Health Solutions Provider: A Case Study Of Dok Alternatibo Herbal Medicine Clinic

Jose R. Suson; Marites A. Khanser

Jose R. Suson, SVD School of Business and Economics, University of San Carlos
Marites A. Khanser School of Business and Economics, University of San Carlos

Keywords: herbal medicine clinic, alternative health solution provider, complementary alternative medicine, herbal medicine, wellness

Abstract

The case study investigated the business practices of Dok Alternatibo Herbal Medicine Clinic (DAHMC) engaged as an alternative health solutions provider in order to generate insights that work well for the company that enhanced its competitiveness and sustainability in the complementary alternative medicine industry. The company offered its customers this value proposition—the opportunity to achieve healing from their sickness in a natural way by offering its award-winning formula, natural and chemical-free herbal and nutrient supplements recognized by the government in the comfort of 57 Dok Alternatibo Clinics established nationwide.

The results of the study showed that the demographic profile of respondents consisted of those who belonged to below 50 years old, were mostly females, have a high school education, were influenced by Filipino culture, were predominantly influenced by Roman Catholicism, and were in good health.

The percentage of users of the DAHMC product and services constituted 51%, compared to nonusers at 49%. The DAHMC addressed the issue of 49% of DAHMC nonusers. The company employed market-penetration strategies that maximized promotion, advertisement, distribution of products, and various services in various locations that it is operating; introduced new and additional products and services on top of the existing ones; created a new product category and service package; and expanded service clinics and business/sales branches in new areas and locations nationwide. The regulatory issue that limited the herbal medicine to 10 herbal plants has moved the local industry to propose the amendment of the TAMA Law that would expand the DOH list of recognized herbal plants proven by science to have medicinal values, and need to be recognized for development and commercial applications.

The business practices of DHMC have improved its competitiveness and sustained its competitive advantage in the alternative complementary medicine industry due to its business ecosystem and the centralized management team that utilized the matrix management system.

Author Biographies

Jose R. Suson, SVD, School of Business and Economics, University of San Carlos

Father Jose Rivas Suson, SVD, Ph.D. is a Catholic priest of the Divine Word Missionary and is a faculty member of the School of Business and Economics of theUniversity of San Carlos. As a member for almost 25 years of the international religious-missionary congregation of the Divine Word Missionaries (SVD), he has worked in various capacities in its communications apostolate and radio broadcasting services for 22 years as well in various posts and capacities in the Catholic Media Network (CMN) and Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP).

Marites A. Khanser, School of Business and Economics, University of San Carlos

Marites Ariola Khanser is a Professor of the Department of Business Administration, School of Business and Economics (SBE) of the University of San Carlos, Cebu, Philippines. She has been teaching for more than 30 years in various Philippine universities (UP, Ateneo and DLSU, to name a few), before joining the University of San Carlos in 2010. She is the author of the bestselling entrepreneurship book titled John L. Gokongwei, Jr.: The Path of Entrepreneurship, published by the Ateneo de Manila University in 2007. Her main areas of research are Advanced Financial Technologies, Knowledge Management, Behavioral Finance, Entrepreneurship, Business Management, Carbon Finance, Electronic Learning, and Quantum physics as applied in Finance, among others. She has published many books on varied topics through the years and considers herself a seasoned writer.