Healthcare PR - the importance of public relations in the healthcare sector

Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, and Mayo Clinic represent three prominent names in the healthcare sector, and they all have one thing in common - great PR. Healthcare marketers know that there are some impressive, jaw-dropping technological advances in the industry, but trust, credibility and reputation remain vital. Without either, your messaging won't strike the chord it needs to attract customers and thrive.

Healthcare PR, at its best, can shape perception, foster reassurance, and enhance standing while offering vital advice and information. Connecting with people on a human level is critical to effective healthcare marketing, and PR allows providers to bridge the gap between themselves and the communities they serve. 

In this article, we delve into the importance of effective PR in this sphere and the profound effect it can have on public health outcomes. As you learn more, you'll better understand the value that healthcare providers can derive from a PR expert like MCI. 
 

The role of healthcare PR

PR in the wider business world is about moulding public perceptions of a company or organisation. However, the considerations that need to be made in healthcare are singularly unique due to the pivotal trust metric. As such, the PR you put out in this sphere must educate, engage and inform in a way that marks you out as experts who care deeply about the well-being of your potential customers. 

The key functions of public relations in healthcare include:

• Reputation management - PR agencies help healthcare organisations cultivate a positive public image in an era where patients often base their decisions on which provider to choose on reputation.
• Public education - Via marketing campaigns and other initiatives, PR can be used to educate the public on wellness practices, health risks and preventative measures that can be taken. This marks your organisation as an authority in your field. 
• Crisis communication - During public health emergencies like COVID-19, healthcare PR is crucial in addressing misinformation and preventing panic through transparent and reassuring messaging. 
• Stakeholder engagement—Building trust with patients is important, of course, but PR in healthcare also helps to connect with other stakeholders, such as healthcare professionals, employees, and investors.

Healthcare PR can also have a hugely positive effect on the public, as can be seen in the CDC’s response to the H1N1 influenza outbreak in 2009. Thanks to a comprehensive strategy, real-time information was disseminated to the public, allowing fears to be managed and best practices shared to control the spread of the virus. 
 

Enhancing public health awareness

When a healthcare organisation plays a central role in any critical health issue that affects broad swathes of the population, it naturally leads to an enhanced standing in the industry. By leveraging every channel available, healthcare public relations can greatly improve a company’s perception, and it can be achieved in a number of ways.

• Targeted Campaigns - whether talking about the benefits of a specific healthcare product, mental health awareness or the importance of vaccinations, targeted healthcare PR campaigns can be tailored to a diverse range of audiences across the full spectrum of platforms. They include traditional media, social media and community outreach. 
• Influencer collaboration - Prominent neurosurgeon Dr Sanjay Gupta is just one example of an influential figure who can amplify your healthcare PR messaging. Dr Gupta has over 297,000 followers on Instagram alone, and by partnering with notable people like these, you can make your messages relatable and visible to a wide audience.
• Educational content - Many successful healthcare public relations strategies also involve the dissemination of educational content that informs and engages in equal measure. It’s imperative to make this content easy to digest, which is why infographics, YouTube videos and interactive tools simplify the job of conveying complex health information. 

An instance of public awareness of important health matters being raised through effective healthcare PR is the NHS #LIVEON organ donation campaign. Funded by Cardiff University, this strategy is designed to get people talking about the subject and how it allows people to literally live longer.
Most of the public understands that making organs available after they pass is important, but 59% still aren’t registered donors. However, emotional campaigns that show the real-life stories of people who've lived on thanks to the generosity of others can be exceptionally persuasive.