During the Covid pandemic of 2020, eminent cardiologist Dr K K Aggarwal stated that public relations in health care remains an unknown subject in the Indian context. The well-known doctor himself was a victim of Covid in 2021. Yet his view of the pertinent subject remains a truth for ages. Corporate, educational, political as well as public relations in the entertainment arena are very much spoken about and practised. Ironically, however, public relations in health care is still not considered seriously and is a social taboo.
What exactly does public relations in health care mean? A general definition proves that it is smooth and undisturbed press relations to project good images of medical practitioners and their achievements. The more coverage of such matters is done, public relations in health care is considered that much more successful. However the picture of truth about this is not so. Public relations in the health care sector is a huge subject which comprises patient, government, medical fraternity as well as relations with masses nationally and internationally. In India the two types of health care facilities, government and private have different approaches to public relations.
In government hospitals, health institutes and bodies which practice health care education, the responsibility of public relations is manifold. The majority of the Indian population which is below the poverty line cannot afford to reach an Apollo, Max or Kokilaben Hospital. They solely depend on central and state government hospitals for health care. Obviously the pressure on such health institutes is tremendous. Medical, paramedical and even the lower range of staff in government health care have too many tasks to perform. They include patient welfare, addressing queries on various health related issues, maintenance of the institutes they work in, continuous research in medical development and above all delivering treatment at economic costs.
Corporate hospitals generally cater to a target audience of high financial abilities. They come from affluent societies and to them health care is at times a luxury. Throughout the nation complaints arise of excessive billing by private hospitals which even the rich cannot afford. The West Bengal Clinical Establishment Act of 2017 was introduced to harness the unwanted activities of such hospitals to rob patient parties. It is proving beneficial for the state though the activities of this act have legal bindings. Still corporate hospitals are undaunted and keep on charging sky-high rates to patients on whom they thrive.
In big private owned hospitals, diagnostic centres and clinics there are public relations persons hired with attractive salaries. They carry out media-oriented work, help in various government liaison, develop business and also follow the path of unquestionable loyalty to their management. So many times they do their best to conceal the truth which is bitter and detrimental to the institutions they work for. This is definitely anti-public relations as nowhere in the dictionary of the subject is hiding facts and putting forward false matters permitted. Very few will admit this, but it is a hardcore fact.
Public relations in the arena of health has been very less discussed or written about. This is because health care authorities are scared of lacunae being exposed. No wonder there are umpteen examples of medical personalities being hit or attacked by the public. Certainly the practice of violence against doctors is a high level crime. Yet a pinpointed observation does reveal that patients frustrated at the attitudes and negligence of doctors are compelled to act violently. In such cases it is the lack of proper public relations and humanity on behalf of medical practitioners.
‘Ambulance Man’ Himanshu Kalia and his wife Twinkle of New Delhi have set noble examples of public relations in health care. A heart patient and a cancer patient respectively, Himanshu and Twinkle have risked their lives many times even during the dreaded Covid era and selflessly served countless people in New Delhi, NCR with 24 hours free of charge ambulance and blood bank services.
Dr R V Asokan carries on silently his mission of eradicating tuberculosis along with the Union Government and WHO. Never does the veteran doctor make any self publicity of himself. Sangita Reddy is one of the rare health icons who has taken up the cause of rural health care development though she owns the biggest private hospital chain of India. In personally dealing with people she has transcended class barriers.
The soul of public relations in health care remains in the touch of humanity, more than academics and technical developments. Artificial Intelligence cannot provide that human inborn touch to health care public relations which emotional intelligence can, simply because the mind is uncontrollable by technology.
When late legendary pulmonologist P K Sen checked a patient in the mid 80s at Kolkata and smilingly declared he was not a tuberculosis patient, the latter was moved to tears of joy. This is one rare example of good health care public relations where sufferers should be rightly diagnosed and encouraged to lead a normal life. On this World Health Day may public relations in health care be declared an important ingredient of health welfare activities.
Ranjan Das Gupta is a senior Kolkata-based journalist who writes about health care, education, arts and culture
