| Choosing your primary audience when designing a | | | | patients' use of specific hospitals. |
| public relations campaign is usually a | | | | When hospitals ask their patients, "Why did you |
| straight-forward decision. However, when | | | | choose this hospital?" Most will answer, "Because |
| developing the public relations campaign for a | | | | this is where my doctor sent me." |
| hospital or similar patient-focused healthcare | | | | Patents trust their doctors so they follow their |
| provider, you face a tricky decision when | | | | advice. |
| determining who you want to inform and | | | | Other than in an emergency or when an institution |
| influence. | | | | is renowned for its expertise in a particular illness |
| Should you focus on the particular portion of the | | | | or specialty, patients don't show up or make an |
| population your healthcare organization serves as | | | | appointment at a hospital for a test or treatment |
| patients? Or should you focus on the galaxy of | | | | unless their primary physician or specialist directed |
| physicians who send people to your institution for | | | | them to do so. |
| medical tests and who rely on your facilities to | | | | Hospitals should conduct very active and focused |
| treat their patients? | | | | physician relations programs that keep doctors |
| Based on my experience in developing and | | | | well informed regarding the hospital's services, |
| directing healthcare public relations programs for | | | | facilities and treatment capabilities. |
| hospitals and other large medical practices and | | | | Increasing the number of doctors associated with |
| institutions, I will plant my feet firmly on both | | | | your hospital will result in more patients than will |
| sides of the argument. | | | | publicizing the institution's facilities, services or |
| Your course of action depends upon the ultimate | | | | capabilities to a broad, general audience. |
| goal of your public relations campaign and how | | | | Why should you aim a hospital's public relations |
| you answer these two questions: | | | | initiatives at the general public? |
| * Do you want to increase and strengthen your | | | | Public relations campaigns directed at the general |
| institution's bottom line? | | | | public strengthen a hospital's overall reputation as |
| * Do you want to increase and strengthen your | | | | a high quality institution; an institution that benefits |
| institution's stature and reputation in your | | | | patients with leading edge services, |
| community as a primary healthcare and social | | | | compassionate care and advanced medical |
| resource? | | | | technology. |
| You may want to answer "yes" to both | | | | Such campaigns establish and reinforce the |
| questions. But unless you have unlimited funds, | | | | hospital's reputation as a vital community |
| you must determine how much to spend on | | | | resource. |
| reinforcing your institution's bottom line and how | | | | They comfort and pre-sell prospective patients |
| much should go toward strengthening its | | | | when their doctor tells them to go to a particular |
| reputation as an outstanding healthcare resource | | | | hospital for tests or treatment. They eliminate the |
| in the eyes of the general public. | | | | need for a doctor to explain why she/he uses a |
| Why should you aim a hospital's public relations | | | | certain hospital when providing treatment. |
| initiatives only at doctors? | | | | And they reinforce your physician-relations |
| Hospitals and other healthcare institutions that | | | | campaign by reassuring doctors that they made |
| want to appeal to and serve more patients must | | | | the right decision when choosing your hospital to |
| maintain a tight focus on attracting and serving | | | | treat their patients and connect their name and |
| doctors. Doctors are the driving force behind | | | | professional reputation. |