Presentation given at the 3rd International Consumer Brand Relationships Conference, www.consumer-brand-relationships.org Copyright by Guilherme Victorino, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Portugal

1. CBR 2013 • Rollins College, Florida, USA
BRAND AUTHENTICITY
IN HEALTHCARE:
CONCEPTUALIZING AUTHENTICITY
IN THE PRIVATE HOSPITAL MARKET
GUILHERME VICTORINO
SCHOOL OF STATISTICS AND INFORMATION MANAGEMENT
NOVA UNIVERSITY, LISBON, PORTUGAL
28th September 2013

2. INTRODUCTI
ON
●Motivation
●Context
●Assumptions
METHODS
●In-depth
interviews
●Focus-Groups
CONCLUSIO
NS
●Exploratory
Research
findings
LIMITATIONS
●Research
limitations and
future work
Issues to be addressed

3. Motivation
● Critical changes in the healthcare sector…
INTRODUCTION METHODS DISCUSSION FUTURE RESEARCH
Hospital
A
Hospital
B Hospital
C
Quality | Convenience | PriceAccess
public private
Objective: contribute to a better understanding of
Customer Behavior Towards Hospital Choice

4. Context
INTRODUCTION METHODS DISCUSSION FUTURE RESEARCH
Custo
mer
20% population
Access to Private Healthcare
in Portugal
Source: CEA Statistics N°41: The
European Health Insurance Market in
2008

5. Context
INTRODUCTION METHODS DISCUSSION FUTURE RESEARCH
How to
choose?
Proactive
Lots of Quality
Options
Access to information
2nd opinion
Convenience Driven
Passive
No Options
No Information
No Rights
from to
Consumer Driven Healthcare
How to atract
customers?
Guarantee financial
survival

6. Assumptions
Fischer et al. (2004) have shown that the importance of brands in
consumers’ decision making varies according with the type of
product/market.
● In healthcare, like in any service firm, branding plays a special role
because strong brands increase trust in intangible goods, enabling
customers to better visualize and understand their experience
(Berry, 2000).
The Consumer (Patient)-Brand Relationship
is an effective driver in Healthcare decisions
INTRODUCTION METHODS DISCUSSION FUTURE RESEARCH

7. Assumptions
● For labor-intensive services, however, those experiences are primarily with
people rather than manufactured goods and customers perceive the source
of the experience as the brand (Berry, 2007)
In commercial relationships perceived salesperson authenticity leads to credibility
and trust and ultimately facilitates long-term relationships.
What about authenticity in healthcare?
While consumers seek authentic brands and consumption experience,
healthcare buyers appreciate authentic healthcare professionals.
INTRODUCTION METHODS DISCUSSION FUTURE RESEARCH

8. ● The present study aims to identify the properties of authenticity in
healthcare and to pinpoint, from both the consumer’s and the
healthcare professional’s viewpoint, the idiosyncrasies of a hospital
experience with private hospitals. The study uses a two-stage,
multi-method approach.
● Stage 1 comprised information from one-on-one, in-depth
interviews with 32 healthcare professionals (16 doctors and 16
nurses) from both public and private hospitals.
● Stage 2 consisted of the analyses of the transcriptions of 8
focus group’s interviews with 43 participants.
INTRODUCTION METHODS DISCUSSION FUTURE RESEARCH
Research Methods

9. ● The completion of each of the techniques mentioned was based on
a script with deepening topics and two individual questionnaires to
be completed by each participant. The focus groups had an average
length of 2 hours and the individual in depth interviews were about 1
hour and where recorded on audio (interviews) and video (focus
groups).
INTRODUCTION METHODS DISCUSSION FUTURE RESEARCH
Research Methods

10. Dimensions of Healthcare
Authenticity
Authenticity stood out as a distinctive characteristic of healthcare brands and
new dimensions of the construct were determined:
INTRODUCTION METHODS DISCUSSION FUTURE RESEARCH
Healthcare
Professionals
Reputation
Personal
Relationships
Systems and
Procedures
Facilities and
Technology
Atmosphere
Personalizati
on and brand
reputation
Service
Encounters

11. ● Healthcare Professionals Reputation: qualifications and
technical skills of healthcare professionals are highly
acknowledged and probably the key issue to hospital
authenticity.
● Personal Relationships: Importance of the disclosure of
information and the ability to listen and pay attention to what
patients feel and say. In terms of care, nurses are in higher
consideration when it comes to patient engagement.
INTRODUCTION METHODS DISCUSSION FUTURE RESEARCH
Dimensions of Healthcare
Authenticity

12. ● Systems and Procedures: in private hospitals there is an
excessive number of tests/exams requests (some will be
unnecessary or at least expendable). The patient gets the
perception of value and that the Doctor is concerned about
making the best and most complete diagnosis. This "excess"
care lowers in some cases the patient anxiety and therefore
promotes customer loyalty. However, these "tests in excess"
may cover up the (real) inexperience or hesitations of "young
doctors" and therefore a moment where the authenticity of
the prescriber is being tested.
INTRODUCTION METHODS DISCUSSION FUTURE RESEARCH
Dimensions of Healthcare
Authenticity

13. ● Facilities and Technology: the facilities of private hospitals
are modern and comfortable. They ensure privacy, have an
enjoyable and relaxing atmosphere; waiting areas are
spacious, purpose built, and easily accessible; maintenance
and hygiene is of a high standard. Since a Patient cannot
evaluate the medical procedures in detail, there is a tendency
to over evaluate all the aspects related to the experience,
therefore physical clues are of major importance for the
perception of authentic healthcare.
INTRODUCTION METHODS DISCUSSION FUTURE RESEARCH
Dimensions of Healthcare
Authenticity

14. ● Atmosphere – private hospitals need to implement a more
consistent organizational culture; to build cohesive professional
groups, trustful relationships between healthcare professionals and
managers; to achieve better coordination between services and
professionals; to promote focus and avoid different performance
"speeds"; to substantially improve internal communication.
The tension between front office and clinical activities may
sometimes damage the client perception of quality service and
create a tension that will affect the customer sense of authenticity,
which may cause a dissonance between their brand promise, and
the actual service they provide.INTRODUCTION METHODS DISCUSSION FUTURE RESEARCH
Dimensions of Healthcare
Authenticity

15. ● Personalization and brand reputation:
Personalization of care, strong corporate image and
attention to detail are the trends to follow in private
healthcare. Private hospitals have to attract the best
doctors and nurses available. However, some
professionals argue that whilst "big names” are hired,
Private Hospitals also employ low-cost doctors and
nurses (with no prior experience),
INTRODUCTION METHODS DISCUSSION FUTURE RESEARCH
Dimensions of Healthcare
Authenticity

16. ● Service encounters: although technical and
professional competence and experience of doctors are
highly considered, the ability to earn and deserve the
trust of users without being arrogant is a central
question. In the private sector there is a sense of greater
accountability of staff’s actions and behavior.
INTRODUCTION METHODS DISCUSSION FUTURE RESEARCH
Dimensions of Healthcare
Authenticity

17. Conclusions
● The perceived risk of lower customer service in the public
sector, the increase access through private insurance and
probably other variables such as access to information and
patient empowerment have an impact on the emergence of
brands as a strategic asset for private healthcare.
● Valuing brand authenticity within hospital brand management
strategies might increase patient satisfaction and encourage
loyalty, which will ultimately help hospitals to create value
from a customer perspective and remain competitive in
today’s market.INTRODUCTION METHODS DISCUSSION FUTURE RESEARCH

18. Limitations and Future Research
INTRODUCTION METHODS DISCUSSION FUTURE RESEARCH
● In an immature market as in the case of Portugal, where patients are
still reluctant to establish a relationship with a health brand, the
concept of authenticity is still being shaped in patients’ minds.
● Hence this is an opportunity for private hospitals to craft authenticity
as a unique characteristic of their brand and service delivery.
However healthcare context encompasses difficulties in measuring
authenticity and there is no consensus or one single understanding of
the term “authenticity”.
● The dimensions raised in this study may be used to develop a
hospital brand authenticity index or scale, which could then be used to
measure the effectiveness of brand management efforts and

19. gmvictorino@isegi.unl.pt
Thank you! Obrigado!