ABSTRACT
The health industry accounts for more than 10 percent of the gross national product of the United States. Although its member organizations provide a wide variety of services, from surgical procedures to emergency treatment, they also bear the awesome responsibility of disseminating information about health maintenance and the prevention of illness and accident. Marketing communications is subtly grounded in knowledge, research and, in equal measure, instinct. The tools available to practitioners are no mystery; neither are the methods of implementation. The successful programs blend opportunity with consensus, problems with probabilities and diligence with good luck. Doing well by doing good is a unique opportunity available to those of us in the health sector. It is an activity only a fortunate few of us are able to experience. In all, the frustrations are well worth the effort.
