Hope is Not a Strategy; Leading Patients, Community Through the Flu Season, COVID-19 Reemergence is.

I was reading an interesting and well-written article on the front page of the Chicago Tribune this morning, "We are preparing for the worst:’ Chicago-area Hospitals brace for flu and COVID-19 to collide,” by Lisa Schenker. One comment, in particular, struck a chord, “They’re also hoping that large numbers of people in their communities get their flu shot, despite their lingering fear many people have about visiting the doctor.”

Hoping?

Image by Jills from Pixabay

Hope is not a strategy but using your marketing and public relations resources to lead the community is a strategy of leadership that hospitals and health systems should be undertaking. Not a new topic; I have already written much about hospital and health system community leadership during the pandemic. You may want to read or re-read my blog post from July 21^st, “What Is the Ongoing Role of the Hospital in a Public Health Crisis?" https://bit.ly/2E5BHP0

While steps are being taken internally by hospitals in marshaling resources and planning what to do in the event of a surge of flu and COVID-19 patients, only a couple of hospitals were actively planning how to lead their community in flu prevention.

Image by Wokandapix from Pixabay

There are several questions each hospital and health system need to ask. 

·        First, how is the hospital and health systems engaging their patients and the community in flu prevention? 

·         Secondly, how is the hospital and health system making flu vaccinations easily accessible, convenient, and affordable? 

·         Third, how are marketing and public relations resources being deployed in the effort?

Fear dominates on the part of patients about going to the doctor and being exposed to COVID-19. It may not be accurate, but it is a perception and a perception that hospitals and health systems can exercise leadership in to dispel.

Hospitals and health systems during the height of the pandemic in their regions demonstrated an incredible ability to engage patients and communities to slow and decrease community spread. The work of doctors and nurses was heroic in many ways.  The same engagement, educational, and prevention strategies, need to be a continuing effort combined with flu prevention and vaccination, lest the hospitals become overwhelmed again.

Hospital and health system leadership responsibility exercised in patient and community engagement during the pandemic didn’t magically end when it was no longer a SARS-CoV-2 hot spot. If anything, the hospital and health system needed to keep up the same level of leadership and engagement. Unfortunately, many did not and went back to business as usual.

Image by Startup Stock Photos from Pixabay

Maybe this time, instead of hoping for the best, by using marketing and public relations resources in leading the community for flu prevention and vaccination, the worst-case scenario is avoided.

Hope is not a strategy, but leadership and active patient and community engagement for preventing the flu, and a COVID-19 reemergence is.

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. The opinions expressed are my own.

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