Emotional Market Research In Healthcare – What You Need To Know And Why It Matters

September 13, 2023by arp blog

Healthcare organizations are increasingly turning to Emotional Market Research (EMR) to gain insights into the needs and wants of their target audience. But what exactly does EMR entail, and why is it so significant?

EMR is a qualitative research methodology focused on unraveling the emotions steering consumer behavior. This methodology empowers healthcare marketers to delve into the motivations and psychological factors underpinning people’s choices. EMR can highlight unmet needs and opportunities for new products or services.

Read this blog to know more about Emotional Market Research.

How Emotional Market Research Can Improve The Quality Of Healthcare?

Emotional market research is critical in healthcare for a variety of reasons. 

First, understanding patients’ and caregivers’ emotions can help providers design more effective interventions.

Second, emotions play a role in patient compliance with treatment regimens. Providers can develop more successful programs by understanding what motivates patients to stick to their treatment plans. 


Third, diagnosing and treating mental health conditions requires a keen understanding of emotion. By conducting emotional market research, providers can gain insight into the root causes of these conditions and develop targeted treatments. 


Lastly, many significant health decisions are made based on feelings and emotions. Providers can better support patients through difficult choices by understanding how these factors influence decision-making.


Where to Use this Methodology?

Emotional Market Research can have many applications in healthcare settings, some of which are mentioned below:

  1. Enhance patient satisfaction and care quality by understanding how patients feel about their care in hospital or clinics.
  2. Improve emotional support in long-term care facilities like nursing homes or assisted living by identifying and meeting residents’ emotional needs.
  3. Tailor community health initiatives, such as health fairs or outreach events, to better meet attendees’ emotions and community needs.
  4. Aid pharmaceutical companies in developing a deeper understanding of patient sentiments towards medications, potentially leading to improved drug design and new treatment options.

How is this done: Brainstorming, Personal Emotion Assessment & More?


Brainstorming: Healthcare emotional market research is typically done through brainstorming sessions with people with experience with the target condition. This allows for greater insight into how patients and their families feel about treatments. It also provides insight into their expectations and what would make them more likely to adhere to a treatment plan. 

Personal emotion assessment is another key component of healthcare emotional 

market research. This involves assessing the emotions of individual patients and caregivers to better understand their needs and wants. This can be done through surveys, interviews, focus groups, or other methods. It is imperative to get detailed feedback from as many people as possible to clearly understand the issue at hand.


Pros and Cons of Emotional Market Research 

When it comes to any type of research, it’s critical to understand the pros and cons of using that method. This is especially true regarding emotional market research (EMR). Here are some things to remember when deciding if EMR is right for your healthcare organization.

 

PROS

  1. Helps you understand how patients feel about their condition and treatment options.
  2. Can help you identify unmet needs that patients have.
  3. Gives you insights into how patients make decisions about their health.
  4. Helps you develop more effective marketing and communication strategies.
  5. Can provide long-term benefits for your organization by helping you build deeper patient relationships.


CONS

  1. May not be suitable for all types of healthcare organizations or products/services.
  2. Requires a high level of commitment from the organization and the patients involved in the research. 
  3. Can be challenging to accurately interpret results – emotions are complex and sometimes difficult to accurately interpret or quantify. This can make drawing concrete conclusions from emotional market research data difficult.
  4. Time-consuming and expensive – conducting emotional market research can be quite costly and time-consuming, particularly if it is conducted on a large scale.

 

Final Thoughts

Emotional market research holds great potential as a powerful tool for healthcare providers and patients alike. However, it’s essential to carefully consider the advantages and disadvantages of this research approach before determining its suitability for your organization. At ARP, we specialize in conducting emotional research. Feel free to contact us for more information and insights on how this method can benefit your healthcare endeavors. Feel free to contact us at infodl@asiaresearchpartners.com.