Push to Self-Policing Healthcare Ecosystem Challenges Communicators
By Matthew Holland
Implementation of the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH) and Affordable Care Act (ACA) is driving transformative change through the healthcare ecosystem. Every stakeholder – healthcare providers, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies and consumers – is impacted by these developments in fundamental ways. More changes are on the way.
It’s not clear how stakeholders have adjusted their communications strategies (public relations, public affairs, and government relations) to deal with these changes. For example, companies that make a “healthcare product” – drug, device, wearable, software – can no longer afford (think Turing Pharmaceuticals) to ignore how decisions they make about marketing, product development and pricing will be interpreted by the media, federal/state officials and policymakers.
That’s because success of the ACA is predicated on whether or not stakeholders with vested interests in healthcare develop a laser-like focus on care coordination, quality, patient outcomes, etc. If one or more of these stakeholders is a “bad actor,” it will ultimately upset the balance of the entire ecosystem. Tech solutions must be cost effective, pharmaceutical products have to demonstrate efficacy and improved outcomes, and care coordination needs to improve patient engagement and reduce hospital readmissions.
As a result, the ecosystem has become self-policing. When decisions are made by one stakeholder that adversely impact others (again, think Turing) the impacted stakeholders are quick to comment. This form of self-policing can take shape in many ways – stories in the mainstream media, comments via social media channels, and Congressional hearings– are just a few examples of how stakeholders are attempting to keep each other honest in the new and volatile world that they are all forced to operate in. This level of scrutiny will get even more intense as we head into a Presidential election year.
My recommendation to healthcare executives across the continuum is pretty straightforward – think. Think about how the decisions you make will play out in the communities you operate, among customers, in Washington and state capitals. Healthcare executives need to understand that not only do they operate in a hyper-politicalized industry, but they must contend with a truly virtual and continuous media cycle. Layered on top of this is the fact that now, and going forward, not only will your competitors be watching you, but all of the other companies whose success is inextricably tied to the business decisions you make.
Matthew Holland (mholland@mww.com) is Senior VP, Healthcare Practice Lead
