Monday, January 28, 2013

Discount coupons and healthcare

As I opened today's newspaper an orange and green coloured booklet blobbed out .On 27th January,a day next to our Republic day an orange and green coloured booklet made me grab the booklet thinking it to be a advertisement of a store like Big bazaar announcing it's Maha sale.
And yes it was a booklet of discount coupons of a big Hospital.Take the cut out to the hospital and avail the discount.My first reaction was a big laugh........had never thought that health care would be sold with discount coupons like that of Pizzas and pop corns or for that matter any electronic good.20% off on maternity packages......20% on Gynaecology surgery......10% on PHP..........10% on blood work.........5 day free trial of gym.A local saloon wala had recently visited me at my home with such a discount coupon.......10% off on hair cut,20% off on hair spa,30% off on nail extension....
After that laugh when I thought over it more seriously it made me little thoughtful.To me the whole thing didn't look in good taste.May be I am biased........I don't know.But to me it seemed that we were not giving the right signal to our patients.It looks all so commercial and maybe cheap.Hospitals are money making organizations but still the work involved is much different from selling  popcorn or Pizza.May be I am wrong.Maybe today's patient would appreciate it.Marketing people would know better to have come up with such an idea.And I am not sure when such sales are announced at hospitals are they really a boxers day sale or just that the price has been escalated first to give a discount later..........because I know for sure that no hospital would actually run on loss to give a discount to the patient?
Feedback are welcome............what do you think?would you like hospitals to come out with the concept of 'Maha Sale' ?Discount cards like that of Pantloon,Landmark,Shoppers stop etc where you can redeem your points?
GOD ............I am SHOCKED to see the same hospital selling coupons online on snapdeal......claiming to be India's biggest online mall.
Also came to know that you can get the discount coupon for the hospital at BIG BAZAR.Where is the class and sophistication needed to be a healthcare professional?

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Definitely a bad idea for a hospital to come up with some like this. As a patient my first concern would be a competent doctor even it means paying some premium.
Coupons like this would definitely portray hospitals as completely commercial organizations...though hospital needs to be commercially viable but at the end of day its quality healthcare that matters.

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