Utilising the medical literature for market research: Finding new approaches to marketing substance abuse treatment clinics

Funding and conducting market research is an expensive and time-consuming proposition for small medical care firms. However, all firms must keep in touch with their consumers and referral sources. We propose that the existing medical literature can be a valuable tool for small healthcare firms that need ideas and data to support their marketing programmes. The recent advent of online access to studies from a multitude of scientific researchers can be mined to help small firms. We illustrate our premise with a case examining some strategic planning questions and suggestions for private behavioural health clinics.