Final answer:
The statement is false; physicians are a major target for healthcare marketing due to their significant influence on patient care decisions and recommendations.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that physicians are a minor target for marketing efforts because they recommend other health care providers for their patients is false. Physicians are, in fact, a major target for marketing efforts in the healthcare industry because they have significant influence over the care their patients receive, including recommending specialists, prescribing medications, and suggesting medical facilities. As key decision-makers, doctors are approached by pharmaceutical companies, medical device manufacturers, and health service providers aiming to promote their products and services.
Additionally, the referenced information highlights a result wherein doctors and hospitals avoid many of the poorest areas of the United States due to lower profitability, which indicates that healthcare providers' decisions and behaviors are influenced by economic factors as much as by patient care considerations.