Dr$.$ Arthur Agatston, MD$,$ is a cardiologist in Miami, the author of the book The South Beach Diet, and he does not take a conventional approach to practicing medicine. Convinced of the benefits of smoking cessation, exercise, and diet, he claims that only $3$ of his $2,800$ patients had a heart attack this past year. Cardiologists estimate that the right preventive care can reduce heart attacks by $80\%.$

The U$.$S$.$ healthcare system, however, has traditionally focused on treating acute illness. Doctors and hospitals were rewarded for performing expensive tests and procedures when cheaper preventive measures might produce better results. Consider heart care: nuclear scans and invasive procedures such as bypass surgery have high levels of reimbursement. Medicare paid almost $$15$ billion, or about $5\%$ of its total budget, for bypasses, stents, and other invasive cardiology, according to Jonathan Skinner of Dartmouth University. Yet the appropriateness of such measures for many patients remains unproven.

According to Dr$.$ Gregg W$.$ Stone, director of cardiovascular research at Columbia University, the three keys to effective disease prevention are $(1)$ frequent patient visits to a physician, $(2)$ a close relationship between the physician and the patient, and $(3)$ a very committed patient. These characteristics represent the value proposition of Dr$.$ Agatston$$s practice. Nurses give patients specific cholesterol goals to meet and help them deal with drug side effects. Physical therapists offer exercises that improve joint mobility. A nutritionist explains strategies for sticking to a high$-$fiber Mediterranean diet, even on a cruise or a business trip. Unfortunately, while stressing this preventive approach to medicine, Dr$.$ Agatston$$s practice is losing money. He can make up for this shortfall through his best$-$selling book sales, but other physicians who practice prevention and who are not celebrities often suffer financially.

You are a strategic healthcare marketing consultant, and Dr$.$ Agatston has hired you to grow his practice and improve its financial performance. Answer the three questions that follow to outline a strategic marketing plan for Dr$.$ Agatston$$s practice.

Identify three marketing goals and corresponding objectives for the Agatston marketing plan.

Describe how you would develop these goals.

Develop three overall marketing strategies including targeting, marketing research, and positioning to guide the marketing mix strategies. Use the standard format for the positioning strategy.

Explain your reasoning for each strategy.

What product, pricing, channels, and promotion marketing mix strategies do you recommend? Include at least one to two tactics for each strategy.