Market segmentation is a useful business tool to identity new and expanded ways to

improve services and enhance revenues. These tool identities unique subsets of the population to

target for specialized services and marketing initiatives.

Market Segmentation of Healthcare Organization

At Sentara the market is segmented into three major categories: demographic

characteristics, disease categories, and geographic location. The main focus is on demographic

segmentation which is aimed at targeting services for certain socioeconomic characteristics such

as gender, age, or cultural/ethnic background (Anniston, 2012).

Target Marketing

Woman’s Health
This facility has implemented several initiatives over the last decade which forms their

strategies that target women. There is a lack of focused care for women in the Hampton Roads

region and Sentara has put itself into a position to market and fill this deficiency. It has become

increasingly relevant to the marketing team at this facility because capturing the female patient

also means influencing the vast majority of health care decisions made for families and women

use health services more frequently than men (Anniston, 2012).

Most women are dissatisfied with how they receive care, which is often in settings that

does not support the unique aspects of care for women (Milliken, 2011). Significant opportunity

exists to develop services targeting women, and even to certain age specific groups within this

population making meaningful distinction in the marketplace, improving quality of care, and

increasing patient satisfaction. These opportunities can range from focused niche service

development to comprehensive approaches that incorporate a wide range of programs.

Geriatric Patients Sentara Norfolk General Hospital has also recognizing the importance of the aging

population and its impact on demand for services. Targeting older adults for care and improving

access to services in a meaningful way has traditionally proved more challenging than offering

age specific comprehensive elder services (Jones, 2012)

Minority
In this part of the country, ethnic characteristics are useful to identify special needs,

particularly because of the large minority or immigrant populations. Health care organizations,

particularly in Hampton Roads, are frequently overwhelmed with the special needs of immigrant

populations in their communities. Sentara has recognized this deficiency and developed

programs that recognize, increased sensitivity to cultural issues that may be barriers to accessing

health care. The development of these programs has increased access to care, improve health

status, and increased patient satisfaction.

Meeting the Demands of its Target Market

Woman’s Health

Sentara has developed strategies for women which include mid life women's programs

and women oriented services in oncology and cardiology. These strategies have developed

differentiated women's services that are fashioned with consideration to this organization

and its marketplace. This facility also provides amenities and services which provides stability

using successful marketing techniques to succeed. These strategies focus on partnering with

physicians and careful market positioning and differentiation.

Geriatric Patients

In order to meet the need of the increasing influx of geriatric patients, Sentara Hospital

has partnered with other area agencies and organizations to create the Hampton Roads Geriatric

Health Marketing Resource Center. This center uses a geriatric assessment provided by a board-

certified geriatrician and is included in the treatment plan. It is in this geriatric continuum

of care, that case managers are linked to a variety of services frequently needed by the elderly,

including inpatient and outpatient care, rehabilitation and fitness, respite care, adult day care,

group living, skilled nursing hospice and home health services (Anniston, 2012). There is also

an education and awareness program which uses a variety of media sources for the staff and a

membership program providing discounts on drugs, eyeglasses, and hearing aids.

Minority

Sentara’s also targets patient using ethnic characteristics and this has proven useful to

identify special needs, particularly for minority or immigrant populations (Anniston, 2012).

There is also target marketing by disease which has proven to be a useful way to identify gaps in

the delivery of care, enhanced services and revenues to this group.

Bilingual staff and even multilingual translation services in very diverse communities

have been implemented in order to reach out to these markets. Staff education and consideration

for Arabic and Asian communities, women must be chaperoned by male relatives to see health

professionals have been implemented. In some of the woman’s health clinics they have expanded

its hours into the evening so that husbands could bring their wives for care after working

hours (Anniston, 2012).

Conclusion
Segmenting the market by key characteristics has helped to identify needed services

and opportunities to enhance programs, visibility, and revenues. These approaches include

identifying certain socioeconomic characteristics, disease categories, and/or fast-growing

geographic markets within the population being served that can be targeted tor new or enhanced

service development. This population- and market-based approach has increased differentiation

of services in the marketplace and helped support the feasibility of new programs development

and this organization's financial success.
References
Milliken et al (2011), "Academic Models of Clinical Care for Women The National

Centers of Excellence in Women'sHealth." Journal of Women's Health and

Gender Based Medicine, vol. 10., pp. 627-636.

Jones S. (2011), "User-Friendly Healthcare for the Elderly Pays Off for

Patients, Care Givers, and Providers,"Healthcare Marketing Report, vol. 19.,

pp. 16-18.

Anniston, Scott (2012). Sentara Norfolk General Hospital from a Historical Standpoint.
Retrieved on 4 June, 2012 from
http://www.sentara.com/HospitalsFacilities/Hospitals/NorfolkGeneral/Marketing.acpx