5 ways top hospitals get national exposure

It happens to even the best health care public relations pros.

Your hospital’s competitor is quoted in a story about a topic that falls within your institution’s purview and on the fringes of the source the reporter has used. This can be disheartening, but it’s an opportunity to learn.

Consider Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic and The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. They all have something in common: Communicators tell their own stories and, as a result, generate respectable placements.

How do they do it?

PR and marketing professionals at Mayo Clinic operate like news reporters. They hold daily meetings in which their brand journalists pitch story topics from different areas of the organization and discuss trending news that could lead to exposure.

Cleveland Clinic uses the brand journalism portion of its website, Health Essentials, to publish consumer-friendly stories. It also promotes content on its social media channels.