Leveraging Brand Extension and Service Innovation in The Digital Era: Transformative Strategies for Medical Scheme

Autor/innen

  • Michael Willie Council for Medical Schemes, Pretoria

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.19166/imj.v5i1.9509

Schlagworte:

Brand Extension, Digital Transformation, Healthcare Sector, Medical Schemes, Operational Efficiency, Patient Engagement, Service Innovation, Telemedicine

Abstract

Healthcare faces significant digital transformation, urging medical schemes to innovate for competitiveness and member satisfaction. This study investigates how brand extension and service innovation can enhance the competitiveness and sustainability of medical schemes, focusing on differentiation and value delivery. Driven by digital transformation and consumer demands, medical schemes must adopt innovative strategies to effectively meet evolving healthcare needs. This study uses qualitative methods, including literature review and case study analysis, to examine brand extension and service innovation in healthcare. Using data from various medical schemes, a longitudinal analysis conducted from 2015 to 2022 on adopting Efficiency Discount Options (EDOs) versus non-EDO options. It also included a comparative cost analysis and case studies to assess the impact of digital transformation. Of the ten medical schemes analyzed over the period 2016-2022, EDOs grew significantly from 9% in 2016 to 31% in 2022, providing substantial cost savings compared to non-EDO options across the analyzed medical schemes. Additionally, digital transformation in healthcare saw increased adoption of digital platforms, enhancing patient engagement and service delivery, though ethical considerations in telemedicine practices remain crucial. Brand extension and service innovation strategies can enhance member satisfaction and operational efficiency, helping medical schemes differentiate and thrive. This study provides a strategic framework for medical schemes to leverage digital advancements effectively, meet consumer expectations, and achieve sustainable growth in healthcare delivery

Literaturhinweise

Aaker, D. A., & Keller, K. L. (1990). Consumer evaluations of brand extensions. Journal of Marketing, 54(1), 27–41. https://doi.org/10.2307/1252171

Appleby, C., Hendricks, J., Wurz, J., Shudes, C., Chang, C., & Shukla, M. (2021, October 26). Digital transformation: From a buzzword to an imperative for health systems. Deloitte Insights. https://www.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/industry/health-care/digital-transformation-in-healthcare.html

Bartlett, L., & Vavrus, F. K. (2017). Rethinking case study research: A comparative approach. New York: Routledge.

Berry, L. L., Shankar, V., Parish, J. T., Cadwallader, S., & Dotzel, T. (2006). Creating new markets through service innovation. MIT Sloan Management Review, 47(2), 56–63.

Blumenthal, D. (2011). Implementation of the federal health information technology initiative. New England Journal of Medicine, 365(25), 2426–2431. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMsr1112158

Burde, H. (2011). The HITECH act: An overview. American Medical Association Journal of Ethics, 13(3), 172–175. https://journalofethics.ama-assn.org/article/hitech-act-overview/2011-03

Crowe, S., Cresswell, K., Robertson, A., Huby, G., Avery, A., & Sheikh, A. (2011). The case study approach. BMC Medical Research Methodology, 11(100), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2288-11-100

Elfil, M., & Negida, A. (2017). Sampling methods in clinical research; An educational review. Emergency, 5(1), 1–3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5325924/

Ferreira, D. C., Vieira, I., Pedro, M. I., Caldas, P., & Varela, M. (2023). Patient satisfaction with healthcare services and the techniques used for its assessment: A systematic literature review and a bibliometric analysis. Healthcare, 11(5), 1–31. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11050639

Fisk, R. P., Grove, S. J., & John, J. (2000). Interactive services marketing. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin.

Golinelli, D., Boetto, E., Carullo, G., Nuzzolese, A. G., Landini, M. P., & Fantini, M. P. (2020). Adoption of digital technologies in health care during the COVID-19 pandemic: Systematic review of early scientific literature. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 22(11), 1–23. https://doi.org/10.2196/22280

Govuzela, M., Willie, M. M., & Leboho, M. (2021). Value proposition for efficiency discounted options offered by South African medical schemes in 2018. Southern Africa Health Journal, 1, 1–10.

Haleem, A., Javaid, M., Singh, R. P., & Suman, R. (2021). Telemedicine for healthcare: Capabilities, features, barriers, and applications. Sensors International, 2, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sintl.2021.100117

Jejeniwa, T. O., Mhlongo, N. Z., & Jejeniwa, T. O. (2024). Theoretical perspectives on digital transformation in financial services: Insights from case studies in Africa and the United States. Finance & Accounting Research Journal, 6(4), 674–683. https://doi.org/10.51594/farj.v6i4.1068

Keller, K. L. (2008). Strategic brand management: Building, measuring and managing brand equity (3rd ed.). Pearson Prentice Hall.

Peng, C., Bijmolt, T. H. A., Völckner, F., & Zhao, H. (2023). A meta-analysis of brand extension success: The effects of parent brand equity and extension fit. Journal of Marketing, 87(6), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1177/00222429231164654

Pitta, D. A., & Katsanis, L. P. (1995). Understanding brand equity for successful brand extension. Journal of Consumer Marketing, 12(4), 51–64. https://doi.org/10.1108/07363769510095306

Prosser, E., & James, M. (2003). Brand extensions: A qualitative meta-analysis of 20 years of marketing research. International Business & Economics Research Journal, 2(11), 35–46. http://dx.doi.org/10.19030/iber.v2i11.3857

Renjith, V., Yesodharan, R., Noronha, J. A., Ladd, E., & George, A. (2021). Qualitative methods in health care research. International Journal of Preventive Medicine, 12(1), 1–7. https://doi.org/10.4103/ijpvm.IJPVM_321_19

Robbins, T., Kyrou, I., Arvanitis, T. N., Randeva, H. S., Sankar, S., Sutherland, S., & Booth, L. (2022). Topol digital fellowship aspirants: Understanding the motivations, priorities and experiences of the next generation of digital health leaders. Future Healthcare Journal, 9(1), 51–56. https://doi.org/10.7861/fhj.2021-0177

Sansgiry, S. S. (2004). Over-the-counter product line extensions: Have we reached the limit yet? Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 52(7), 1223–1224. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1532-5415.2004.52327_9.x

Santa, R., Hyland, P., & Ferrer, M. (2014). Technological innovation and operational effectiveness: Their role in achieving performance improvements. Production Planning & Control, 25(12), 969–979. https://doi.org/10.1080/09537287.2013.785613

Sedighi, M., Sheikh, A., Tourani, N., & Bagheri, R. (2022). Service delivery and branding management in digital platforms: Innovation through brand extension. Human Behavior and Emerging Technologies, 1(1), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/7159749

Sinapuelas, I. C., & Sisodiya, S. R. (2010). Do line extensions influence parent brand equity? An investigation of supermarket packaged goods. Journal of Product & Brand Management, 19(1), 18–26. https://doi.org/10.1108/10610421011018356

Thomas, R., & Chalkidou, K. (2016). Cost–effectiveness analysis. In J. Cylus, I. Papanicolas, & P. C. Smith (Eds.), Health system efficiency: How to make measurement matter for policy and management (Health Policy Series, No. 46). European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK436886/

Topol, E. (2019). Preparing the healthcare workforce for digital transformation. NHS Constitution.

Topol, E. (2019). The Topol review: Preparing the healthcare workforce to deliver the digital future. NHS Constitution

Townsend, B. A., Scott, R. E., & Mars, M. (2019). The development of ethical guidelines for telemedicine in South Africa. South African Journal of Bioethics and Law, 12(1), 19–26. https://doi.org/10.7196/SAJBL.2019.v12i1.662

Willie, M. M., Nonyana, N., & Kabane, S. (2022). Telephone consultations by medical scheme patients consulting general medical practitioners, South Africa. In A. E. Onal (Eds.), Primary health care. IntechOpen. http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.98496

Downloads

Veröffentlicht

2025-04-15

Ausgabe

Vol. 5, No. 1, April 2025

Rubrik

Articles

Lizenz

Copyright (c) 2025 Michael Willie

Creative-Commons-Lizenz
Dieses Werk steht unter der Lizenz Creative Commons Namensnennung - Weitergabe unter gleichen Bedingungen 4.0 International.

Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:

1) Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License (CC-BY-SA 4.0) that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.

2) Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.

3) Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website). The final published PDF should be used and bibliographic details that credit the publication in this journal should be included.