The Importance of PR in Healthcare
No matter where you go, marketing is all around us. While scrolling through social media, ads or sponsored content will constantly pop up. While driving, billboards and logos are everywhere. While watching live TV or listening to radio and podcasts, ads are always playing. No matter where you go, you can’t help but not be consumed with advertisements, logos and campaigns every day.
This affects our thinking, desires and consumer habits. PR is a powerful tool in sending messages to the public. In healthcare, PR is especially powerful in creating a healthier world.
When I began my first healthcare PR internship with TogoRun, an award-winning independent healthcare PR firm, I didn't know what to expect. The healthcare and pharmaceutical industries were areas I had never worked in before. However, I already had a background in storytelling and diverse forms of media, which acted as my guide. As I dove into healthcare projects, I immediately opened my eyes to see just how powerful PR and storytelling are and how certain messages can change people’s lives for the better. Below are a few reasons why PR in healthcare is so important and how it can make for a healthier world.
- Spreading Awareness
During my internship with TogoRun, I saw how media is used to spread awareness on various health issues, including toxins in food and lack of resources for those in need of medical care, as well as facts on certain drugs and products that may have been misunderstood by the public. The more a message is spread, and the more people have access to the truth, the more willing they may be to act for change for the greater good and health of others or for their own health and well-being. Either way, the creation of campaigns, posts and general media that provides the truth on products, pharmaceuticals and world health issues lead to more people taking action for a healthier society.
- Increasing Patient Trust
When done strategically, PR campaigns can help boost the positive image of a healthcare brand or organization. This builds trust in patients, investors and stakeholders. Healthcare providers can better establish themselves through proper messaging, press releases and marketing tactics. PR messaging can also help break down medical jargon, so patients better understand their diagnoses and needs, which helps build trust and more productive communication between patients and healthcare providers.
- Educate and Empower
According to an article on eLearning Industry, 90% of all the information transmitted to the brain is visual. When a PR firm provides health-related statistics and information creatively and visually, viewers will be more likely to take action for themselves and others. An example of a successful healthcare PR marketing campaign is the 2014 ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. This social media campaign of people throwing buckets of ice on themselves, donating to the ALS Association and nominating their friends to do the same helped educate people on what ALS is and prompted them to donate. The challenge became a massive success with over 17 million people participating and raising over $115 million for the ALS Association. This campaign is one example of how PR can unite people to work for a healthier world.
Conclusion
PR is a powerful communication tool that combines all forms of media, storytelling and marketing to help promote brands and organizations. Healthcare PR includes pharmaceuticals, labs, non-profit organizations, hospitals, supplement and vitamin brands, medications, beauty and medical aesthetics, healthcare technology and more. When done successfully, PR can help raise awareness and improve the health and well-being of people all around the world.