Abstract
The Korean hospital industry is rapidly changing along with the competition among hospitals. Until recently it was easy for hospitals to profit even without efficient management and competitive strategies. However, the increasingly intensive competition endanger their profits but also their survivals. Hospital managers have no choice but to seriously consider competitive management and marketing strategies to remain alive and prosper. This study introduces a useful methodology--perception map drawn using multidimensional scaling--for developing competitive strategies, and illustrates its application to developing a perception map of 9 Seoul-based general hospitals. We also suggest the concepts and examples of positioning strategies and patient satisfaction management system. One of the interesting findings is that the Samsung medical center which opened less than a year ago is ranked first in most aspects such as kindness, facilities, waiting time, and parking, and the second in clinical performance just after the Seoul National University Hospital.
