A systematic mapping study of using digital marketing technologies in health care: the state of the art of digital healthcare marketing

Abstract

People are getting smarter and more selective to use quality healthcare services concerning with sustainability of their mental and physical health. Understanding the behavioral patterns of those smart customers requires careful consideration of digital marketing strategies so that healthcare businesses can maximize the awareness and loyalty of the customers for their healthcare service. Thus, updating the digital healthcare marketing plan with current advances in digital healthcare marketing research becomes a key commitment of health care business managers who must implement adequate healthcare marketing strategies for the sustainability and survival of their business in highly changing and fiercely competitive health care markets. This study aims to systematize the literature of digital healthcare marketing through content taxonomy and logical generalization, thereby addressing the current state of the art. Relevant studies from four academic databases were reviewed, analyzed, and categorized concerning research questions. The research findings highlight connected and cognitive devices and blockchain as the most common categories of the usage of digital marketing technologies in human care services. The systematic mapping study proves that digital marketing is today an integral part of the promotion of medical business in the network, revealing the future research directions where insufficient understanding of the correct use of the cutting-edge technology applications such as artificial intelligence exists.