What Is The Ongoing Role Of The Hospital In A Public Health Crisis?

Hint – it’s not treating the sick and dying, that is an existing role and expectation.

Image by Wokandapix from Pixabay

Hospital leadership can add the following to their already full plate trying to figure out how they will survive. 

·         Leading the community public health effort 

·         Being the credible source of truth 

·         Providing unbiased, scientifically accurate information for preventing the community spread of the disease 

·         Continuous, efficient, and effective patient and community engagement

It’s not over until it’s over.

As much as we all want the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic to be over so we can return to some semblance of past normalcy, the facts indicate it is not going to happen anytime soon.  As reported daily, Coronavirus continues to spread unabated, creating hot spots overwhelming hospital, and healthcare resources. Hospitals that early on that experienced the pandemic, are beginning to see a resurgence to the virus.

Given the lack of a coherent national plan and response, it now falls rightly or wrongly, to the hospitals in the local community to take a far more active role in the leadership of the pandemic response to slow the community spread.

Isn’t that one of the core missions of the hospital, to improve the health and wellness of the community?

Earlier in the year (March 2020), I wrote about the step’s hospital needed to take in the communities to begin to get ahead of the pandemic.  One of the most pressing issues faced by hospital leaders is the ability to sustain leadership and engagement gains. Hospitals are working to return as best they can to what life was like pre-pandemic, and rightfully so. But in doing so, the trust, leadership, credibility, and engagement gains have fallen to the wayside and become secondary.

In light of the scientific ignorance, lack of national response, and gaslighting by elected federal and state politicians as to the dangers and prevention of COVID-19, it falls to the hospital to work actively to make a difference and slow the community spread, and preempt a resurgence.

Image from Pixabay

Ten ongoing marketing and public relations steps hospitals and health systems to take: 

1.       Maintain your web site for Coronavirus Updates current news and information with resources linked to CDC, your state and county health departments, and if in a large metropolitan area, the city’s public health department. 

2.       Use social media for continuous communication for updates on the hospitals or health systems activities related to Coronavirus virus prevention and the individual’s role in slowing the community spread or preventing a resurgence. 

3.       Engage your local media and offer up former Coronavirus patients as influencers on what happened to them as lessons for others for interviews. 

4.       Motivate your employees, admitting physicians, Broad members and volunteers to share what the hospital and health system is doing. The focus is on compliance and slowing the community spread. 

5.       Work who local businesses and provide the tools and taking necessary precautions in slowing the spread or casing a resurgence. 

6.       Be vigilant and monitor the stupid communicated in the community related to the Coronavirus, put out a statement to correct the misinformation. 

7.       Update the educational information sheets on the Coronavirus for use in community with churches, schools, libraries, community groups, first responders, etc., for material distribution. 

8.       Get your speakers, patients, families, nurses, doctors, and other influencers out into the community talking about prevention and treatment. 

9.       Inform your community on the hospital or health system consistent pandemic prevention efforts activities and preparations. 

10.   Be the trusted and reliable source of news and information in your community related to the Coronavirus.

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is not going away anytime soon. With the fall flu season rapidly approaching, the hospital needs to be the leader in the community.

Michael is a healthcare business, marketing, communications strategist, and thought leader. As an internationally followed healthcare strategy blogger, his blog, Healthcare Marketing Matters, is read in 52 countries and is listed on the 100 Top Healthcare Marketing Blogs & Websites ranked at No. 3 on the list by Feedspot.com. Michael is a Life Fellow, American College of Healthcare Executives. An expert in healthcare marketing strategy, digital marketing, and social media, Michael is in the top 10 percent of social media experts nationwide and is considered an established influencer. For inquiries regarding strategic consulting engagements, you can email me at michael@themichaeljgroup.com. Connect with me on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook. Opinions expressed are my own.

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