Tip of the week: Maximize your PR capabilities

The medical staff office is the public relations and information department for the medical staff, and sometimes even other hospital departments. In addition to producing newsletters or other publications, medical staff public relations may also include the following activities:

• Notifying hospital personnel and medical staff members about upcoming continuing medical education programs
• Coordinating meetings or programs to keep physicians’ office staff informed of policies, procedures, and hospital services that may affect their physicians or their office functions
• Handling calls from the public about the types of specialty services that are provided and, if applicable, dealing with physician referral requests
• Coordinating the publication of physician directories:
  • Medical staff phone numbers, beeper numbers, cell phone numbers
  • Hospital department phone numbers
  • Referral center numbers
• Coordinating social activities for the medical staff 
• Developing recognition and reward systems to honor staff members for their service, support, and/or longevity

This weeks tip is an excerpt from The Complete Medical Staff Office Manual by Beverly E. Pybus, CMSC.