| Perhaps the most difficult concept for a physician to | | | | placed has ranged from breakthroughs in cancer |
| grasp is the role of Public Relations in building a | | | | therapy, to new orthopedic surgeries, to the latest in |
| successful practice/business. The common perception | | | | plastic surgery. These stories help our clients reach |
| has been that P.R. was anathema. And that belief was | | | | their target markets and position them as experts in |
| not unique to the health profession. Not long ago, | | | | their field, but they also educate the public. |
| bankers, attorneys and others were taught that all | | | | To reach that end, physicians need to view |
| forms of advertising, marketing and promotion were | | | | themselves as educators. After all, we live in the |
| wrong. It was a moral issue. Being good at what one | | | | information age and no profession, field or practice can |
| does was enough. Calling attention to it was unseemly. | | | | avoid its effects. Professionals who understand the |
| In the health care world, apart from being perceived as | | | | process and actively take control of the information |
| vulgar, marketing was considered unnecessary. It was | | | | are the ones who will succeed. |
| assumed that patients would automatically and | | | | Today, savvy hospitals and physicians view public |
| miraculously come forever. As a result, physicians | | | | relations as an integral component of their business |
| erroneously believed they were sheltered from the | | | | strategy. They are learning that they must change their |
| demands placed on other businesses. | | | | perceptions to remain competitive. But few have really |
| Health professionals also have a tendency to view | | | | come to terms with the process. It's not enough to |
| marketing as hawking - much like a barker at a | | | | simply hire a professional and continue as before; a |
| carnival or a crass used-car salesman trying to lure | | | | change in attitude and outlook is required. |
| unsuspecting victims. It's the thought of the coarse, | | | | For example, when it comes to communicating, |
| smoke-and-mirror, hit-them-over-the-head style of | | | | doctors are used to presenting scientific data to their |
| publicity that understandably terrifies many in the | | | | peers. They are trained to think in terms of studies and |
| medical field. | | | | statistics, whereas the public and media both |
| It is, therefore, difficult for physicians to view public | | | | understand and respond more favorably to anecdotal |
| relations as an integral part of a successful practice. | | | | stories. |
| But just as the image of a physician giving a patient a | | | | Of course, this does not apply only to those in the |
| stiff drink and a bullet to bite before performing | | | | health care field. Many professionals can speak the |
| surgery is archaic, those P.R. stereotypes have nothing | | | | jargon of their particular field, but this makes for a very |
| to do with the reality of an intelligent, effective media | | | | insular form of communication. This is why media |
| campaign that educates and informs the media and | | | | training can be integral to an effective PR campaign. |
| the public. Used effectively, P.R. can usher in new | | | | All business professionals can benefit from learning to |
| concepts and perspectives, and shape the ideas of a | | | | speak the public's language and honing their ability to |
| community and a nation. | | | | communicate. |
| Our PR firm has represented hospitals, medical | | | | Is the fact that medicine must come of age as a |
| centers and individual physicians. We have placed | | | | business necessarily a bad thing? Considering the fact |
| medical-oriented stories in a wide range of media | | | | that information control and distribution is the new |
| outlets including Time magazine, USA Today, CNN, the | | | | currency, learning to effectively manage one's image |
| Today Show, the Wall Street Journal, NPR and | | | | and message will soon be viewed as Business 101. |
| several other media outlets. The media we have | | | | Even for physicians. |