health care governance and pr

Governance Priority: Public Relations

Ryan Hanser, APR

What is ‘good PR’?

– Definition – not ‘press releases’; participation required; powerful results

– Reputation management – building/reinforcing/defending

– Issue management – identification/resolution– Relationship management – grow/maintain/end

PR ≠ Press Release

“Public relations helps an organization and its publics adapt mutually to each other.”

– Public Relations Society of America

Objectives

1. Describe how to build and protect reputation

2. Identify policies, programs and procedures to protect reputation

3. Outline why investing in public relations is critical

Today’s objectives…

Reputation

A. What’s in it?

B. How is it built?

C. What are the threats?

1. Reputation: how to manage it

What is a reputation worth?

1. Doing the right thing – consistently exceeding expectations

2. Talking about it – making it easy to share the stories

1. about crises > importance

What makes a great reputation?

What is a reputation worth?

30% to 50% of a company’s value is in intangible assets…

CEO survey says…– 96% believe reputation is important to their companies– 77% believe good reputation helps sell products and

services– 61% believe good reputation helps attract employees– 53% believe good reputation increases credibility in times

of crisis

1. about crises > importance

What is your reputation worth?

What’s changing?

Who can you trust?

Credibility

Prevention is best

1. Corporate governance and quality of management

2. Social, ethical and environmental performance

3. Employees and corporate culture

4. Marketing, innovation and customer relations

5. Regulatory compliance and litigation

6. Financial performance

7. Communication and crisis management

3. institutional risks

What are the threats?

Responsibility

A. Fundamentals

B. Establish policies and procedures

C. Crisis communication

D. PR program

2. Responsibility: what to do

Fundamentals and best practices

1. Eliminate as much risk as possible

2. Follow best practices

3. Plan for crises

Do and say things that reinforce the feelings you want people to have about you

4. the planning process

Fundamentals

Good Samaritan Hospital

Managing reputation risk

1. clear vision and values: 'what we stand for’

2. a code of conduct; policies stating expectations

3. understanding of stakeholders' expectations

4. an open, trusting and supportive culture

5. organizational learning

6. reward and recognition systems

7. extension of vision and values to partners

8. open and honest communications

4. the planning process

Managing reputation risk

Calvin Community

Prevention is best

1. Governance checklist?

2. Service delivery!

3. External relations

3. institutional risks

Policies and procedures

Prevention is best3. institutional risks

Crisis communication

An event that substantially: – interrupts your operations – threatens your viability – harms your reputation

An event which puts the organization’s values on trial in the court of public opinion

1. about crises

What is a crisis?

Catholic Health System

Prevention is best

Build a “risks list”… 1. What can go wrong 2. How likely it is to happen 3. What damage can result

3. institutional risks

Prevention is best

Realities of a crisis

1. 80% of consumers shun a company in crisis

2. Your stakeholders are paying attention to you

3. Your values will be communicated

1. about crises > importance

Realities of a crisis

Opportunities in crises

• Enhance the reputation of your organization through behavior that exceeds expectations

• Forge stronger relationships with key stakeholders

• Preparation supports success

1. about crises > importance

Opportunities in crisis

What will you do?

Crisis communication

Best practice: communicate

1. Lead the creation of trust and goodwill

2. Pay attention to warning signals

3. Plan to be successful

Best practice: communicate!

What’s in a crisis plan?

1. Identifies potential risks and responses 2. Establishes crisis team and sets roles3. Spells out the values and principles that will

guide response and communications4. Provides authority to act and to communicate

4. the planning process

What’s in a crisis plan?

Crisis communication

The value of scenarios?

Build scenarios for risks1. Operational response2. Communications response

Best practice: speed!

Your crisis communication plan

1. Objectives and strategies– Tied to operational response– Requires leadership support– Tactics are situational

2. Roles and responsibilities– Defined in advance– Communicated with transmittal of the plan

3. Activation mechanism– What is a crisis?– What are the first steps?

5. Next steps > the communication response

Your crisis communication plan…

The communication plan

4. Resource inventory– People– Facilities– Equipment

5. Templates and tools– Scenario-based assets – initial statements, etc.– Reporting: incidents, telephone logs– Checklists for news conference, etc.

5. Next steps > the communication response

Your crisis communication plan…

Steps for communicating…

1. Identify affected publics– Victims – and others directly affected – Employees, customers and suppliers – Other stakeholders – indirectly affected– Media

2. Develop core messages– What is the problem? – How are we fixing it? – Why did this happen? – How is it affecting our ability to provide services?

4. the planning process > scenario-based planning

Steps for communicating…

Steps for communicating…

3. Select spokesperson – credible and trustworthy– Caring and empathy – Honesty and openness – Expertise and competence – Dedication and commitment

4. Communicate – and keep communicating– Communicate quickly and directly with those who are most

affected– Be the first one to tell your story– All the bad news must come out at once– Speak with one clear voice

4. the planning process > scenario-based planning

Steps for communicating…

What’s ahead?

1. Remember: crisis is about reputation

2. Identify reputation risks

3. Develop crisis plan

5. Next steps > a quick review

Crisis, in review….

Investing in PR3. Investing in public relations

Don’t forget!

How will you create the capacity? 1. Management2. Staffing3. Outsourcing

Hiring a PR firm?

Review

1. Reputation is vital

2. You are responsible

3. PR is essential

Summary

Questions?

Ryan Hanser, APR515.224.1086

ryan@hanser.com