According to WHO and EU recommendations, the required minimum budget expenditure on health care is 5% of GDP. In Ukraine, these expenditures amount to 2.5% of GDP. In 2016, the Cabinet of Ministers reduced payments for bed maintenance and procurement of medicines. State hospitals do not receive sufficient funding, the quality of services is deteriorating, medical staff continues to accept “gratitude” (read bribes). It is this vicious circle that makes people turn to private clinics.
70% of Ukrainian private clinics are dental clinics. Assistance in such areas of health care as gynecology, ophthalmology, surgery and neurology is also in demand. Ukrainians most rarely turn to private psychologists and oncologists. Probably because consultations of such specialists are very expensive. One visit to an oncologist can cost 5000 UAH.
In addition to public and private clinics, private offices and self-employed family doctors are gaining popularity in Ukraine. Here is what the curator of the Medical Business Forum thinks about this.
Private offices give the doctor the ability to adjust his or her own workload and prices. There is also an “economy offer” of autonomous work – consultation at home, so-called family doctors. This type of work is possible if examinations do not require bulky equipment.
Online consultations are not yet very popular in our country. In America, for example, a session of internet medicine costs 250 dollars.
In the review of the private medicine market in Ukraine we will compare institutions according to such criteria:
- Accessibility (whether it is easy to get to appointments / get there);
- pricing policy;
- quality of services provided;
- level of service;
- the ratio of service quality to cost;
- the number of services available;
- the level of professionalism of the nursing staff;
Rating of private clinics in Ukraine
The rating was made by companies that deal with health insurance. They evaluated such clinics:
The table shows which place in the ranking the clinic occupies when different criteria are evaluated separately.
What does the price of private clinics consist of?
According to Tatyana Pavlyuchenko, head of Asco-Medservice, the cost of treatment depends not on the quality of services provided, but on the “status” of the clinic. Among the market leaders, the differences in price for the same services are 50-80% with the same level of quality. This means that the consumer overpays for reputation.
The most expensive representatives of the private medicine market are American Medical Centers, Boris, Dobrobut, Eurolab, Oberig and Medicom.
Koloro Branding Agency tells you what ways there are to save money on private clinic visits.
- On the sites pokupon.ua and superdeal.ua you can buy a discount coupon, which can reduce costs as much as 85%.
Photo. Discounts on SuperDeal website
- Ask about discounts from clinic staff. The girls at the reception desk will gladly tell you about upcoming promotions and “hot hours”. For example, in the clinic “Noviy Zir” it costs 550 UAH to undergo a full vision diagnostics from 16:00 to 18:00. In other hours – 860 UAH. Such changes in the price help to distribute the workload between doctors. Clients come when it is convenient not for them, but for the clinic.
- To undergo diagnostic services at night. In the capital, X-rays or CT scans are available around the clock. Moreover, if you arrive after midnight, you can save up to 30% of the total cost.
Photo. Discounts on MRI on the M24 website
- Become a regular customer. Let’s say that “Dobrobut” has already once established itself as a center with professionals. If you go to this private clinic again, even if for a different issue, you can safely count on a 10-25% discount. Mediland Clinic offers a 25% discount to those who agree to become a regular client for 1 year.
Photo. One-year contract with Mediland Private Clinic
- Buying a package of tests is cheaper than diagnosing each organ separately. This option is suitable for those who like to check their organism every six months. It is fraught with the fact that doctors will treat the slightest deviation from the norm.
Photo. Discounts on package studies
- Bargaining. In the truest sense of the word. Declare that if the institution does not reduce the cost to the level you want, you will go to a competitor. If we are talking about amounts up to 500 UAH, the clinic can afford to be uncooperative. If we are talking about a higher cost, you can count on an “individual loyalty program”.
How to choose a private clinic?
Studies of the Ukrainian private medicine market have shown that consumers have a great choice. But how can one choose the ideal price-quality ratio among 50 multidisciplinary clinics?
According to Volodymyr Vashchenko, an employee of the insurance sector, only 30% of medical institutions in Ukraine provide a high level of service.
Photo. Medikom Clinic
Koloro branding agency advises to pay attention to such aspects when choosing:
- How long has the medical clinic been on the market? Is the network expanding? The answers to these questions can be found on the official website of the clinic. A well-developed network indicates not only that the clinic is well-funded, but also the overall positive reputation of the institution.
- Recommendations from acquaintances. A person you trust can sincerely tell you whether the doctor was attentive, whether for the purpose of earning money did not impose unnecessary procedures, and most importantly – what is the result of the visit.
- Corporate identity of a private clinic. Do not underestimate the role of branding in the medical business. The market is oversaturated, and if a clinic has “got its hands on” a unique selling proposition, it means that quality service has been dealt with. Do not trust “faceless” clinics and newcomers to the market.
- Reviews of the clinic on Internet forums and on sites like doc.ua, doc.guru. These are services where you can read customer reviews about the clinic, about a particular specialist, learn about the discount system and even make an appointment.
The resource doc.ua allows users to freely share their opinions. The presence of negative reviews, which confirm the reality of the site, is pleasing.
Photo. Fragment of the site doc.ua
“In search of a doctor, Ukrainians are accustomed to be guided by the recommendations of acquaintances. But if you have moved to another city, are embarrassed to bring your medical problem to public discussion, or need a doctor with whom your community has not encountered – the online service doc.ua will help you,” says project manager Serhiy Kazantsev.
Photo. Serhiy Kazantsev, founder of the doc.ua resource
Unlike doc.ua, the resource doc.guru also provides users with information about medical drugs: instructions and a list of pharmacies where the drug is sold.
Materials on the topic:
- Corporate identity – the packaging of your company
- Bank’s corporate identity
- Development of corporate style of a beauty salon
How to create a private healthcare brand
In order to become “number one” in the consumer’s mind, it is not enough to provide quality services at adequate prices. It is necessary to create a brand. The name, logo, corporate identity, slogan, design of corporate clothing and business documentation will help a potential client to remember the clinic and subsequently choose it.
Let’s consider brand positioning of 3 well-known clinics in Kiev.
Dobrobut Clinic
Нейминг. Добробут, то есть «добрый быт» — это обеспеченность личности необходимыми материальными благами. Обеспечивать и защищать материальные блага клиентов — было главной задачей страховой компании «Добробут» в 2001 году. Практически сразу же после создания компания переориентировалась на медицинскую отрасль (отделение неотложной помощи, 2001 год), сохранив название. «Добробут» — добрый быт обеспечить может каждый, кто здоров.
Photo. Interior of the clinic “Dobrobut”
Logo. From time to time, even successful companies need a rebranding. Dobrobut Clinic understands perfectly well that the corporate identity of the clinic is a way to communicate its values to the consumer. In 2016, the logo was modified: the blue color was replaced by blue, the additional text “medichna merizha” by “zdorov’ya krainy”, and the corporate character became less flexible.
Figure. Rebranding of the logo of the Dobrobut medical network
Unique selling proposition. If the qualification of doctors, round-the-clock work and discount system do not surprise anyone, then educational programs for the population are a novelty of the Ukrainian market of private clinics. Some courses are paid (approximately 450 UAH), some are freely available.
Picture. Courses and social projects of the Dobrobut Clinic
Boris Clinic
Naming. Mikhail Radutsky, the founder of the clinic, admits that he named the institution in honor of his father. Boris Radutsky died on the day the clinic was registered.
Photo. Working moment at the Boris Clinic
Logo. The clinic has a text logo – white letters on a blue background. Blue is the most popular color for corporate logos. It is associated with stability and honesty. The red heart rhythm line enlivens the image and refers to the medical theme. Verdict: a laconic clear logo.
Photo. Boris Clinic logo
Unique selling proposition. The clinic’s slogan reflects the main principle of its positioning: “Boris – zavzhdy dopomoroga”. The center was opened in 1993. At that time, 24/7 medical care was a rarity. This is what made Boris stand out among its competitors. Now the clinic itself speaks about its capabilities in this way.
Photo. Fragment of the Boris Clinic website
Michael Radutsky also emphasizes the availability of services day and night.
ADONIS Clinic
Naming. That’s a great title. First, the semantic meaning fits the meaning. Adonis is a medicinal plant, on the basis of which an infusion is made to treat cardiovascular diseases. Adonis is also called a handsome young man, but it is unlikely that the marketers invested this meaning. Secondly, the name is concise. 6 letters or less is ideal for the audience to memorize.
Figure. The ADONIS clinic logo and the plant that inspired the marketers
Logo. Schematic representation of the adonis flower. Symmetry and rounded lines are soothing. Green color is often used to emphasize the eco-direction of companies. Green motifs in the interior soothe visitors while waiting for an appointment.
Figure. Characteristics of the green logo
Unique selling proposition. The ADONIS Clinic has an international department that deals with the reception and treatment of patients from abroad. Specialists fully organize the guest’s visit, starting from buying an air ticket and ending with the delivery of necessary medicines.
Photo. Interior of the ADONIS clinic
Private medicine branding is not an element of luxury, it is a way to survive and become a profitable clinic in a highly competitive environment. While Dobrobut and Medikom are excellent at understanding the patient’s body, Koloro is a professional in the patient’s mind.
Let’s together answer the consumer’s question “What is the best private clinic in Ukraine?”.
