Methods of Public Relations

METHODS OF PUBLIC RELATIONS Operative methods Operative methods are essentially connected with almost every aspect of the
hospitals operations, including those that are carried out by such workmen as telephone operators, inquiry office personnel and admission office clerks to mention a few. All those coming in contact with patients, as well as those operating behind the screen share the same burden. The three fundamental ingredients of a hospitals operations are Cheerful and courteous behaviour, Prompt and efficient treatment, and Clean surroundings and well-kept appearance of workers. Some of the important aspects are enumerated below. 1. A high quality of patient care is the sine quo non of good public relations. No amount of smiles and propaganda can compensate for poor professional care. 2. Adequate physical facilities with a good functional layout. Adequate waiting areas, toilets, drinking water and refreshment facility in the outpatient department and such facilities which take care of the basic creature comforts of the patients and others. 3. To make others happy, one must be happy himself. Good morale of workers not only increases efficiency, but workers with high morale interact in a positive manner with one another and also with patients and the community. 4. By placing more emphasis on technology in dealing with the diagnosis and treatment, there must always be a continuous effort not be create other anxieties and concerns, as Florence Nightingale exhorted that the first concern of the hospital is to do patient no harm. 5. Operating efficiency with effective coordination among all clinical departments and other supportive services stems from good administration. Organisational structure policies and procedures, authority and accountability should be clearly understood by each other. 6. Sensitive areas: Many misunderstandings by patients and public originate in the OPD. Efforts should be made to reduce high waiting time of the patients in OPD. Delay in receiving specimens at the laboratory counter and delay at the dispensary should be curtailed.
Casualty department must be organised to deal with any type of casualty, at the time causing least confusion when a number of relations accompany the patient.
7. Other activities: The hospital premises should be kept clean at all times and not only during the morning working hours. Hospital visitors should be dealt with courteouslytheir visit to a hospital inpatient is of great emotional value to the patient. A member of nursing or medical staff should be available in the ward during visiting hours to answer their queries. Communicative methods These methods employ means of communication in all possible forms to enable the hospital to convey its message to the public. Some of these are also intermixed with the intramural functions of the hospital and operative methods. The others deal with the media. Communication methods may be used in the following ways. Making available appropriate information to the patients, their relatives and visitors at Enquiry and Registration, and also on patients discharge regarding his or her health status and follow-up. A discharge interview with the attending physician can serve this purpose well. An open-house approach to the visitors without interfering in the routine medical care functions. Large number of visitors to patients cannot be avoided in our peculiar sociocultural ethos. The queries of the relatives and visitors can be satisfied if a doctor or senior nurse conversant with the ward is made available in the ward during the visiting hours for this purpose. Administrative rounds by hospital administrators at different levels. However, they should be as informal as possible. A provision to listen to verbal complaints instead of insisting or written ones. Written communications: prompt replies to questions. Provision of a suggestion box at an appropriate place. Visual communication film shows, exhibitions, hospital brochure. Hospital tours by groups such as school teachers and students, housewives and members of womens organisations, peoples representatives, and religious leaders.
Holding of an annual hospital day or open-house day where public can be shown every aspect of the hospitals operations including some of the highly technical functions. Advisory committee- its role should be to suggest to hospital administration the methods to overcome their shortcomings and interprete the functioning of the hospital to the community. Talks and interviews on radio and television. INDICATORS FOR MEASURING PUBLIC RELATIONS The following are the means though which the extent of public relations can be gauged Patient satisfaction surveys General opinion poll Number of complaints received Extent of voluntary effort by community Turnover of medical staff Consistency in attendance by patients Donations Letters to editors in local papers Inpatients leaving against medical advice (LAMA) SOME POSSIBILITIES THAT WOULD CALL FOR PUBLIC RELATIONS Promotional Opportunity: To inform the new service / policy which call for Public Relations to make wider publicity Competitive: To overcome the resistance (pre-set mind condition). Controversy: To eliminate the contradictory conditions in between the organisation and the public. Adverse publicity: To inform the truth or correct issues and thereby removing the misunderstanding. Catastrophe: Announcement of any unfavourable issues Crisis: Whenever threats arises.

Methods of Public Relations

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METHODS OF PUBLIC RELATIONS Operative methods Operative methods are essentially connected with almost every aspect of the

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