Consumer research and strategic planning for hospitals: a second opinion.

Strategic planning based on a market orientation requires close attention to consumers' needs and preferences. Therefore, consumer research is a prerequisite for strategic planning. However, problems and limitations have been pointed out in business fields which have had over 30 years' experience with consumer research. These shortcomings also apply to consumer research in healthcare. Several examples are presented to illustrate this point. Some recommendations follow which should make consumer research more useful for strategic planning. Yet, the importance of consumer research should not be overestimated.