Scientific Research Journal of India ● Volume: 2, Issue: 3, Year: 2013

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY MARKETING INDIAN PROSPECTIVE

Koushik Sau*

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to find out the present scenario of occupational
therapy marketing in India. METHODOLOGY: An author designed survey questionnaire is used
for this study. Other Allied health staff, other rehabilitation staff and local occupational therapist
revised the questionnaire in three stages. After the three-staged revision final survey questioners
was made and send to different occupational therapist working in various parts of India.
RESULT: All participants (100%) are agreeing with that there is a need of marketing. But they
are not satisfied with the present marketing scenario of occupational therapy in India.
CONCLUSION: This study can use by practitioner for marketing guidance

KEYWORDS: Occupational Therapy, Marketing, Health Care Marketing, Occupational Therapy

Marketing.

1. INTRODUCTION planning and executing the conception,

pricing, promotion and distribution of ideas
According to the American marketing
services and goods, to create exchanges that
association “Marketing is the process of
satisfy individual and organizational

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objectives”[1] Simply “marketing consists of
meeting people’s needs in the most efficient
and therefore profitable manner”(marketing
OT Services, 1984, p.4) [2] . Marketing can
use as medium of orientation which makes
satisfying the customer’s requirements [2].
Marketing beings by asking what are the
requirements and desires of consumers [3].
Marketing also includes the analysis of the
competition and then decide on a positioning
plan for the product or service, in other words
finding the market position, the pricing of the
products and services, and then promote the
products or services through
advertising, promotions, public relations and
sales.
1.1 Health care marketing
Marketing programs sale everything in
today’s life including health care. Though it
was once thought to be inappropriate or
unethical to use in health care professional [2].
According to Willard and Spacksman (1993)
health care marketing evolved in the middle of
1970 when concerns arose about increased
regulation of health care, decrease resources,
increased struggle for those
resources and change in reimbursement
practice for health care [3].
The health care market is one of the most
complicated one because health
professional always face a challenge with
different necessities for same
diagnosis. After each diagnosis there are
requirement of various treatments planning
according to demographic charter, political
and regulatory system, socio cultural status,
economical and geographical background [2].
With each variation basic aim is to improve
client’s health through preventive action or
restoration of good health from a state of ill
health.
Management of health care is becoming
more and more common as the demands of
cost containment are placed on providers of
care [4]. In this regards marketing can help
health care profession. Because it is an
important aspect of service delivery that all
continue health cares practitioners should understand it
[5]. Of course, there is no denying that using
health information in order for healthcare
marketing does run the risk of invades
privacy. Some time people thought that health
care marketing carelessly handled their
sensitive information. In fact, sometimes
health care marketing might cause shameful
offenses to a person's sense of independence
and self-respect. During marketing health care
professional should consider this aspect.
1.2 Present occupational therapy marketing
inadequate scenario in India
As occupational therapy professional we
should focused on the marketing for profit of
our profession. Because all of our best efforts
care over more than fifty years the profession still
largely unknown to the general public and our
kind of referral sources. Only providing good service
is not enough to grow as a profession. It needs
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marketing strategies to develop knowledge find out the present scenario of occupational
and faith on our profession. therapy marketing in India and find out the
In India the health care services generally possible procedure of occupational therapy
regulated by state government and have rights marketing in India through open ended survey
to select service area for normal population. In questioner.
nineteenth century scenario changed and
private sector started to deliver health service 1.3 Research question
and person starts to pay for treatment. What is the present scenario of
Changing scenario society has placed increase occupational therapy marketing in India?
responsibility to consumers in concerning to What are the possible procedures of marketing
their own health care choice. Challenges are occupational therapy in India?
increasing for the occupational therapy
professional and necessary to undertake some 1.4 Objectives of the study
marketing strategies that help them to develop Find out the present scenario of
awareness about occupational therapy services occupational therapy marketing in India.
and there benefits. Find out the possible occupational therapy
Consumer goes through relative reference marketing procedure.
about the outcome of different treatment
options. They rely on different information
2. MATERIAL & METHOD
which are getting from different source like
mouth of patient, service provider, and referral 2.1 Subject:
sources etc. Marketing help occupational Occupational therapist graduate were
therapy profession to aware those resources included for these study. Interns and
through valuable information. In India many student were excluded from this study.
individuals and organization have been putting
significant effort into creating ways to 2.2 Survey questioner:
increase the visibility and awareness of our
profession but there is a lack of collective 2.2.1 Questioner development:
work. Efforts in individuals label are not An author’s design survey questioner was
enough to overcome barriers of marketing. used for this study [6], [7]. Questions were
Present scenario is not good for occupational definite, concrete and pre-determined,
therapy professions in India they understand structured and open ended subjective
the need but don’t know how to market the question [7]. Same wording and ordering
profession or don’t bother to spent time for are maintained for all target people[7].
marketing. This study is a primary effort to Three steps were taken to modify the

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question for final study. First these
questions were provided to five
health professional . In second stage these
questioner were provided to different
rehabilitation staff, After getting their input
about the clarity of the questioner such as
the wording of the questioner, grammar
usage, simplicity of questions and case of
understand [6],[8] was incorporated
revise the initial draft of the questioner and
a revised survey was generated. In third
stage revised questioner were send to five
local occupational therapists.
occupational therapists were asked to
complete the questioner and
comments and suggestion. Comments and
suggestion from the participant’s
occupational therapist were examined by
the investigator and incorporate those into
the revision of the questioner.
percentage of respond generally less 20 to
allied 30 percentages [6],[7] . The survey was
mailed to six hundred occupational
therapist throughout India After getting all
the responses from respondents thank
giving mailed was send to each participant
separately.
3. RESULT:
to
3.1 Natures of respondents:
Total 137 (22.83 %) response were
received. Not included 16 responses for
not matching the inclusion criteria. Total
Those
121 (20.16%) responds were included for
this study. Charterstic of respondents was
provide
provided in table 1.
Table 1 : Charterstic of respondent (N= 121)

2.2.2. The final version of questioner

Final version of questioner consisted two

parts (see appendix). First part concerned
about personal details about participant.
Second part of questioner was consisted of
twelve questions. It concerned about the
different aspect of occupational therapy
marketing procedure to frame the possible
guideline.

2.2.3. Implementation procedure

Survey type research study generally use
large number of sample, because the 3.2 Nature of respond:

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 Scientific Research Journal of India ● Volume: 2, Issue: 3, Year: 2013
All participants (100%) are belief that
they are not satisfy with the present scenario
of occupational therapy profession in India.
All were belief that after fifty
occupational therapy not captured enough
market in Indian Allied health
Almost all participants (114) are not
presently flowing nitch marketing strategies.
Only few (7) participants are following nitch
marketing style.
All participants are agreed in the
point that we are able to fulfill the need sets of
consumer to capture rehabilitation market
place. In case of fifth question respondents
responds was different. According some
respondents (67) All India Occupational
Therapist (AIOTA) is responsible
marketing our profession. Some respondents
(30) belief it is a responsibility of AIOTA and
ACOT. Few respondents (7) belief AIOTA
brunches, occupational therapy institution
should take the responsibility. In the other
hand some respondents (15) belief it is a duty
of an individual’s occupational therapist. Two
( 2) respondents belief government
government health policy are the responsible.
Every respondents are belief that our
profession should be promoted and they
suggested different method for that like
formation of own council, awareness through
media, pass the information through simple
and lay man’s word. Most of
respondent’s(111) belief is that, surveys is
necessary for occupational therapy marketing.
A few numbers of respondent’s (10) belief that
it may not be useful.
There are mix responses about marketing
style. According to response individuals
years marketing and group marketing both is useful
for occupational therapy profession. Most of
field. the respondents (112) are thought that there
should be change in present marketing style in
context of present health care environment.
Some respondents (9) are not sure the change
is require or not in present marketing style.
According to most respondents belief
electronic media is the best option for
promoting occupational therapy profession in
India. But other beliefs that print media can be
also is another option. Respondent’s belief
that, well documentation of profession is
for needful for marketing.
There are so many variation is found in
the response of last question. Respondents
suggested that advertisement should be
publishes in regular basis. Awareness came,
spatial clinic, speech by occupational therapist
in local language is also help in occupational
therapy marketing. Videotapes, documentary
or film can be use to promote our services, our
occupational therapy achievement. Physician
awareness also can be use as a technique
because still date they are the main referral for
our services. Some suggested there should be
one liner to promote our profession.
the 4. DISCUSSIONS
Key finding of this study is that every
participant is not satisfied about present
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marketing scenario of occupational therapy procedure and easily approach to occupational

after fifty years as a profession. Though there
are differences in there beliefs, marketing is
necessary for occupational therapy in present
health care scenario. Without this a profession
can grow.
We know there are no ideal strategies for
marketing occupational therapy in India.
Because India is country of diversity in terms
of culture, language, religious. But there
should be some guidance about marketing,
which can help a professional to capture large
market.
Through this study tried to cover most of
the component of marketing in India through
12 questions. Respondent’s provided there
view point regarding that. In twenty first
century marketing is an important aspect of
any profession. Gradually marketing becomes
common practice in health care profession
also. This study gathered information about
marketing can use to market our profession in
India.
First strength of this study we use
structure question to gather information from
sample so there is no chance of interview bias.
Second, this study collected data from various
parts of country through email so it is low cost
therapist over India.
Mail were send six hundred occupational
therapist in India. So this result cannot be
generalized. Last limitation is respondents
rate was (22.83 %).
5. CONCLUSION:
In India occupational therapists are either
private practitioner or working in private
sector. There a few numbers of people are
working in government sector. So most of the
time we have to prove as a better treatment
option compare to other profession. In this
regard we can use marketing for survival. This
study can help professional in marketing
occupational therapy profession in better way.
6. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I want to thanks to our entire respondent
for their valuable support. I also thanks to
everyone, who helped me to reevaluate
questioner for developed final version of
questioner.

REFERENCES

1. Nosse. L.J., Friberg D.G., Kovacek P.R.: Markrting it’s more than selling. In : Managerial and
supervisory principles for physical therapist:2nd edition: Lippincott William and wilkins.2005:
277-290
2. Jacobs K: Marketing Occupational therapy. American journal of Occupational Therapy, 1987:41:5,
315-320

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3. Perinchief J.M: marketing: in service management: in Willard and Spackman’s Occupational

Therapy: 2nd edition:Philadelphia, J.B. lippincote company,1993:396-398
4. Cohn R. Strategies for positioning in the managed health care marketplace. Journal of hand therapy,
1994:7(1), 5-9
5. Jacobs k. innovational to action: Marketing occupational Therapy American journal of Occupational
Therapy, 1998:52:8,618-620.
6. Lannin N. and Cusck A: factors effecting patient requirements in an acute rehabilitation:
randomized control trail. American journal of occupational therapy. 2006:60, 117-181.
7. Kothari. C. R., Research methodology:methods and techniques. 2nd ed. New delhi, New age
international publisher ltd. 2004: 95-117.
8. Mu. K. Lohman H. and Scheirton. L.: occupational therapy practice errors in physical rehabilitation
and geriatrics setting: A national survey study.. American journal of occupational therapy: 60,288-
297.

APPENDIX

Personal details:
Participant Name & Designation:
Age & Sex:
Qualification:
Organization name & Experience (in terms of year):
Clinical experience/ teaching experience:
Marketing questionnaires.
1) Are you satisfied with the present marketing scenario of occupational therapy profession in
India?
2) After fifty years as a profession, has occupational therapy captured enough market in Indian
rehabilitation field?
3) According to you our profession is presently following nitch marketing or any other
marketing strategies in India?
4) According to you our profession is able to fulfill need sets of consumer to capture
rehabilitation market place?
5) According to you who are responsible for marketing occupational therapy profession in
India?
6) For marketing of occupational therapy, does it need to be promoted and if yes point out the
methods of that?

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7) Is there any need of consumer surveys prior to marketing of the profession?

8) In the present scenario individual marketing or group marketing is essential for
occupational therapy profession in India?
9) According to you with changing health care environment what modification is needed in
the present marketing style?
10) According to you presently which media is effective for promoting occupational therapy
marketing in India?
11) Is there any role of documentation in occupational therapy marketing?
12) According to you how occupational therapy marketing should be done in present situation
in India?

CORRESPONDING AUTHOR:

* Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Allied Health Science, Manipal University, Karnataka,
India. Email: koushiksau@gmail.com

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