Hospital Marketing Insights

Part

of two

Part

Healthcare Insights

Some insights into the US healthcare system found that people will choose a hospital based on how convenient the location is for them compared to any other factor. Moreover, the majority of the people that go to hospitals usually get themselves screened for breast cancer. Additionally, an estimated 914,649,104 people go to hospitals annually.
MethodologyWe did a thorough search across reliable hospital and health statistical sites to determine various insights about the healthcare system in the US. We were able to use some insights from these sources. However, we had to calculate the total number of outpatients and inpatients in 2016, and the total number of outpatients and inpatients in 2017. This process was done so that we can get the total number of people that went to hospitals during the two years, and by doing this, we also got the average number of people who go to hospitals annually. 

Calculations:
 877,137,000 (outpatients in 2016) + 35,200,000 (inpatients in 2016)= 912,337,000 

 880,451,000 (outpatients in 2017) + 36,510,000 (inpatients in 2017)= 916,961,207 

We then got the average of these two numbers to find the average number of people who go to hospitals annually:

912,337,000+916,961,207= 1,829,298,207

1,829,298,207/2= 914,649,104 (The average number of people who go to hospitals annually.)
Seven insights on the Healthcare System in the United StatesThree factors that patients consider when choosing a hospital in the US:

Patients put convenience as the utmost importance when it comes to choosing a hospital. Additionally, the amount of the co-payment is another essential factor when patients are choosing a hospital. Outcome data and the success rate of the hospital is also another important factor when it comes to choosing a certain hospital.

Three common reasons why people go to hospitals in the US:

Majority of the people that go to hospitals in the US get themselves screened for breast cancer. Another common reason why people go to hospitals in the US is because of idiopathic hypertension or high blood. Lastly, the majority of the people who go to hospitals usually get vaccines to protect their bodies from infectious diseases. 

The Number of People Who go to Hospitals in the US and Florida annually:
The total number of outpatient visits in hospitals within the US has increased throughout the years. In 2016, there were recorded 877,137,000 outpatient visits, and in 2017, there were recorded 880,451,000 outpatient visits to hospitals. Moreover, the number of admissions in 2016 was 35,200,000, and the number of admissions in 2017 was 36,510,207. In 2017, Florida had 2.7 million hospital discharges. 

Additionally, an estimated 914,649,104 people go to hospitals annually. In addition to this, it was recorded that 912,337,000 people went to hospitals in 2016, and this number increased to 916,961,207 in 2017. 

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of two

Part

Specialized Healthcare Services Insights

There are various insights into specialized healthcare services in the US. Some of these include the use of telemedicine, medical tourism, referrals by primary care physicians and self-referrals, and seeking specialized care based on distance, ranking, healthcare plan, and expenses. In 2018, 401,762 people sought specialized healthcare in the US; out of these, an estimated 578 people were from Miami, Florida. Below is a methodology that was used to find some of the figures presented in the research. 
METHODOLOGYIn 2018, the total population of the US was 327,167,434, and the population of Miami, Florida, was 470,914. As such, the percentage of the US population living in Miami is:

 470,914/327,167,434 = 0.14%

Within the same period, the number of patient visits to physicians engaging in specialized medicine was 234,521 while to physicians engaging in specialized surgery was 167,241. As such, the total visits by patients for specialized healthcare was:
 234,521+167,241 = 401,762

Based on the assumption that each patient makes one visit, there are 401,762 people who seek specialized healthcare in the US annually. Additionally, based on a normal distribution of patients, the number of patients who seeked specialized healthcare in Miami is:
0.14% * 401,762 = 578 people.
INSIGHTS INTO SPECIALIZED SERVICES IN THE USCHOOSING HEALTHCARE CENTERS BASED ON RANKINGSA report by US News & World ranks hospitals in the US-based on performance which is evaluated in various areas such as expert opinion, patient safety, and survival. The ranking also includes 16 critical specialized healthcare areas. These are urology, rheumatology, geriatrics, gastroenterology, cardiology, and heart surgery, cancer, diabetes and endocrinology, ear, nose and throat, ophthalmology, pulmonology and lung surgery, psychiatry, orthopedics, neurology and neurosurgery, nephrology and gynecology.

Based on these rankings, patients can check the ranking of hospitals based on the specialized care they are seeking and decide which facility they should go to. This is important since patients get treatment in hospitals that are skilled based on their healthcare need. 
CHOOSING HEALTHCARE CENTERS BASED ON DISTANCEPatients take into consideration all the costs of seeking healthcare. As such, patients will avoid healthcare facilities that are further away since they also have to consider the stress involved and the cost of lodging and travel. However, in the case of patients in rural areas, they have no option but to move to urban areas whereby they can seek services in specialized healthcare centers and experts. 
TELEHEALTH OR TELEMEDICINE Telemedicine or telehealth is being considered as an alternative means of treatment for veterans living in rural Alabama and Georgia with Type 1 diabetes. This is because of the lack of endocrinologists in the Central Alabama Veterans Healthcare System. 

This involves the use of electronic means, such as video calls, to relay medical information. An example is the equipping of local community outpatient clinics with telemedicine equipment. This facilitates video consultation with an Atlanta-based endocrinologist. 

Additionally, specialty diabetes care that is offered via telemedicine is considered to safe and effective. This is because it eliminates the need for traveling long distances in the search for specialized healthcare. 
CHOOSING HEALTHCARE CENTERS BASED ON HEALTHCARE PLAN AND EXPENSEPatients seeking medical care also consider if their physician, healthcare center, or hospital is within the coverage of their selected healthcare plan such as Medicare or medical insurance. The healthcare expenditure in the US is double that of other high-income countries.

For instance, the cost of cancer treatment in the US, which is averagely $150,000. Based on these high costs, cancer patients are 150% more likely to declare bankruptcy than healthy people. This is because they still have to pay thousands of dollars in copays, even though Medicare and insurance cover the cost of the treatment. To eliminate this trend, US-based hospitals are now required to be transparent about their standard charges since 2019. 
MEDICAL TOURISMAcross the US, around 150,000 to 320,000 people travel to other countries to seek healthcare. The main reason for this trend is because healthcare costs are lower, averaging between 30% to 65% of the healthcare cost in the US. This option is preferred since many Americans still lack medical insurance that can cover their costs or their medical insurance does not cover the treatment they need. 

Additionally, the trend is also fueled by the presence of healthcare brokers in the US who provide patients with options on alternative options for affordable healthcare. 
REFERRALS FROM PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIANS Health Maintenance Organizations (HMO), give patients the freedom to select their primary care physicians. However, based on the treatment required, the primary care physician can also refer the patient for more specialized healthcare treatment within the same health plan network. 

Patients who decide to seek specialized care without referral from their primary care physicians or go to specialized healthcare centers that are not within the network will often cover all the healthcare costs.

According to healthcare statistics, only 34.8% of referrals from primary care physicians to specialized healthcare practitioners are completed. 
SEEKING SPECIALIZED HEALTHCARE BY OWN DECISIONPatients under Medicare do not need to seek referral services to obtain specialized healthcare as long as the provider is enrolled in Medicare. On the other hand, some health insurance plans are flexible for self-referrals for cancer treatments, whereby patients can set appointments on their own. 
GENERAL PATIENT STATISTICSThe population of Miami City, Florida, is 470,914. 
The population of the state of Florida is 21,299,325. 
The population of the entire United States is 327,167,434. 
The total number of patient visits to physicians who are engaging in specialized medicine is 234,521. 
The number of patient visits to physicians engaging in specialized surgery is 167,241. 

Wonder

Hospital Marketing Insights

Delivered May 29th, 2019. Contributors: Khen R., Rachael A. and 5 others

Healthcare Insights

Methodology

Seven insights on the Healthcare System in the United States

Specialized Healthcare Services Insights

METHODOLOGY

INSIGHTS INTO SPECIALIZED SERVICES IN THE US

CHOOSING HEALTHCARE CENTERS BASED ON RANKINGS

CHOOSING HEALTHCARE CENTERS BASED ON DISTANCE

TELEHEALTH OR TELEMEDICINE

CHOOSING HEALTHCARE CENTERS BASED ON HEALTHCARE PLAN AND EXPENSE

MEDICAL TOURISM

REFERRALS FROM PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIANS

SEEKING SPECIALIZED HEALTHCARE BY OWN DECISION

GENERAL PATIENT STATISTICS

From Part 01

6 out of 10 People Choose a Doctor Based on a Convenient Location

Quotes

Top Outpatient Diagnoses by ICD-10 Code

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Hospital outpatient visits total number U.S. 1965-2017 | Statistic

Quotes

High blood pressure (hypertension) - Symptoms and causes

Quotes

Fast Facts on U.S. Hospitals, 2019 | AHA

Quotes

Overview of U.S. Hospital Stays in 2016: Variation by Geographic Region #246

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Health care use - Hospital discharge rates - OECD Data

Quotes

Facts & Stats

From Part 02

U.S. News Best Hospitals Rankings and Ratings

FAQ: How and Why We Rank and Rate Hospitals

Peer Reviewed: Telemedicine in the Management of Type 1 Diabetes

U.S. pays more for health care with worse population health outcomes

The High Cost of Cancer Treatment

People are ditching US healthcare and flying to other countries for medical procedures they can actually afford

Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 Medicare Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) and Long-Term Acute Care Hospital (LTCH) Prospective Payment System Final Rule (CMS-1694-F)

Closing the Referral Loop: an Analysis of Primary Care Referrals to Specialists in a Large Health System

How Referrals Work With Your Health Insurance

Do I have to get a referral to see a specialist?

Appointments and Referrals | UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center

Medical Tourists: Incoming and Outgoing

U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Miami city, Florida; Miami-Dade County, Florida

U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Florida

U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: United States

National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey: 2016 National Summary Tables

Delivered May 29th, 2019. Contributors: Khen R., Rachael A. and