - the consumer market or the business 
market. Thus, at the level of the business markets, the price is not, in general, a trigger 
element of the purchase decision (except in the case of standardized products, with 
identical terms and conditions of delivery), being practically outdated from the 
perspective of the importance in making the decision to buy the characteristics technical 
and functional products (Nichifor, 2012). In contrast, at the level of the consumer 
markets, the price is also an element of differentiation and segmentation of the market 
according to the criterion of income, higher revenues being generally associated with 
the orientation towards more expensive products, with a higher customer value from 
the perspective of the objective elements and, often subjective. On the other hand, the 
influence that the price level exerts on the purchase decision in the case of consumer 
markets is only valid for those products in which the consumer / patient does not benefit 
from compensations / settlements resulting from the available state or private insurance. 
 
Some specific elements about distribution of the medical products  
There are also strict rules regarding the distribution of medical products and services. 
Beyond these regulations, from a marketing perspective, the distribution presents the 
specific characteristics of the product category to which it refers - tangible goods / 
services intended for consumer markets, respectively, products intended for business 
markets. For example, referring to the medical services market, the distribution channel 
is generally a direct one, the provider (the doctor / medical staff) providing the patient 
service directly. It should be mentioned that the depth of the distribution channels may 
differ, depending on the nature of the medical services, these are generally provided 
within the medical units (located at a greater or lesser distance from the patient), but 
can also be provided at the patient's home. (the channel being thus very deep). In the 
market for goods for final consumers (medicines, medical devices, except for the very 
expensive ones and whose consumption is rare, as is the case, for example, so-called 
orphan drugs designed to treat rare diseases), the distribution is usually extensive one 
(the products are sold through a large number of pharmacies), aiming to be as close as 
possible to the place of consumption. Regarding the distribution of equipment of 



SOME ELEMENTS OF SPECIFICITY OF THE MARKETING IN THE HEALTHCARE FIELD 

86 
 

consumables etc. distribution to organizations (clinics, hospitals, individual medical 
offices) the distribution generally presents the characteristics of the distribution on the 
business market. Thus, in general, the products are marketed through short and small 
indirect channels; and when the product encompasses a high technological level, being 
therefore more complex, large and / or with a high unit value, it is marketed through 
direct channels (Nichifor, 2012). On the other hand, the standard products of small size 
and with a low or medium unit value are traded within the indirect distribution channels. 
 
 
Conclusions 
Medical products and services are found at the market level in a variety of forms, from 
communication campaigns aimed at promoting the health of the general public, to 
medical equipment incorporating a high technological level for organizations 
specialized in medical services, the product category in which they fall into (ideas, 
tangible goods / services for the consumer market, products for the business markets), 
printing the marketing activity with certain particularities as appropriate: social 
marketing, marketing of consumer goods, marketing of services or business to business 
marketing. Also, specific elements of the marketing activity regarding medical products 
result from the specific needs that these products address, with an impact on the 
consumer behavior as a whole, the role of the prescribers in manifesting this behavior, 
as well as from the regulations in the field that have the role of to protect the health of 
the population. 
 
 
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	The marketing of healthcare products for human consumption (especially those distributed at the level of consumer markets) has multiple particularities compared to other fields of application, a fact determined by the specific needs which they address...
	Based on information presented in the marketing literature, this paper aims to present some of the specific elements of marketing in the health-related field, referring to medical services and tangible products (prescription drugs, OTC - medicines can...