Business Retention and Expansion Study for Collingwood's
Medical/Health Sector

Final Report - July 2008

Business Marketing/Development

Normally this section provides insights into where businesses are located, how they are marketing and selling products, what they view as important for growth and how they identify customer needs.

Historically these types of issues are given limited attention within the traditional Medical/Health sector. Reasons may include the financial and contractual obligations in place with the Province of Ontario (OHIP) and practice guidelines issued by the provincially regulated health colleges. Additionally, this sector provided scant or limited financial data for the same reasons.

Alliances with similar practices are reported as possibly leading to an increase in business in market performance. This is a reasonable conclusion to reach when one considers the traditional referral system is a well-entrenched business practice followed within Medical/Health system.

In considering current locations, for 93% of respondents, Collingwood is their only practice location, with:

• 50% of those reporting owning their practice sites

• 34% being completely satisfied with the location

• 34% somewhat satisfied

The remaining 31% representing the somewhat or very dissatisfied indicate their site is too small, with no room to expand.

In addressing technology and other competitive factors facing practices:

• 95% reported some level of Information Technology (IT)

• 81% use e-mail regularly

• 67% have their own website

• 78% use IT for government reporting

Overall this sector reports being adequately serviced with telecommunication technologies through cell phones, pagers, blackberries and personal communication devices.

Local market share and competition for all the Medical /Health Sector respondents:

• 65% of their patients live within Collingwood, yet only 14% of practice revenue is generated outside the community

• 92% of respondents report an increase in market competition

• 71% sense a market share increase

• 25% hold the status quo

Marketing efforts:

• Just fewer than 50% of the respondents identify product research/development or market development as very important to their ability to remain competitive

• The area of developing strategic alliances, and adding or changing products that practices rated as very important

Marketing communication was carried out through:

• 83% using business cards

• 91% using flyers/brochure

• 82% being associated with the sponsorship of events

• 88% using general publications

• 93% applying the internet

Customer Service:

• 54% of respondents identified improvement in patient service has been viewed as an important aspect in the growth and development

• 96% improvement of patient service is through informal patient contact

• 52% use electronic communications, such as e-mail while another

• 52% arise from actual patient complaints



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