Choose two of the same types of healthcare facilities in your area (hospitals, long-term care, rehab, surgicenters, etc.)
- What are the mission/vision/value statements for each?
- Search the websites/written materials, marketing products, etc. to obtain important information for the analysis
- Are they indirect or direct competitors?
- Conduct research on both (include: range of services, profitability, years in business, customer view of positives and negatives, marketing strategy, customer ratings)
- Gather competitive information (is one growing and the other contracting, is one much larger than the other)
- Look for annual reports (often published on the primary web site)
- Use a simple two-column chart to gather your data
- Summarize which of the two would appear to be a stronger competitor and on what basis you make that determination
- How might you use this competitor information in your own strategic planning?
Full Answer Section
Summary:
Mercy General appears to be the stronger competitor based on:
- Established reputation and wider range of services.
- Potential for higher profitability due to larger patient volume.
- Investment in cutting-edge technology and specialist teams.
However, Hope Community has its strengths:
- Excellent customer reviews highlighting a positive patient experience.
- Potential for growth by attracting patients seeking personalized care and shorter wait times.
Strategic Planning with Competitor Information:
- Mercy General: Can leverage its strengths in technology and specialists to attract patients seeking complex care.
- Hope Community: Can differentiate itself by focusing on patient experience, convenience, and potentially lower costs compared to larger hospitals.
Understanding competitor strengths and weaknesses allows both hospitals to refine their strategies. Mercy General can address patient concerns about wait times, while Hope Community can explore expanding services to cater to a broader range of needs.
Limitations:
This analysis relies on publicly available information and may not capture the full picture. Financial data from annual reports could provide a more complete understanding of profitability.
Remember, this is a sample analysis. You can replace the hospital names with any two healthcare facilities of your choice and follow the same format to gather competitive intelligence.
Sample Answer
Let's analyze two local hospitals, Mercy General Hospital and Hope Community Hospital, to understand their competitive landscape.
Information Gathering: