The world has seen a massive change in social, cultural and economic areas. This process has had a profound impact on the companies and institutions that we belong to. This change was more complex for organizations. Depending on the situation, an organization may need to restructure its system to keep pace with developments. Re-aligning the working becomes necessary for all public service institutions, including health institutions. In light of this shift in worldview, public relations must be re-evaluated within the structure of health organisations and viewed from a functional perspective.
In order to effectively transmit health information, it’s crucial to hire experts in public relations, both in hospitals as well as the Health Ministry. You also need to set up and implement public relations offices. According to studies, there are either no public-relations departments in hospitals or one manager is trying to fulfill the function of this department. Alternatively, employees handling public-relations may be specialists in several areas and not possess scientific excellence. It is a sign that public relations are not appreciated or valued enough. It is believed that the public relations department can be performed by anyone in the organization, and thus, there is no need for a separate department. There are still tasks within the department such as group communications, communication between institutions, communication with corporate bodies, relations with society, media relations and public relations.
For all organizations, establishing a public relation department in the health industry is essential. The Health Ministry has been focusing on this issue solemnly in recent years. Public relations services are not being provided by hospitals in a competent manner. Communication studies and planning are essential to hospitals in order to communicate effectively with patients on the basis respect and empathy.
Another common misconception is the notion of “target communities”. In public relations the target group is any group that has a direct or indirect relationship with an organization. In hospitals, the target community is referred to as “patients”. However, all staff members, including doctors and nurses, are included in this group.
It is therefore essential to provide public relations service to all people, groups, and organisations that have a connection with a hospital. It is important to establish a public-relations department, or, in case there already exists one, hire public relations experts, for effective communication within the healthcare sector. If a situation arises due to surgery or another reason, the hospital is unable of handling media and managing crises. From a public relations perspective, the most impressive aspect of hospitals is that they provide services to people of all ages and genders and all classes in society. The health problem affects men and women, children and adults, patients and visitors. In a nutshell: it is a major issue that should be addressed by hospitals. All places where people are present must have public relations services.
Peter M. Blau’s and W. Richard Scott’s conclusion is that “each institution, whether hospital or not, is described as a service to the public”. The statement goes on to say, “patients who are the main target of hospitals cannot decide what type of treatment they want, how much it will cost, and the evaluation of its effectiveness”. The patient is there to get information about the disease that is being treated. Both the patient and the accompaniers of the patient should be given instructions well before the treatment begins. The accompaniers and patient are both likely to be going through some sort of trauma. They therefore need psychological assistance. It is important to remember that patients in hospitals are often not well, so the services they receive must reflect this. From a public relations perspective, hospitals are also characterized by their complex structure. With the benefits, there are also some drawbacks to the intense division of work. It is essential to divide labor for the purpose of arrangement. In institutions the management of workflows, the application of modern management methods, and the organization departments are the solutions to problems caused by the complex system of division of labor. In terms on civil rights the increase in costs for hospital services, the competition of the private and public sectors, and the increased awareness by the population of different diseases demand that hospitals concentrate their efforts on public relations.
