Table 1.

Differences between ophthalmologic and other services consumers

Ophthalmologic services	Other services
Seldom are the last decision makers	Usually are the ultimate decision makers
Often make decisions subjectively	Usually make decisions objectively
Seldom know the price	Always know the price
Seldom make decisions based on price	Usually make decisions based on price
Usually make nondiscretionary purchases	Usually make discretionary purchases
Usually require a professional referral	Rarely require a professional referral
Have limited knowledge of service attributes	Have significant knowledge of service attributes
Have limited ability to judge the quality of the service	Are usually able to judge the quality of the service
Have limited ability to evaluate the outcome	Are usually able to evaluate the outcome
Are not susceptible to standard marketing techniques	Are susceptible to standard marketing techniques
Source: adapted from Thomas RK. Marketing Health Care Services. 2010, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 157.