INTRODUCTION
When a hospital has a crisis, it’s important to have the right spokesperson, as this person is the liaison between the hospital and the public (and media).
For example, the size and severity of the crisis plays a factor in determining who should serve as spokesperson (e.g. CEO, PR Director, department head, etc.). This person could be picked after the crisis breaks, but it’s better to have a pool of potential spokespeople identified in advance (as part of your crisis communications plan).
Here are three tips when selecting a spokesperson for your hospital crisis:
- Choose the correct seniority level. More often than not, having the PR director or a vice-president serve as the spokesperson is sufficient. Your hospital doesn’t want to make a “minor” crisis seem more important than it is (think how infrequently the President of the United States makes announcements). Plus, the CEO can override the PR director or VP if they misspeak. Only in times of a “major” crisis should the CEO be the spokesperson. Really, his/her time is best spent managing the crisis (and being seen doing so).
- The spokesperson needs to have the right personality. Your spokesperson needs to be able to demonstrate empathy and show the public that the hospital is taking all the necessary measures to make sure the crisis is handled correctly. This may seem obvious, but someone with an adversarial personality would not make a good spokesperson. All spokespeople should go through thorough media training.
- Having multiple spokespeople is acceptable.Certain circumstances may require having more than one spokesperson. For example, in the event of a cybersecurity breach, you may need to bring in your CIO to provide a technical explanation. Make sure the spokespeople are consistent in their messaging.
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