Hospitals don't have to be media-savvy. In the grand scheme of things, media relations probably falls pretty low on the list of a hospital's priorities. That's why it's so pleasantly surprising when a hospital or health system absolutely aces it.
Becker's Hospital Review editors and writers speak to hospital executives and work with their media relations teams every day. We've come to recognize a few organizations and leaders who really go above and beyond when it comes to telling a story, adding valuable insight to pressing conversations and helping us meet deadline. Here are seven signs of a media-friendly hospital executive and public affairs team.
1. The executive doesn't shy away from hard issues. You hear a lot about transparency in healthcare these days, and hospital and health system executives have a great opportunity to demonstrate this in interviews. Some of the best interviews I've conducted have been with CEOs who delved into uncomfortable topics — sometimes unprompted! One CEO talked about his thought process before implementing a major layoff. Another talked about a patient committing suicide under his watch as CEO — a devastating "never event."
When the CEOs brought up these events, they shared the lessons they learned as a result — anecdotes that are otherwise hard to come by. We hope our readers can learn something from others' difficulties, and we appreciate when an executive lets down his or her guard and broaches tough subjects. Reporters will still ask about layoffs and never events, because that's their job, but the length to which an executive discusses such topics is up to them. It's rewarding when one opts to expand rather than become tight-lipped.
2. The media relations team addresses queries and questions within a day, if not within the hour. I've never emailed a hospital's media relations staff unless it was about something important, and I'm guessing the same is true for most reporters. So when a hospital's PR team waits days to respond, or doesn't at all, it sends major red flags about how they treat a media request.
When a reporter reaches out with a question or interview request, most will be happy to receive a prompt, validating response. "Stay tuned" or "I'm on it" are two of my personal favorites, and they take all but four seconds to type and send. That's the start of a healthy reporter-PR relationship. No response at all? That's poor professional etiquette and a journalist's nightmare, especially when a factual question comes up with a deadline looming.
I've found one of the biggest names in healthcare — Cleveland Clinic — is also home to some of the most responsive public affairs professionals. It doesn't always work this way: Sometimes the most prestigious and/or largest systems are the least responsive. Yes, Cleveland Clinic might have a larger PR team than other hospitals (resulting in less backlog of media inquiries), but staff members do a great job of coordinating requests between the system's many departments and answering questions before day's end or deadline, whichever comes first. I can tell such promptness is an instilled value in that media relations department, and I always look forward to working with that system as a result.
3. The hospital website details its media team. It's tough for an outsider to gauge the hierarchy of the hospital's PR department. Should I email my interview request to the director? Coordinator? Associate? Odds are I'll end up sending to all three. Make it easy, and denote the person who is best to email for media requests. You don't like receiving emails or calls that aren't meant for you, and time-pressed reporters don't enjoy missing the mark, either.
The most helpful websites include direct lines and emails for the media rep(s), along with a contact for urgent situations. Another helpful material is the media fact sheet, which lists the bed count, annual admissions and other pertinent information about the hospital reporters will likely want to include as they write up their stories.
4. The executive doesn't shower the reporter in clichés. Experienced reporters know a great quote when they hear it, and they also cringe at phrases and words so overused they've practically lost their meaning. One example is, "Care in the right place, at the right time, in the right setting." Another deplored word? Synergy. They once meant something, but today, neither add much value to the conversation.
Every industry has its own jargon and catchphrases, but reporters will avoid such tired language and instead look for energetic, frank and insightful commentary. A CEO at a top-tier health system once told me, on the record, that his system's "99th percentile patient satisfaction sucks." He wanted it higher, and he wasn't mincing words. That quote made it to print. Years later, it's still a much more memorable quote than something about the patient satisfaction percentile remaining, generally, mildly unsatisfactory — wouldn't you say?
5. The CEO reveals personality. Cura personalis — it's Latin for "care for the whole person." When crafting a feature story or profile of a CEO, reporters hope to capture a "whole person" view of the CEO. We know they don't live in their corner offices. They have families and personal causes, artistic interests and ardent sports allegiances. Reporters relish these details. When it's appropriate, CEOs shouldn't veer from telling readers a bit more about who they are once they step out of the hospital. When leaders tell me about their fathers, biggest pet peeves or infomercial purchases, they're acknowledging they're more than "the CEO."
6. Executives are accessible. For most hospitals and health systems, it's protocol for media requests to make their way through the media department. But a handful of executives still reach out to Becker's reporters and provide their direct lines and email addresses. They'll also pass along news reports they find to be most interesting, or they will drop a line that they're available for a quote on a major event, such as the Supreme Court decision on the healthcare reform law a couple summers ago. Responsible journalists don't abuse this availability and accessibility — they very much appreciate it. As a publication tailored for hospital leaders, we base many editorial decisions on what issues executives find most pressing. Accessibility helps us stay attuned to those concerns.
7. The hospital can't wait to tell you about its leaders. After researching many hospitals' leadership teams on the Web, I'm still surprised when I find organizations neglecting this information entirely. A site may list the names and titles of its executive team — but the information stops there. Reporters love — and are coming to expect — headshots, biographies, messages from the CEO and blogs. We're not looking for executives' life stories, but we need to know more than their middle initial. We enjoy coming across those organizations that are eager to tell us about their president, CEO, CFO, CMO and more. Odds are patients and community members appreciate it, too.