Competitive Advantage in Healthcare System

Competitive advantage is a business strategy where companies find ways to differentiate themselves from their competitors in effort to attract more business. Service-based industries, such as health care, use competitive advantage strategies to gain an elevated position in the field.
In every area of our economy, when people compete for your business, consumers win. Prices drop and quality improves. And now there's good news: A little competition has begun to improve health care. There are some doctors' waiting rooms in America that are elegant … and open on Saturdays. Some doctors even take e-mail from patients and give out their cell phone numbers (N.C. Smith, et al. 2005).
Of course, those doctors usually work in fields that insurance rarely covers, like laser eye surgery and cosmetic surgery.
STRATEGY
The health care industry is competitive. Doctors compete for patients and hospitals compete for funding. The ultimate goal is to attract customers and make a profit. With all the industry competition, health care professionals are looking for ways to enhance their competition and give themselves a leading edge.

SERVICES
Health care entities can gain competitive advantage based on the services they provide. Faster services, such as same-day results for lab work or X-rays are appealing to patients. Offering free consultations is another way to gain patient popularity.
COST
One way health care companies achieve competitive advantage is by lowering the price of their services. If patients can save money and still receive the same level of care, then they will be more inclined to do business with the organization that is giving them a financial break.

WORKFORCE
Health care companies are competitive about the medical professionals who work for them. A hospital that employees a world renowned surgeon, for example,