Question

Discuss the difference between advertising and public relations. Do you think that any advertising for medical services is ethical? Why or why not? Why has advertising become necessary in today’s health industry? Give 5 examples each of what you personally would do to market the medical office, both paid advertising and free publicity. Also, who are some of the customers that visit the medical office; specify both internal and external customers? Providing exceptional customer service can actually interfere with job duties. Some workers use customer service as an excuse to chat with patients and avoid other duties. How can the medical assistant strike a balance between providing the customer service that patients deserve and completing all the tasks required each day?

Answer 1

Advertising means publishing about the hospital services,facilities and information to the public through the advertising agency.The hospital has to pay some amount to the advertising agency and they will create a ad and publish in various media it can be through the television ad,pamphlets or a post in social media.The public get to know about the hospital from the ad they created and publishing is called advertising.

Public relations means the organization find a way to establish relationship with the public.For example by conducting free health camps or supporting and performing government projects to the public helps to establish the hospital name to the public by this the public get to know about the hospital and its services also gets benefited by the services.At the same time the hospital also had free advertising to the public.It is a mutual benefit.

In advertising the organization voluntarily create ad and publish.It is done by spending money.It needs any media to publish.In public relations by performing the duty the information about hospital is published to public.It happens as a cost free advertising.It does not need any media instead it has direct communication with the public.

Yes advertising is ethical.Suppose if the hospital has planned to conduct free eye check up.This will reach the public only by advertising.By advertisement the public get to know about the free eye check up and utilize and gets benefited.Thus the advertisement gives benefit to the public.It is the act of doing good thus it comes under beneficence ,one of the ethical principle.Hence advertising is ethical.

Today many hospitals have emerged and provide competition in providing quality service to the public.Hospitals introduce new services that has to be published to the public then only the public will utilize the  hospital and can  increase its revenue system.To become success , to increase the revenue of the hospital advertising is necessary.

Examples:

For paid advertising:Contact the advertising agency and create a ad to the hospital.Publish a ad through television.publishing a post in social media,Giving pamphlets to the individuals,by customer service providing free SMS about service and establishing ad post in roads.

For public relations: Conducting health camps to the public,Coordinating with the government projects,Funding for government projects, conducting health day and creating awareness to the public and Conducting any health information seminar to the public.

Internal customers are within the organization who not directly utilize the service but takes the service to the public.Example:employee belongs to the HR department in advertising department has to takes the service to the public.

External customers are from outside the organization to get benefit from the hospital service. Example:Patient is the best example for external customer.

For providing customer service strict protocol is to be maintained.Regular monitoring of the work should be done to avoid the issues.The best way to provide customer service is sending SMS service or sending recorded voice messages.At the time the message will be sent to the selected patients.It helps to conserve time and work is done in efficient way.Thus can reduce direct chat with customer.But for clearing client doubts direct chat is necessary.The chat should be in record mode all time and should be checked randomly for finding unneccessary chats.By doing this the medical assistant can create a balance.Thus the patients deserve their needs.