IMPACT OF MARKETING MIX (7PS) ON HOSPITAL SELECTION AMONG PALESTINIAN PATIENTS: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY
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Date
2025-02-11
Authors
Snober, Osama
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Publisher
An-Najah National University
Abstract
Background: The influence of the marketing mix (7Ps: Product, Price, Place, Promotion, People, Process, and Physical Environment) on hospital choosing is a significant study domain, since healthcare facilities must consistently enhance their offerings to attract and keep consumers. This study was conducted to identify the key components of the marketing mix that most significantly impact patients' decision-making when choosing a hospital in Palestine.
Methods: The study used a cross-sectional design to provide a snapshot on patients' preferences and decision-making criteria about hospital choosing in Palestine. The study was conducted in various regions of Palestine to ensure a representative sample that reflected the diverse socio-cultural and economic backgrounds of the population through selecting private hospitals and governmental hospitals in the north of the West Bank.
Results: In this study, a total of 385 participants completed the questionnaire. The participants rated how the 7Ps (Product, Price, Place, Promotion, People, Process, and Physical Environment) influenced their choices on hospitals. Multiple linear regression showed that higher product ratings were predicted by moderate or household income (B = 2.12, p-value < 0.001) and having a governmental health insurance (B = -0.74, p-value = 0.030). Similarly, higher people ratings were predicted by moderate or household income (B = 1.57, p-value = 0.002). Moreover, higher process ratings were predicted by moderate or household income (B = -0.41, p-value = 0.048) and spending less nights at the hospitals (B = -0.83, p-value = 0.025). In addition, higher physical environment ratings were predicted by moderate or household income (B = -0.70, p-value = 0.011). Furthermore, higher place ratings were predicted by older age (B = 0.68, p-value = 0.007).
Conclusions: The marketing mix (7Ps) strongly influences Palestinian hospital selection, providing healthcare providers with useful information. Patients choose hospitals based on specialist healthcare services, quality of treatment, financial accessibility, and physical surroundings. Patient preferences were shaped by improved services, expert personnel, and reasonable pricing. In addition, income, health insurance status, and the absence of chronic conditions were substantially related with better marketing mix ratings, notably in product, people, and process. These results show that hospitals must strengthen specialized services, provider-patient connections, price transparency, and infrastructure to be patient-centered.