In 2009, seeking to serve more needy patients, the growing for-profit chain of urban clinics enlisted GlobalHealth Lab to determine a market penetration strategy for the low-income self-paying segment of the population. After conducting extensive market research, an MIT student team determined that before Meridian could attract low-income patients it would need to drive down consultation fees through significantly higher volume. The students also recommended expanding brand awareness through signage and referrals and partnering with the Ministry of Health to promote health education. After the project, Meridian found that partnering with corporate clients in tandem with lowering prices for clinics catering to self-paying patients increased their growth most rapidly—a strategy that students had not foreseen, even if their work had suggested that novel approaches would be needed for Meridian to develop in the direction they sought.
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