Health Care Market Strategy: From Planning to Action, Fifth Edition, a standard reference for nearly 20 years, bridges the gap between marketing theory and implementation by showing you, step-by-step, how to develop and execute successful marketing strategies using appropriate tactics. By putting the concepts learned in introductory marketing courses into action using the authors' own unique model--called the strategy/action match-- you will learn how to determine exactly which tactics to employ in each stage of the market. In this new edition, you'll also discover the latest practical applications for strategy development, the marketing planning process, challenges of a competitive marketplace, vision, and other critical aspects of health care marketing. Whether you're a student interested in learning marketing strategy or a working executive seeking additional training in management, this book will teach you what a sound strategy looks like, and the importance of an overall strategy before a marketing plan is created. Significantly revised, the Fifth Edition features: - Updated references to examples of market champions, disruptive organizations and innovative leaders as well as new discussions of the social and business conflicts between 'good market share' and 'bad market share' and potential future disruptive technologies - Recent examples that reflect current business models such as online retailers and online health information websites such as WebMD - Thoroughly updated chapter on the competitive marketplace with new discussion on the domestic medical tourism trend and expanded discussion of transparency - More discussion on federal policy, Medicare and Medicaid, the ramifications of an aging population, higher costs, strained healthcare systems and an unpredictable congress - A new discussion on Integrated Marketing Communications, including new and enhanced discussion of digital media and how its effectiveness is measured