Bloomington Hospital Bloomington Hospital is a unique situation in public relations because it is not only a health agency and a non-profit organization, but also a corporation. Therefore, Bloomington Hospital was an opportunity for student to examine several types of public relations in one place. Also, a health agencys public relations department has different problems and concerns than other business public relations departments. It seemed Bloomington Hospital would have little difficulty attracting patients because it is the only hospital in the city, but I quickly learned this was not the case. Three meetings with Michelle Flick, public relations director, familiarized me with the difficulties facing her small staff, as well as with the hospitals facilities and services. Bloomington Hospital was founded in 1905 by the Local Council of Women.
It has served Bloomington and the surrounding counties, making it important for both health care and employment. The hospital has increased in size since 1905 and is now governed by a board of directors. The care of patients is Bloomington Hospital’s primary reason for existence. Toward that end, it will devote its resources to diagnosis, treatment, and the promotion of health for persons in the hospitals service area, says the hospitals mission statement. The statement, which is available to the public, goes on to explain the hospital’s goals. These include cooperation with other health-care professionals to give the best care, commitment to technology, development of a well-qualified and sufficient staff, maintenance of effective services, development of new services, and operation that keeps the hospital competitive.
The Essay on Public Health In A Multicultural Environment
Public health in a Multicultural Environment MCHB or Maternal and child health bureau takes care of physical and mental health of citizens across the United States. Its main strategy is to eliminate disparities out of multi cultural society. It has created a five year strategic plan to take care of maternal and child health. It is well funded by DRTE so that it can implement its vision. For this ...
While other businesses might stop with a mission statement, Bloomington Hospital includes a six-point values, or ethics, statement. The first value says all patients should be treated the same way. The next says hospital employees will be treated equally and be provided opportunities to develop professionally. The third says employees should act honestly, morally, ethically, and with consideration in their relations with anyone at the hospital. The next says employees must be dedicated to the hospital. Statement five explains that the hospital will maintain quality control in such areas as cleanliness and friendliness.
The last statement, titled obligations, explains that administrators should act fairly in employee disputes and that the hospital and its equipment should not be damaged. Public relations became its own entity when the marketing department, which handled promotions, public relations and research, was dissolved. In 1990, promotions merged with public relations, with Flick as director, and research became part of medical services development. The public relations department has four paid staff members, including a coordinator, who handles media requests, a graphic designer, a staff writer, and two unpaid interns. Although public relations officially is one of 11 departments under the supervision of Senior Vice President Gene Perry, the department has a lot of flexibility. Flick meets with Perry about once a month.
The public relations staff usually works with the department or person directly involved in the service to be promoted. Some projects, such as the annual report, must be approved by hospital administrators. One difficult issue has been rising health care costs. Flick said her department has helped people understand how costs have risen so dramatically. One reason is that Medicaid and Medicare do not pay the total cost of patients care. Because of this, the costs are dispersed among other patients.
Many hospitals lose money on Medicare and Medicaid because they often are reimbursed less than the actual cost of a procedure. A December 1990 article in Business Dateline said many hospitals are losing money, resulting in reduced services and outdated equipment. Even patients who have health insurance often cannot afford the deductibles. Non-profit hospitals suffer most from rising costs because they continue to treat patients who cannot pay. To combat patients complaints about costs, Flick said the department has to reiterate that the hospital is non-profit. In addition, Flick is working with administrators to promote a community benefits program that explains the hospitals free services. For example, the hospital owns Helenes House, a local homeless shelter.
The Essay on Variable Cost And Patient Services Revenue
1. Middleton Clinic had total assets of 500,000 and an equity balance of 350,000 at the end of 2010. One year late, at the end of 2011, the clinic had 576,000$ in assets and 380,000 $ in equity. What was the clinic’s dollar growth in assets during 2011, and how was this growth financed? Clinic’s dollar growth from 2010 to 2011 = 576,000-500,000= 76,000 $ It was financed in increasing of Equity by ...
Another issue has been patients going out of town for hospital care. Although Bloomington Hospital does not have any competition in the city, it does face competition from larger hospitals, mainly in Indianapolis, which patients often believe are better. Because of this, Bloomington Hospital develops new programs and services, which the public relations department conveys to the public. Bloomington Hospitals disaster plan, Code Yellow, is set up for any large tragedy, such as a bus crash, a tornado, or a fire. For example, the plan was enacted in 1983 when Ray Charless plane crashed at the Monroe County Airport. Under the plan, each department has specific duties to fulfill. The public relations department is in charge of patient and press information centers.
The plan is tested twice annually and is described at new employee orientation meetings. A committee updates the plan monthly. In another crisis area, the hospitals ethics committee is determining how to handle an AIDS crisis; specifically, how much the public should know about particular cases. Although the hospital has several target audiences, each audience has different needs. Main audiences include the local community, the surrounding counties, physicians, hospital employees and the media. About 250,000 people live in the community and the surrounding counties. To reach these publics, the public relations department has developed several brochures describing services, such as the eating disorder clinic.
Educational brochures also help to reach that audience. But brochures often are not seen until one is in the hospital. For this reason, the hospital also advertises in local newspapers and in the phone book. Local physicians are the most important means of publicity. Patients often utilize services on the advice of their physician. Physicians are so important that Flick described them as gatekeepers who determine what information is disseminated and what is not. Therefore, physicians must be kept updated on new services and programs.
The Term Paper on Student Information System 4
Foundation and Background Executive Statement: “Everyone who works at this university — or at any technology-driven institution — understands how much we rely on our information systems. Unfortunately, WSU’s IT infrastructure is increasingly unreliable, made up of obsolete systems that were not originally designed for the multiple tasks they now perform. That they continue to work at all is a ...
Thus, the public relations department has a physician relations program, which includes sending monthly newsletters to local doctors. Hospital employees need information about changes that will directly affect them, such as changes in benefits or pensions. A newsletter is sent to current and former employees as well as members of the various hospital boards. The department also works with local media, averaging 40 media requests a month during the 1991 fiscal year, Flick said. After a media request, the coordinator works with the reporter to get the necessary information or interview. The department also prepares news releases and features.
The most obvious thing about Bloomington Hospitals management is its efficiency. With a small staff and a relatively small amount of resources, the department puts out a high volume of material. The brochures, flyers, and pamphlets created by the staff are well designed and easy to understand. Research is incorporated into the process and the results are taken seriously, which is very important. Although the department is reaching its targeted publics, it is missing a large audience Indiana University students. With a student health center that has limited hours, students are open to alternative health care. Many students do not know where Bloomington Hospital is until they are taken there by ambulance.
There are several ways the hospital could reach students. It could set up booths at freshman orientation, giving out educational materials and information on how to reach the hospital, including a map and telephone number. Information also could be included in student information packets. Another idea is to hold a Health Fair on campus to provide information about health concerns and volunteer opportunities. One way to reach the students is through the Indiana Daily Student. As an editor and reporter at the paper, I learned that the hospital can be difficult to deal with.
The Essay on Student Information System 3
Having its features such as user friendly, having a large capacity of sustaining numerous data, becoming a readily available resources that will help the students on an easy analyzing and decision making process, and having a fast and reliable source of information, no wonder computer based system is widely used by most universities in competing with others. The researchers decided to spread the ...
Hospital public relations could help by talking to Daily Student reporters about story ideas, sending more news releases or sending information about the hospital, listing hospital officials, a contact person, and programs the hospital offers. With the exception of not taking advantage of the student population, Bloomington Hospitals public relations department is doing a commendable job of serving the hospitals publicity needs, reaching its audiences, and evaluating its programs..
