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Question:

How do you help an established hospital position itself during and after a major health care crisis like SARS?

Answer:

You assign consultants full-time to the file and remain in constant contact with the Hospital to help deal with the rapidly changing situation, developing and revising key messages, while strategizing around how – and how not – to respond.

Once the immediate crisis has passed, you develop a comprehensive Communications Strategy based on your observations and understandings of the Hospital’s communications functions. You also undertake opinion research to gauge both internal and external perceptions of the Hospital.

OEB Enterprise was already assisting NYGH with communications and stakeholder relations, when SARS hit. NYGH turned to OEB Enterprise because of the high level of trust already in place with senior Hospital administrators.

Result:

With our help in the months following SARS, North York General Hospital was able to turn a difficult chapter in its history into a triumph – praising the work of its staff in dealing with the crisis, telling the world about the lessons learned from the experience, and taking a leadership role moving forward.

OEB Enterprise continues to work closely with NYGH, both in implementing the Communications Strategy and providing daily support in various areas of communications.