Check Your Pulse

by India Chumney-Hancock, VOLLMER Houston

The Healthcare industry can be confusing and competitive for even the most sophisticated companies with everyone from hospitals, physicians, and payors to consulting and technology companies trying to break through the clutter. How does a company compete for coverage and market share with industry giants?

Know industry trends and keep up with legislative issues. These are the two things that even the smallest healthcare organization can use to their advantage. The market is an opportunity, rather than a battle for share or dominance. So many clients focus their attention on what the competition is doing rather than focusing on positioning themselves as thought leaders. It’s the company that focuses on innovative solutions to the healthcare crisis that gets noticed.

So how do you turn the issue of Medicare and physician reimbursement into something people care about – focus on the patient and the care the physician is able to provide to that patient. Educate the media on the medical home concept and introduce them to the company and physicians that live by that model rather than those that see it as a pilot program. How do you address the new IRS regulations for community benefit and charity care – help a tax-exempt hospital tell its story and show that this is not something new, but something that is at the core of the organizations’ mission.

The more a healthcare company is willing to step up and quickly respond to current events and latest research the more successful it will be in growing and increasing awareness. The most important tool to public relations success is to stop comparing yourself to the biggest players in the market, and focus on what differentiates the company from the competition. The differentiator may not be the most profitable side of your business, but the halo effect can do wonders to a company’s perception and position you as the dominate player in the market.

I’m a healthcare junkie. I keep up with the trends, read industry books for pleasure, and save healthcare articles that I read on vacation so that I can contact the reporter when I return to work. Why? Because I believe that everyone has a story to tell and the more people understand the healthcare industry the closer we will come to finding a solution.

Healthcare is about collaboration and identifying solutions that meet the underlying goal of all healthcare providers – access to quality care for patients. Healthcare is evolving every day be it technology, reimbursement, information sharing or the latest procedures. The company that invests in an advocate who is identifying ways to put that company in front of its key stakeholders is the company that will be seen as the industry leader. People are looking for someone to explain and lead them in the ever changing, complex world of medicine. Check your company’s pulse. Are you ready to take the lead?