CASE STUDY: Psychiatric Health System (Name Withheld)

• Crisis Communications

Patricia Kennedy worked with a health system that provides a comprehensive range of psychiatric services for adults and adolescents at its campus in Brookline, Massachusetts through an extremely challenging community relations and media relations situation. Due to several unauthorized patient-leaves from the campus, the hospital had become the target of community concern fueled by emotionally inflammatory media coverage.

Patricia Kennedy worked with the senior team to address this challenging situation. Pat and the senior team first developed the messaging and processes through which the hospital would communicate with the community through the media and public forums. In addition, Pat became the media spokesperson for the hospital. This allowed the team the time to prepare thoughtful responses and provided the senior staff with a much needed buffer. In addition, Pat established on-background relationships with editors, reporters and producers by always responding to calls as soon as possible, providing truthful and factual information and giving useful background information. Pat also established a cooperative pose for the hospital by being available for spokesperson duties either in print or on-air.

Results

Pat's relationship with the media helped to mitigate negative stories. By presenting a calm and thoughtful response in an emotionally charged atmosphere, the press began to present more balanced and positive coverage for the hospital.