when patients & families are the news! from pr to pr … p atient r elations & p ublic r...

When Patients & Families Are the News!

FROM PR TO PR …

Patient Relations&

Public Relations

When patients and families are in the news!


FROM PR TO PR …

Making the right impression!

With Families … PATIENT RELATIONS

With the Community … PUBLIC RELATIONS


FROM PR TO PR …

The Presentation:

- What is Patient & Family Relations - What is Public Relations - Philosophy and Policies- Three case studies with lessons learned- Questions and Answers


FROM PR TO PR …

Patient & Family Relations: What

“To strengthen, personalize and enhance the relationship between the patient/family and the hospital.

To interpret the patient/family’s perspective to the hospital and the hospital’s policies and procedures to the patient and his/her family.”


FROM PR TO PR …

Patient & Family Relations: How

• Coordinate Feedback– Solicited Feedback (satisfaction surveys, focus groups,

patient/family advisory committees)– Unsolicited Feedback (compliments, concerns,

requests)

• Advocate system changes on behalf of patients and families

• Provide internal expertise; the system, patient rights vs organization obligations, patient/family centred care


FROM PR TO PR …

Patient & Family Relations: Successes

• Kaitlin Atkinson Family Resource Library

• Children’s Library• Family Forum• Youth Forum• Parent Sleep Rooms

(ICU/NICU)• Families First Newsletter• Family Guide to CHEO

• Patient Directory • Reopening of Gift Shop• Patient/Family Rep role• Family Lounge• Confidentiality Awareness• Family Faculty• Peri-operative parental

presence• Family parking rate options


FROM PR TO PR …

• Employee communication

• Media relations• Corporate

positioning• Branding• Special events,

tours, official openings, etc.

• Website• Community

relations

What is PR at CHEO?


FROM PR TO PR …

Public Relations that is Patient-Centred

Media Support for Patients & Families• Developed “The Family’s Guide to Media Relations at CHEO”• Available 24-7 to support families whose story is of interest to

the media (motor vehicle accidents; dignitaries; school-related incident, etc.)

• Issue statements of behalf of families;• Coordinate interviews, accompany media on-site;• Provide general counsel on how to handle media

interest.


FROM PR TO PR …

Public Relations that is Patient-Centred

Guiding Principles in Media Relations Policy• To respect the wishes of patients and families • To ensure privacy and confidentiality are protected and safeguarded• To respond promptly and coordinate interviews in a fair and equitable

manner• To solicit news coverage that further enhances the profile of CHEO• To conduct media relations activities in the spirit of transparency and

accountability

Partnerships With Families• Telethon stories; Official Ceremonies; Advocacies; etc.• Use feedback to continuously improve website content• Support of Family Advisory Committee activities


FROM PR TO PR …

Types of News Stories Involving Patients

• Media spotlight as a result of :accidents (motor vehicles, ATVs, drownings, falls, school incident, etc.)

• Patients and families seek redress through media

• Patients and families use media to influence outcomes (i.e. wait times for appointments, etc.)


FROM PR TO PR …

Type of News Story:Accidents – Case of Public Record

Media requests pertaining to the condition of a patient are directed to the Public Relations Department.

Public relations staff will release patient condition if the identity of the patient has already been disclosed publicly and if the parent/legal guardian has granted CHEO permission to do so.

Public relations staff will recommend to parents/legal guardians that permission be granted to CHEO to issue brief and factual condition updates in an effort to relieve the family of this additional pressure.

The attending physician/designate determines that the condition report of a patient – good, fair, serious or critical - is accurately stated.


FROM PR TO PR …

Responding to complaints ….


FROM PR TO PR …

The Patient Relations Perspective

• Lots of families threaten many things (media,MPP, lawsuits, colleges, picketing of the hospital, cut off donations) in order to be taken seriously.

• Very few move forward if they feel…– listened to– acknowledged for their stress– we’ve learned (make sure it won’t happen again)– we’re sincere

• Heads up to PR staff of potential media interest is useful• Find out what the family wants and may be able to redirect to more

appropriate route• Be neutral on media; discouraging contact gives it power


FROM PR TO PR …

The Public Relations Perspective

- Complaints = negative press. Counteractive to the positive image we aim to project.

- Transparency. We need to provide some information, but recognize the importance of patient confidentiality.

- Good relationship with media goes a long way when such issues arise.

- Keeping families informed of media statement is key.


FROM PR TO PR …

The Media’s Perspective

A complaint is a newsworthy when:- The hospital has not responded to the families’ complaint (no calls,

no follow-up, etc.);- The circumstances are credible;- The hospital is potentially at fault;- The complaint appears to be legitimate; - CTV won’t pursue the story if the complainant has not engaged

(contacted) the hospital.


FROM PR TO PR …

The policy says:« Should a family express to the news media their concerns and/or dissatisfaction with the care they received at CHEO, the Patient Representative will contact the family and invite them to discuss their issues directly with CHEO. CHEO will respond to media inquiries in a sensitive and fair manner, while keeping the family informed of all statements being issued. The decision of the family to speak to the media does not relieve CHEO of its responsibility to consider all information concerning a patient confidential. …”(CHEO Media Relations Policy)


FROM PR TO PR …

What Happens in Reality!

Case Study #1Drowning

Case Study #2Alternative Treatment

Case Study #3Using Media to Influence Outcome


FROM PR TO PR …Case Study #1

Tragic Circumstances for Local FamilyDrowning

What worked. What didn’t work. Lessons Learned. What worked:- PR received calls from the media regarding this complaint- Patient and Family Representative initiates contact with the family- PR response to the media: indicate the importance of contacting the family

before speaking to the mediaWhat didn’t work:- Family did not return any calls from the hospital- Media dropped the story, focus on preventable tragedyLessons Learned:- Very public story with positive messages for safety- Media interest can add to a family’s burden- Media contact by a family can be a call for help


FROM PR TO PR …

Case Study #2 Family Opts Out of Treatment

What worked. What didn’t. Lessons Learned

What worked:- The hospital was open with family on ethical dilemma their choice presented- Team negotiated a monitoring system while consulting CASWhat didn’t work:- Clinical decisions getting clouded by media attention- Felt the need to respond for accurate information sharing re chemotherapy

and hospital approach to alternative medicine- Family felt betrayed by media and communityLesson Learned:- Transparency in treatment dilemmas can be a risk factor for some media- Need to support staff to focus on clinical care by buffering media attention- Need to stand by a family and support them


FROM PR TO PR …

Case Study #3 Using Media to Influence Outcome

What worked. What didn’t. Lessons Learned

What worked:- No story in the end- Lack of clarity contributed to non-storyWhat didn’t work:- Parent wasn’t clear on his message- Complicated issue and didn’t want to wade into someone else’s fightLesson Learned:- Let the media sort out their story before getting involved;- Link PFR and PR for “high risk” cases


FROM PR TO PR …

When Patients & Families are the News!

- The story belongs to patients …but it involves the hospital;- Families need support when dealing with the media - Perception is reality – if patients feel they have an issue, then

the hospital has an issue;- No « typical » story, no family is the same;- When the family favours only one media outlet (exclusivity)

but the hospital supports equal access -- no one wins!- In cases of ongoing clinical treatment, keep front-line staff

focused on care and not media.


FROM PR TO PR …

The news stories we prefer!


FROM PR TO PR …

Questions ????

when patients & families are the news! from pr to pr … p atient r elations & p ublic r...

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