FACTORS AFFECTING THE CAPACITY TO IMPLEMENT A POSITIONING STRATEGY IN PRIMARY CARE PHYSICAL THERAPY PRACTICE: A SCOPING REVIEW

J. van der Heiden¹, E. van der Herberg², L. Visser³, C. Veenhof^1,4, D.-J. Barten¹

¹HU University of Applied Sciences, Research Group Innovation of Human Movement Care, Research Center Healthy and Sustainable Living, Utrecht, Netherlands, ²HU University of Applied Sciences, Research Group Marketing and Customer Experience, Research Center Digital Business & Media, Utrecht, Netherlands, ³Hanze University of Applied Sciences, Research Group Marketing & Entrepreneurship, Institute Marklinq, Groningen, Netherlands, ⁴University Utrecht, Physical Therapy Research, Department of Rehabilitation, Physiotherapy Science and Sport, University Medical Center Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht, Netherlands

Background: Physiotherapists master knowledge and skills to make a relevant contribution to prevention and early intervention of a large group of Dutch citizens. The potential value of physiotherapists will only raise, due to the predicted increase in mobility impairments and co-morbidities accompanied by the ageing population. However, physiotherapy-organizations lack a good position in the community, including strong partnerships with local stakeholders such as community members, general practitioners, and district nurses. To be able to live up to their potential, a clear positioning strategy is needed for physiotherapy-organizations to be found by crucial stakeholders and residents. A positioning strategy is a marketing technique that describes the organization’s desired position in the heart and mind of the target population. It is based on the needs and wants of the target population and an analysis of the competition. It consist of the main promise of the organization towards the target and subsequent values. Earlier research resulted in a practical toolkit, which could be used by physiotherapy-organizations to develop their positioning strategy. However, many physiotherapy-organizations fail to implement their strategy successfully.

Purpose: The objective of this study is to identify barriers and facilitators that affect the ability to implement a positioning strategy for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), particularly physiotherapy-organizations.

Methods: A literature search was conducted in five medical and business databases in order to identify studies regarding factors that affect the ability to implement a positioning strategy. Assessment for appropriateness of identified studies was conducted by two researchers respecting the methodology described by Arksey and O’Malley. A qualitative analysis was performed to identify the common themes using the R=MC2 framework (Readiness= Motivation X (General Capacity X Innovation-Specific Capacity). If necessary, themes were added. Subsequently, Delphi rounds with experts from the fields of marketing & branding and physiotherapy were performed to validate the findings identified in the literature.

Results: A total of 421 studies were identified of which 11 were included. The included studies described 21 factors that may influence the implementation ability of SMEs health organizations. The thematic ordering in line with R=MC2 led to 2 factors on ‘motivation’, 8 factors on ‘general capacity’, 9 factors on ‘marketing-specific capacity’. An additional domain involved 'strategic basis' (2 factors). The expert consultation confirmed that these factors can affect the implementation capability of SMEs health organizations, in particular physiotherapy-organizations.

Conclusions: This scoping review provided an overview of 21 common factors that are involved in the implementation of a positioning strategy in SMEs, specifically physiotherapy-organizations. These factors include generic factors, as well as motivation, strategy, and marketing-specific factors which were not previously linked to the context of physiotherapy-organizations.

Implications: In order to support physiotherapy organizations in implementing their positioning strategy, the identified factors were converted to an online dashboard, including a self-diagnosis instrument. This self-diagnosis can be a starting point for focused implementation strategies to enhance the ability to implement a positioning strategy. This will facilitate physiotherapy-organizations to fulfill their potential as relevant stakeholders in the community and solidify their value in future healthcare.

Funding acknowledgements: This study is funded by the (Dutch) Taskforce for Applied Research SIA Raak-mkb, of the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research

Keywords:
Implementation
Stakeholder relations
Physiotherapy-organization

Topics:
Professional issues: business skills, leadership, advocacy & change management
Primary health care

Did this work require ethics approval? No

Reason: No ethical approval was required because this study was performed using literature research.