C O M M U N I C AT I O N

A Crisis Communicators Self-Assessment

Here are six questions to gauge your hospitals level of crisis communication preparedness. By Patrick Donohue and Christopher Lukach

communicators; others test the strength of our multidisciplinary response team.

1. Does your organization have a crisis communication plan? Thats step one,

We all have that dream. You know

the one: Youre back in high school, and you forgot to study for the big test. You wake up in a sweat with the sensation of a dumbbell in the pit of your stomach. It is, thankfully, a fleeting sensation, when you realize it was only a dream. Far less fleeting, but not entirely dissimilar, is the feeling communicators have when 4 Spectrum | November-December 2013

they are unprepared to navigate a crisis. We subscribe to a simple precept: While a crisis may be unexpected, it should never come as a surprise. At St. Mary Medical Center in Langhorne, PA, crisis communication has earned priority status among the communication and leadership teams. The success of our crisis communication program exists because of a top-level commitment to preparedness, regular updating, rigorous testing, and unrelenting energy. Moreover, we have high expectations. At St. Mary Medical Center, we periodically ask ourselves six fundamental crisis-preparedness questions. Some are tactical, and some are cultural. Some rest solely with the

and its a biggie. A strong scenario-based crisis communication plan based on probability and risk is the ultimate, versatile crisis communication resource. For guidance on constructing a strong, actionable crisis communication plan, see the sidebar Does Your Crisis Communication Plan Make the Grade?

2. Do you have reasonable approval processes that permit you to communicate quickly? In todays demand-

ing 24/7 media landscape, quickly is an understatement. Communication must be nearly instantaneous to be effective. And its the first response to a crisis that sets the tone. For many modern crises, living down the first

Does Your Crisis Communication Plan Make the Grade?

A crisis communication plan is an essential tool in the healthcare communicators toolbox. Unfortunately, not every organization that has a crisis communication plan has a useful crisis communication manual. With todays demanding media and social media landscapes, we do not have the luxury of hours or even minutes to formulate our rst response. And as myriad modern crises have demonstrated, if were not quick to ll the vacuum of information, someone else will do it for us. First, be clear about what is considered a crisis. A no brainer, right? Not necessarily. For your planning purposes, a crisis is any event that has the potential to negatively impact your reputation or ability to operate. So while your crisis communication plan needs to consider the conventional crises, such as natural disasters, terrorism, and on-site acts of violence, it must also include those lesser crises and issues that carry the potential for great impact: a mismanaged merger or acquisition; sudden change in leadership; OSHA or regulatory violations; poor performance in a quality and safety rating; an inadvertent release of patient-identiable information, etc. Any of these incidents has the potential to come on suddenly and to impact the organizations reputation and, therefore, its ability to operate. Second, make sure your crisis plan has actionable information. Too many crisis communication plans are policy repositories lled with complicated processes rather than actionable work plans. Our crisis communication plan philosophy is simple: if it doesnt offer the necessary information and communication framework to respond within 15 minutes, it isnt prepared to do its job. Remove speed bumps by getting the plans contents pre-approved by legal and administrative teams. Third, make sure it is accessible. A well-designed plan is worthless if you cant nd it precisely when you need it. Security and condentiality are important, but not if they undercut the plans accessibility. Following a recent, innocuous bomb threat to our hospital, our response was impacted because the administrative rst responders were not clear about location of the nearest plan. Now, at St.Mary, aside from a hard copy with each member of the leadership team, we keep multiple hard copies near the command center and key locations, and a copy with the hospitals switchboard operators. Modiable, interactive, intranet and thumb-drive versions are also available to the communication team. Fourth, train your crisis response team in using the plan, then offer periodic refresher trainings. Spotlight the resources within the plan: the roles and responsibilities of the crisis communication team and how the plan can be accessed. And, most important, regularly test the contents using complex and difcult scenarios. Bend them. Stretch them. Break them. In the end, your plan will be stronger, and your hospital best prepared to weather a storm.

statement lasts well beyond the events actual resolution. Communicators need to act quickly and without the delay of a lengthy approval process. The crisis communication plan helps this process by providing pre-approved, pre-vetted statements that reinforce your values without speculating. But communicators also need a certain amount of leeway. This leads us to the next step.
3. Do you have the authority and confidence to act in a crisis? Earning a

counseling on a myriad of issues, demonstrating your clear and reasoned thinking and your broad understanding of the healthcare business. Leaders also like to know that you have tested experience and have been through some battles.
4. Are your spokespersons trained and ready? In a crisis, it is ideal to have a

seat at the table status is a persistent cultural challenge for hospital and health-system communicators. But having the ear and respect for administration is a must for a successful program of crisis preparedness and response. The confidence of your leadership team can be a challenge to cultivate. You earn your seat routinely when you provide

single, primary spokesperson to keep the messaging consistent. But different situations require different backgrounds, skill sets, and levels of authority. At St. Mary Medical Center, we maintain a stable of spokespersons comprising executives (CEO, COO, CMO, and, of course, the marketing and communications director) and technical experts (director of security, director of quality and patient safety, CNO, CIO, HR director, foundation director, and vice president of mission). Each is trained to focus on

key messages in answering questions, and we provide periodic refresher training. Even those organizational leaders who may not be spokespersons in the microphone-and-camera sense are trained in the fundamentals, ensuring internal and external messages are consistent. We reinforce the process through practice.
5. Can you access key systems during an unusual event? As with many hospitals

and health systems along the Eastern seaboard, Superstorm Sandy impacted St. Mary. While stranded at home without power, much of our communication team was unable to access our network and, therefore, put into action our crisis communication plan. Ensure your team has back-up processes to access the major communication vehicles in the event of a (Continued on page 10)

November-December 2013 | Spectrum 

A Crisis Communicators Self-Assessment (continued from page 5) severe incident. This could mean anything from home generators, to mobile tethering software (to access the Internet from your mobile device), to a simple list of local libraries with internet access. Or, designate a representative to staff the hospital command center, where generator access to power should be uninterrupted. And, as if we needed it, heres another way social media changes the game your hospitals Facebook and Twitter presence may be all you are able to access with limited power and mobile access. Use them.

6. Do you have the plans and policies to monitor and respond to social media?

St. Mary and Anne Klein Communications Group developed a proprietary and focused Social Media Crisis Communication Plan to complement the hospitals broader crisis plan. Beyond assigning team responsibilities, the plan takes the guesswork out of social media activity, assigning an if-this-then-this workflow strategy to evaluate influence and risk. If you answered yes to these questions, you are ready. (Be sure you update your crisis preparedness plan at least yearly.) If you are in doubt regarding the answers to these questions, its time to take a hard look at your crisis preparedness strategy. And if you

answered, no, then its time to have a heart-to-heart talk with your CEO.
Patrick Donohue
Marketing & Communications Director St. Mary Medical Center Langhorne, PA 215-710-6908 PDonohue@StMaryHealthcare.org

Christopher Lukach, APR

Senior Vice President and COO Anne Klein Communications Group, LLC Mount Laurel, NJ 856-866-0411 ext. 15 Chris@annekleincg.com

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