Comments on: Between Retail and Concierge – Is there a place for branded primary care clinics? http://blog.crossoverhealth.com/2008/09/16/between-retail-and-concierge-is-there-a-place-for-branded-primary-care-clinics/ The Next Generation of Health Care Fri, 26 Feb 2010 06:55:13 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Scott Shreeve, MD http://blog.crossoverhealth.com/2008/09/16/between-retail-and-concierge-is-there-a-place-for-branded-primary-care-clinics/#comment-475 Scott Shreeve, MD Wed, 01 Oct 2008 19:52:39 +0000 http://crossoverhealth.wordpress.com/?p=244#comment-475 Brian, Excellent question and begs one to defy the age old thought that "health care" is local. For the most part, health care is local. This is reinforced by medical licensure requirements and the requirement to have a trusted relationship given the intimacy required to delivery an effective service (patient-physician relationship cannot be outsourced) However, there are many service level companies that have done this affectively. I am thinking of complex service delivery, with many examples in the financial services arena (HR Block, Charles Schwab, etc). I absolutely think it can and should be done in the health care as well. Consumer branding is powerful, and it will resonate with health care consumers just as it does in other areas of their life. Thanks for your comment and keep reading. Brian,

Excellent question and begs one to defy the age old thought that “health care” is local. For the most part, health care is local. This is reinforced by medical licensure requirements and the requirement to have a trusted relationship given the intimacy required to delivery an effective service (patient-physician relationship cannot be outsourced)

However, there are many service level companies that have done this affectively. I am thinking of complex service delivery, with many examples in the financial services arena (HR Block, Charles Schwab, etc). I absolutely think it can and should be done in the health care as well.

Consumer branding is powerful, and it will resonate with health care consumers just as it does in other areas of their life.

Thanks for your comment and keep reading.

]]> By: Brian http://blog.crossoverhealth.com/2008/09/16/between-retail-and-concierge-is-there-a-place-for-branded-primary-care-clinics/#comment-474 Brian Mon, 29 Sep 2008 19:41:03 +0000 http://crossoverhealth.wordpress.com/?p=244#comment-474 I love the concept. A national chain would have the resources to improve the patient experience far beyond what individual cottage clinics do. My biggest question has to do with national branding versus local branding. The funeral home industry has consolidated a lot over the past couple decades, but has been unable to establish national brands because of the preeminance of the local brand; these companies go out of their way to hide national ownership so that the local community thinks the funeral home is still locally/family-owned. Do you think health care is similar? The for-profit chains, e.g. Columbia/HCA, haven't had great brand perception and have started regional brands to cover their national ones. Mayo has a great international brand, but they may be an exception. And I read an interesting article about retail clinics that quoted a Wallmart SVP as saying that they wanted to do more contracting with local health systems, as opposed to ReadyClinic and the like, because the communities "trust" the local systems. I love the concept. A national chain would have the resources to improve the patient experience far beyond what individual cottage clinics do. My biggest question has to do with national branding versus local branding. The funeral home industry has consolidated a lot over the past couple decades, but has been unable to establish national brands because of the preeminance of the local brand; these companies go out of their way to hide national ownership so that the local community thinks the funeral home is still locally/family-owned.

Do you think health care is similar? The for-profit chains, e.g. Columbia/HCA, haven’t had great brand perception and have started regional brands to cover their national ones. Mayo has a great international brand, but they may be an exception. And I read an interesting article about retail clinics that quoted a Wallmart SVP as saying that they wanted to do more contracting with local health systems, as opposed to ReadyClinic and the like, because the communities “trust” the local systems.

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