Submitted by: Erin Caffrey, Executive Director, Pascale Communications, LLC
 
Being successful in healthcare public relations requires the ability to develop and maintain a healthy, responsive and dedicated physician or key opinion leader (KOL) base. Many healthcare PR firms work with physician KOLs to develop releases, facilitate interviews for trade editors or do other promotional activities.
  
While attention to these seemingly PR101 activities may generate a neutral response from the client, the KOL and the trade press, a successful PR firm actually goes beyond these PR101 tasks.  Going above and beyond in this regard includes serving the KOL as a flexible and informed resource that can further enhance the KOL relationship with the company brand, build and maintain respect between the KOL and the PR account person and ultimately, provide creative story angles for editors.  It's a win, win, win!  
 
In fact, we consider this process the art of "physician wrangling." Success as an effective physician wrangler will net more distinctive, on-message and effective published articles for your client and their brand. It will enhance the company relationship with the physician as well as the editors who will see the PR firm, company and physician as valuable resources - not just promotion hounds.
 
Tips for successful physician communication include: be informed about the topic you're discussing (but don't be afraid to ask questions to understand clinical relevancy better), be flexible with call times (meet the KOL on their time), set clear expectations for article/interview outcomes, follow up after the interview, and once any media is published provide clips for their records and thank them for their time.
 
Following the suggestions above is not a fail-safe process to a perfect article. There are always contacts that will be difficult to manage in terms of setting up the interview and follow up. However, these steps will net more valuable published articles for all parties involved. The physician, client and editor will all be appreciative that the extra steps were taken. In fact, crazy as it sounds, there will be a point where physicians will actually look forward to the emails from their PR contact as they know they will be managed in an efficient and respectful manner.

Submitted by Erin Caffrey, Pascale Communications' Executive Director

When I accepted a position at Pascale Communications, a virtual healthcare PR firm, I knew what virtual meant and welcomed the opportunity to take advantage of the home-office benefits! In sum, streamlined morning routine, no commute and more effective use of my time - I fell comfortably into the routine. What I didn't realize was that I would also be inspired to become more involved in my community.

When I worked the 40+ hour week at previous agencies, commuting back and forth daily, my time outside of work was limited. I felt that I had my social and professional "fill" by the time I made it through my front door. And forget even thinking about getting me back out once I stepped in my house! The day was over!

In my current virtual job, I work the same hours but since I have already spent a full day in my home office, I am inspired to reach beyond these walls and explore more philanthropic, professional and other volunteer opportunities in the community. What I've found is that Pittsburgh is ripe with talent as well as professional groups and non-profit organizations just waiting to take advantage of our skill sets.

The team at Pascale Communications has all subscribed to this mantra. Our virtual employees are located in Pittsburgh, NYC, Chicago and southern California. We are involved in groups like: The Children's Home, Pittsburgh Children's Museum, Goodwill Industries, IABC, Prevent Blindness America, Ophthalmic Women Leaders, Local Chambers of Commerce, among others.  

I guess what I am saying is that if you have the time, please donate it to those who could use it! And for those who are stuck on the Parkway West every morning, we hope you might consider that sharing even 30 minutes of your time with an organization who needs it might just make you "late" enough to miss the traffic home. Now, wouldn't smooth sailing on 376 be a nice way to end the day?