Consumers Prefer “Hospitals” over “Medical Centers,” According to New Survey

GLEN ROCK, N.J.--()--Do consumers prefer a “Hospital” over a “Medical Center,” or vice versa? According to a new survey of 1,027 American adults, the clear answer is: “Hospital.”

On four separate measures, consumers showed strong preferences for a “Hospital” over a “Medical Center.” Survey highlights:

     

HOSPITAL

   

MEDICAL CENTER

 

Which would have a wider range of services?

61

%

31

%

   

Which would provide patients with better
quality medical care?

52

32

 

Which would be on the cutting edge of medicine,
using the most up-to-date technologies and procedures?

53

37

 

Which would have physicians who are experts
in their fields?

46

34

 

These consumer perceptions come from a survey conducted this month by Rivkin & Associates LLC and Bauman Research & Consulting LLC, both based in Glen Rock, NJ.

“The conventional wisdom for years has been that the word ‘Hospital’ was tired and old-fashioned,” said Steve Rivkin, founder of Rivkin & Associates, a marketing and communications consultancy. “As a result, hundreds of hospitals have dropped the word and renamed themselves Medical Centers.”

“Our data indicates this conventional wisdom is wrong,” said Sandra Bauman, PhD, founder of Bauman Research & Consulting. “This national study shows that consumers favor a ‘hospital’ across the board on the four attributes we measured.”

Survey results were consistent across respondents’ gender, age, income, race, region, household income, size of household and educational levels, according to Dr. Bauman.

“We’ve encountered many internal reasons for using the term ‘medical center,’” said Rivkin. “As hospitals expanded, added facilities and services, and partnered with physicians, they came to see themselves as ‘centers’ of healthcare for their communities. And for some, the term ‘medical center’ also has an academic pedigree, conveying prestige to physicians and other practitioners.”

“Regardless of those internal considerations, it’s always worth listening to the voice of the consumer,” said Dr. Bauman. “A similar study nine years ago asked three of the same four questions, and the results were remarkably consistent to these 2011 results. The stability in consumer preference for ‘hospital’ is especially noteworthy given the heightened national discussion about healthcare and increased consumer involvement in healthcare decision-making in the past few years,” said Dr. Bauman.

Added Rivkin, “Tens of thousands of blue ‘H’ signs across the country point the way to hospitals. This survey indicates that consumers also point to hospitals over medical centers in terms of offering a wide range of services, delivering high-quality care, being on the cutting edge and having expert physicians.”

Rivkin & Associates and Bauman Research & Consulting have completed naming, marketing and research assignments for hundreds of clients in healthcare, consumer products, technology, financial services and other fields.

 

SURVEY HIGHLIGHTS: “Hospital” vs. “Medical Center”

 

PLEASE THINK ABOUT THE TERMS HOSPITAL AND MEDICAL CENTER. WHICH WOULD YOU EXPECT WOULD...

                               
OVERALL AGE INCOME EDUCATION
          2011         18-34       35-54       55+        

Under
$50,000

     

$50,000

or more

       

Less than
college
grad

     

College
grads

Have a wider range of
services

                       
HOSPITAL 61% 75% 56% 53% 62% 59% 64% 55%
MEDICAL CENTER 31% 17% 37% 36% 29% 35% 30% 34%
No difference/

Both the same

6% 6% 5% 8% 7% 6% 5% 8%
Don't know/

Refused

2% 1% 2% 3% 3% 1% 2% 3%
 

Provide patients with
better quality medical
care

HOSPITAL 52% 53% 52% 50% 54% 50% 54% 45%
MEDICAL CENTER 32% 34% 32% 31% 34% 33% 31% 35%
No difference/

Both the same

12% 10% 12% 15% 8% 13% 10% 17%
Don't know/

Refused

4% 3% 4% 4% 4% 4% 4% 3%
 

Be on the cutting edge
of medicine, using the
most up-to-date
technologies and
procedures

HOSPITAL 53% 57% 53% 48% 49% 53% 54% 50%
MEDICAL CENTER 37% 33% 38% 39% 39% 37% 37% 37%
No difference/

Both the same

8% 8% 8% 10% 8% 8% 7% 11%
Don't know/

Refused

2% 2% 2% 3% 3% 2% 2% 2%
 

Have physicians who
are experts in their
field

HOSPITAL 46% 51% 45% 44% 48% 43% 49% 40%
MEDICAL CENTER 34% 27% 34% 39% 36% 37% 34% 32%
No difference/

Both the same

19% 21% 20% 15% 15% 19% 15% 26%
Don't know/

Refused

2% 2% 1% 2% 1% 1% 1% 2%
 

© 2011 Rivkin & Associates LLC and Bauman Research & Consulting LLC

Telephone survey conducted June 2-5, 2011, using random-digit dialing (RDD), among a national probability sample of 1027 adults, 18 years of age and older, living in private households in the continental United States. Data are weighted by five variables: age, sex, geographic region, race, and education to ensure reliable and accurate representation of the total population, 18 years of age and older.

For complete survey results, please see www.baumanresearch.com/hospitalsurvey

Contacts

Rivkin & Associates LLC
Steve Rivkin, 201-670-1370
steve@Rivkin.net
www.Rivkin.net
or
Sandra Bauman, 201-444-6894
Sandra@BaumanResearch.com
www.BaumanResearch.com

Contacts

Rivkin & Associates LLC
Steve Rivkin, 201-670-1370
steve@Rivkin.net
www.Rivkin.net
or
Sandra Bauman, 201-444-6894
Sandra@BaumanResearch.com
www.BaumanResearch.com