Dear Colleagues:

In the fast-changing healthcare landscape, public relations is an underutilized tool in educating patients about ways to strengthen their health and guard against developing chronic or rare diseases.

You can change this!

Cheers!

U.S. lags in preventive care

The U.S. is the world leader in health innovation and development of new treatments. Paradoxically though, we consistently fall behind other nations in overall health and well-being, including in life expectancy and rates of preventable and treatable deaths according to the Commonwealth Fund’s recent 2024 survey. Only some 5 percent of people over 35 accessed recommended clinical preventive services in the U.S. in 2020, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.

PR can play an important role in supporting Americans’ access to preventive care. Unfortunately, while companies and brands invest in marketing to patients and healthcare practitioners (HCPs) year-round, many firms focus their PR on brand launches and other timely news and often ignore preventive care. These short term campaigns often fade into the background until the next one-time news cycle.

Patients hunger for info

Patients crave advice on lifestyle behaviors that include not only nutrition and fitness but also using digital heart monitors or finding exercises to stimulate the brain. Many see their relatives and friends diagnosed with various conditions and wonder how they can lower their chances of receiving similar diagnoses. Companies and brands need to figure out how they can be a more central part of that conversation.

Lead with the science

Consumer media are still the best way to reach broad audiences, but unfortunately, many features end up reinforcing fads in the absence of scientific info. The Mediterranean diet is great, but few articles explain why it works and whether the quantities of ingredients in a recipe are sufficient to prevent disease or meet health needs.

Providing the scientific backup can help ensure that your messages are regulatory compliant and are less likely to be distorted. However, to not overwhelm patients, you’ll need to use accessible terminology. Also, provide links to scientific research and case studies. These can help people understand the science behind a condition and the steps one can take to reduce risk or harm.

A sustained approach works best

PR for prevention is very much about sharing your brand’s expertise, but you should be in it for the long haul. Create a sustained, year-round editorial agenda expressing your big prevention ideas in a unique way. Determine which experts best represent your brand and can deliver ideas relevant for your audience. Patients and HCPs often will not change their attitudes or behaviors based on one-and-done publicity, nor will your brand have high recall. 

Expand your channels

Companies and brands must consider how they are amplifying their messaging in a consistent manner across digital, print, and broadcast channels. Strategic SEO strategies can help bring individuals to your Substack or company blogs, for example. Social media outlets frequented by younger audiences need snackable content can further reinforce your messages. Additional channels include podcasts, YouTube and other online video platforms, clickable infographics available across media, and more.

In this influencer climate, though, don’t just go after the shiny objects. Spend time targeting and understanding influencers with the most legitimacy. If you’re trying to reach parents, consider Little League coaches; for seniors, individuals organizing caregiver meetings or involved with multi-generational family groups. There’s so much room for creativity here!

Find ways to be creative without letting regulatory compliance inflict a narrow view of your brand’s role to treat or support a health condition.

PR moves patients

Prevention is about patient attitudes and behavior, and PR can affect these. It’s not about landing a story. You need to show that your brand can walk in the patients’ shoes.

When you do this and can validate how your approach can help, that’s where you will have the greatest success. And showing that you want to go the distance will encourage patients to bring you along in their journey.