This week’s topic: Cases 9 and 16 and Social Marketing

The reading assignment for Week 2 included Case 9, a case that introduced the concepts of social marketing and relates it to the issues around the Safe Surgery Saves Lives checklist. It illustrates the checklist’s reception in the working environment, which is peopled by very busy and resource-constrained healthcare professionals. It also introduces the fact that there are broad and powerful movements aimed at improving quality as well as local teams, but it raises some questions about whether knowledge and societal encouragement are sufficient to generate procedural and behavioral changes.

In your initial post, compare Case 9 to Case 16, a case that resulted in a legislative change requested by an advocacy group after a fatal event. In this instance, the family is looking to effect change via the political process. However, this approach is rarely successful.

Do you think the concepts of social marketing could be used in this instance or one like it?

What are the six basic steps of social marketing?