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Shouldice Hospital Case Analysis Executive Summary The Shouldice Hospital case demonstrates an excellent example of a well-developed, focused service delivery system. Their current dilemma is how to effectively expand, (reducing case backlogs), while maintaining product quality, as well as employee, customer and staff satisfaction. They developed an excellent marketing tool to add to their long standing word-of-mouth referral system but were unsure how to manage the likely additional need for services. Restricting their ability to meet this need was reluctance on the part of older physicians and staff to expand to weekend hours and a lack of patient beds. They also had to deal with competitors who stated they were offering the “Shouldice method” but potentially damaged the hospital’s reputation by producing inferior outcomes. The reality of medicine is that offering an excellent product, is not always the determinant of success and financial viability. Shouldice Hospital has not only established a reputation for technical excellence, but they are also well known for their attention to the personal, non-medical needs of their clientele. By utilizing a focused marketing plan, improving their product, and expanding to include Saturday operations, Shouldice will be able to achieve both its quality and financial goals. How successful is Shouldice Hospital? What issues need to be addressed? Shouldice Hospital is very successful. During WWII, Dr Edward Earle Shouldice developed his innovative technique, in order to allow men who would otherwise be disqualified from service because of their hernia, to be inducted into the army.
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