Public Relations 101: Incorporating PR into Healthcare Hiring

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Public Relations 101 Incorporating PR into
Healthcare Hiring Retention Strategies

• Presented by
• Jack A. Segal
• Senior Vice President
• Edelman Health

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Todays Agenda

• Why PR?
• The Environment
• Strategies and Tactics
• Idea Exchange
• Questions and Answers
• Thank You

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Why PR?

• Differentiates you from the rest
• Tells Why You and not the others
• Shows a path and levels of opportunity
• Shows you care about your staff (not just your
  medical staff!)
• Shines light on institution as a whole
• Employee satisfaction linked to patient
  satisfaction

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The Environment
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Access, Revenues, Response

• In recent months, home care agencies have been
  forced to turn away patients requesting care
  because of inadequate nursing and home health
  aide staff, Albany (NY) Medical Center
• the chronic nationwide shortage of health care
  workers in U.S. hospitals could increase the
  impact of a pandemic, USA Today
• A shortage of clinical laboratory scientists
  is so severe that it could compromise the quality
  of the U.S. healthcare system particularly in
  the event of an attack involving biological or
  chemical weapons St. Louis University

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Todays Healthcare System

• Aging population (first baby boomers turning 60)
• Need to reduce costs and maintain quality
• Employers watching every penny
• Providers squeezed
• Patient safety, medical error reduction
• Hospital report cards!
• Negative media coverage
• New technologies and standards of care
• Scope of Practice issues
• Regulations, standards, reporting requirements

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Strategies and Tactics
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What HC Orgs Dont Do

• Give enough credit to nurses and allied health
  staff for their roles in patient care
• Focus on the contributions of non-patient-facing
  professionals
• Conduct PR around the achievements of nurses and
  allied health staff
• Allow non-physician employees to speak publicly
  about patient-care issues
• Its not all about the doc!

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Shake Hands

• Secure commitment from nursing and allied health
  leaders only through complete partnership can
  you be successful!
• Understand that promoting the activities and
  achievements of current staff and the institution
  itself will help attract new staff
• Learn from staff What differentiates one
  employer from another? What would excite
  potential employees? What makes them proud?

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Top Down Commitment

• Get C suite support for PR around nursing,
  allied-health, recruitment issues
• Work with marketing, public relations staff to
  identify opportunities, make plans
• Work with nurses, allied health staff to identify
  PR opportunities

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Play a Leading Role

• Be at the table on an ongoing basis serve as
  conduit
• Public relations
• Marketing
• Clinical departments
• Show potential benefits of PR
• Especially in context of quality of care, safety
  and clinical revenue streams
• Provide ideas, not just objectives
• Provide resources, budget

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Look for Partners, OpportunitiesLeverage Role of
Institution

• Medical staff, clinical departments
• Vendors and suppliers who want coverage
• Media covering health resource issues
• Community organizations tackling health issues
• Community health and wellness initiatives
• Local schools, non-profit organizations

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Plan, Plan, PlanAssess Environment

• Develop, share PR calendar around
• Nursing, allied health observances
• Overall health observances
• Seminars and other activities for nurses, allied
  health staff
• Editorial calendars
• College visits, recruitment events
• Read!
• Understand whos covering nursing, allied health
  recruitment, retention issues and pass
  information to PR!
• Articulate your geographic reach

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Develop BasicsFind News

• Develop core messages about nursing, allied
  health careers at institution
• Respects, recognizes and appreciates employees
• Has a conducive professional practice environment
• Provides resources for delivering quality care,
  getting the job done
• Is flexible (i.e., scheduling)
• Provides paths and opportunities
• Conduct PR 101 and host media training session
  for key departmental leaders
• Share insights on media to target
• Develop basic press materials on careers at
  institution
• Include key stats
• Focus on key leaders in each area

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Make News

• Leverage achievements
• New hires (especially key hires that might
  attract attention)
• Promotions
• Certifications
• Hospital bests
• Insert nursing, allied health staff into
  clinical, other PR outreach
• Show leadership by promoting participation in
  efforts to increase ranks
• Ensure synergy between PR and recruitment
  activities
• Research, consider participating in top
  employer surveys
• Determine whats right for your organization and
  enter

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Assessment

• Identify ways to measure results
• Make staff accountable
• Measure at end of period
• Continue what works
• Make adjustments where necessary
• Congratulate and reward participants

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Exchange Ideas
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Questions and Answers
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Thank You!