Complete one of the following options:

Option A - Responding to the Public

Research a public relations scenario you recently heard about in the news. This could be anything that required a hospital or health care facility or company to make a statement about their recent practices. Some examples include medical errors, such as the surgery of a wrong limb or organ; pharmaceutical issues, such as the Tylenol^® crisis in 1982; or facility violence, such as shootings or baby snatching.

Create an 8- to 12-slide presentation that addresses the following:

• Provide a brief overview of the scenario and answer the following questions:
  • How did the hospital or facility respond?
  • Why was it necessary for the facility to respond?
  • How did they promote the hospital's view?
  • What was the outcome of the response?
  • Would you have done anything differently if you provided the facility's public relations response?

Submit your assignment to the Assignment Files tab.

Option B - Public Relations Interview

Contact an individual working in health care public relations to set up a 30-minute interview regarding their role as a public relations professional.

Create an 8- to 12-slide presentation that summarizes your interview. Include the following:

• Describe the organization and what products and services it provides to the public.
• Identify the role of the person you interviewed.
• Who does the person interact with externally and internally?
• Does the organization have a formal PR plan? If so, what does it entail? If not, do they need a PR plan? What is their plan or process for promoting the organization if they do not have a formal PR plan?
• What does his or her job entail? Does he or she address issues and problems or promote the facility? Does the role involve issue or disaster management?
• What challenges does he or she face in public relations?
• What did you learn from the interview? Do you have a different understanding of public relations in health care now?