Role of the provider in family planning and reproductive health services marketing : lessons learned form [from] SOMARC III

This paper describes lessons learned from independent commercial health care providers in Istanbul, Turkey; a health maintenance organization in Salvador, Brazil; and an NGO FP association in Lima, Peru. Despite differences in country and service settings, the lessons learned are remarkably consistent and can be summarized in three main points: (1) Traditional advertising-based outreach promotion has little direct impact on client volume, referrals, or types of services provided. (2) Increasing client interest in or awareness of the availability of FP services, without changing provider behavior, does not necessarily translate into increasing FP service delivery. (3) Changing provider behavior by applying explicit, standardized screening tools or focused outreach promotion can increase service volume. Providers should be seen not only as targets for technical training aimed at quality assurance, but as a critical element in a marketing mix designed to attract and hold clients and increase their utilization of available services. Services marketing is an effective and viable way to increase commercial and not-for-profit involvement in FP and RH. To reap the benefits of this approach, providers and their staffs need assistance in changing their own behavior to become more proactive with their clients. (Author abstract)