Getting to Yes Consumer LD Model
What Matters to Expectant Mothers: Turning Behavioral Evidence into Market Growth
For more than two decades, the Chief Medical Officer of a leading pediatric academic medical center advocated for a Women & Infants Tower that would integrate labor and delivery, the NICU, pediatric subspecialists, maternal-fetal medicine, and enhanced patient amenities. The proposal repeatedly stalled because the Board required credible evidence that the tower could generate enough incremental deliveries to justify hundreds of millions of dollars in construction costs. The central question was what matters most to expectant mothers when choosing where to deliver—something historical utilization data could not answer, since it reflected past choices rather than future switching behavior.
Traditional market research can identify what consumers say they value. Behavioral research will identify what consumers value through their decisions.
Finding What Matters
We surveyed women ages 18–44 across the metropolitan area who planned to have a baby in the future. The objective was straightforward: identify and prioritize the features that drive hospital choice for delivery.
We tested 14 attributes, and eleven were statistically significant drivers of choice. The behavioral results identified four categories of features with varying impacts on market growth: (1) priority, (2) modest impact, (3) must-haves, and (4) nice-to-haves. The graphic describes the specific features of the two categories that drive incremental market share.
The third category, which we call must-haves, consists of services that women expect to be available at current levels. Failure to maintain this standard will result in a loss of market share. This category includes the following services:
- Level III NICU plus pediatric subspecialities
- Birthing and baby care classes
- In-room sofa for spouse or partner
Just as important, several commonly considered amenities did not influence hospital choice. While “nice to have,” they are not services that the hospital should invest in heavily:
- Designated parking for expectant mothers close to the hospital
- Family food service available through the maternity ward
- Enhanced data, voice, and video services
The implication was clear: not everything that can be improved matters equally to the market.
From What Matters to What to Do
The behavioral model enabled the team to move beyond identifying drivers and to simulate how changes in those drivers could affect market share.
For example, reducing the birth trauma rate was projected to generate about 700 additional deliveries, and offering a 50% guarantee of a private room was projected to generate about 600 additional deliveries.
These scenarios transformed abstract consumer preferences into tangible business opportunities and provided leaders with a way to evaluate investments based on their likely market impact.
Based on behavioral evidence, the Mothers & Infants initiatives were projected to generate approximately 2,100 additional births and 750 NICU admissions annually at maturity.
The finding offered what traditional market research rarely does: confidence in what matters, how much it matters, and what will happen if the organization acts.
For healthcare leaders, that behavioral evidence became the foundation for Getting to Yes, providing the certainty needed to proceed with investment in the Mothers & Infants Center.
To learn more, visit Mi4Sight | Market Innovations Inc.