How to Write a Great Press Release for Your Facility

If you’re interested in promoting complementary coverage for your healthcare facility, you likely want to learn how to write a great press release. A press release can be an effective way for a business to generate positive news related to their brand.

Healthcare organizations can benefit from press releases because they help raise awareness about initiatives, promote new services, and contribute to a positive perception within the community. However, not all healthcare facilities have a PR vendor or a large communications staff to manage press releases, which is why we’ve created this helpful resource to guide your team.

This article provides an explanation of healthcare press releases and outlines the steps you can take when writing one for your organization.

What Is a Healthcare Press Release?

Press releases are written statements sent to media outlets to announce news or events. They allow an organization to carefully select the wording, topic, and message of their brand. The ultimate outcome is for a press release to be picked up by a news organization for use in published content such as articles, social media posts, news stories, or other features.

When it comes to healthcare, press releases can be used to announce the opening of new facilities, the hiring of new physicians, achieving magnet designation, the launch of a new service, or other happenings. They can also include information about the facility’s mission as well as quotes from stakeholders.

To help you learn how to write a great press release in healthcare, the following template provides an example scenario where a facility is announcing the adoption of a new staffing initiative.

Template: Press Release Format

BEST HOSPITAL LLC LOGO

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Best Hospital LLC

besthospital@email.org

1-800-phone number

www.besthospital.com

[Headline] Best Hospital Launches New Nurse Staffing Initiative

[Tagline] High demand for patient care prompts the need for effective staffing solutions

[Introductory paragraph] QUINCY, MA March 18, 2023 — Best hospital LLC, a regionally renowned medical system, is announcing the launch of a new nurse staffing initiative to bring aboard more talented nursing staff to meet the demands of their growing patient base.

[Detail and importance] Best hospital is the first system in the state to adopt this new initiative. This initiative involves X, Y, Z and will be a pivotal way to (insert goals and objectives).

[Relevant statistics] Based on projections from our research team, bringing 200 additional nurses abroad will help improve patient care by (insert statistics on growth and positive outcomes).

[Insider quote] “We’re confident that this new initiative will make care at our facility even more accessible,” said CEO John Doe. “We’re excited to take bigger strides in supporting both our workforce and patients.”

[Call to action] Nurses can sign up to be a part of this initiative here: www.besthopistalwebsite.com/newinitiative. Patients and families can visit Best Hospital’s primary care clinics from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day of the week at the following locations: (insert addresses here).

[Boilerplate pitch] Best Hospital LLC is a regionally renowned healthcare organization. Best Hospital is accredited by X, Y, Z, and has received numerous awards showcasing its commitment to providing patient-centered care.

Why Should You Write a Press Release?

You may be wondering why learning how to write a great press release for an event is important for a healthcare organization. If the focus of healthcare is providing quality care to patients, why spend valuable time focusing on press releases?

Simply put, your organization needs to be able to reach and attract patients in order to provide care. Employing healthcare marketing through press releases is essential to get the word out about what your facility offers.

In addition to connecting with patients, spreading positive word about your facility can help you recruit talented healthcare professionals who may want to work with you in the future. Press releases are a great way to share stories that showcase your mission. This can provide valuable context for prospective healthcare providers seeking a workplace that aligns with their personal values.

Understanding how to write a great press release is just one of many skills you can use to build a positive brand, in addition to designing a quality website, using social media, and managing online reviews. Regardless of whether you’re a marketing professional, sending out a press release can be a great way to generate positive news about your facility.

When to Write a Press Release

There are many different types of press releases that can cover a wide range of topics. Knowing how to write a great press release includes knowing when to write one as well. While you could technically write a press release about anything, it’s important to be selective and consider scenarios that make for truly engaging stories to build your facility’s image. Below are some reasons why healthcare organizations may want to write a press release.

• Product launches: Is your facility adopting an exciting, cutting-edge healthcare product or service that’s new to the market? A press release is a great way to let your prospective patients know about it and how it can elevate their care.
• Facility expansion: If you’re expanding your services through creating new departments, units, or locations, this can be a newsworthy event that demonstrates your commitment to continually improving your facility.
• Recognition: Your facility may have earned notable titles, awards, and achievements demonstrating its capacity to provide high quality care. You can celebrate and share the positive news with people outside your facility through a press release.
• Partnerships: It’s common to build partnerships to grow your operational capacities and revenue. Partnerships with bigger, well-recognized names can help increase your exposure to the public.
• Success stories: Outcomes in healthcare can often be unexpected. If one of your physicians, nurses, or staff delivered exceptional care that really turned around a patient’s outcomes, this can be an engaging news story to share. However, remember to be respectful of patients involved in any potential stories and adhere to HIPAA practices.
• Charity: If your hospital is hosting a charity event or otherwise contributing to charities, a press release can help showcase your efforts to give back to the community. Additionally, it can help engage the public if your charity-related endeavor would benefit from more participation.

How to Write a Great Press Release in 7 Steps

Once your organization has a newsworthy event or update to share with the public, it’s time to craft a press release. While there’s certainly no one-size-fits-all approach to these types of announcements, the following steps will guide you. As you read through these steps, you can refer back to our press release template to see examples of how each step can be applied in practice.

1. Choose a Strong Press Release Headline

Learning how to write a great press release headline is crucial to getting the exposure you’re seeking. Your headline should be eye-catching and concise, avoiding overly complex terminology. Make sure it summarizes the main point of your announcement. Remember, a journalist may be sifting through these press releases, so to get yours published (or simply noticed) it will need to be straightforward yet memorable.

2. Introduce Your Message

At the start of your press release, try to get to the main point quickly. Consider answering the questions, “who, what, when, and where” to provide needed context. Try to strike the balance of sharing enough detail while also keeping it succinct, keeping in mind that editors likely will skim your press release.

Before you dive into the introductory paragraph, you may also want to consider creating a one-sentence tagline under your headline to grasp the reader’s attention quickly. A tagline should add a catchy ”why” or ”how” that isn’t already known from your headline.

3. Prove the Importance

When someone reads your press release, they may eventually ask”so what?” Try to include information about the relevance and usefulness of the information so readers understand why it matters. For example, if your healthcare organization is opening a new facility, explain the implications it will have for the community and patients.

You can also add relevant statistics that will demonstrate the potential impact of the actions being taken in the press release. For instance, do studies show that a certain product or service your facility is adopting improves patient outcomes? Adding an evidence-based number to support your claims substantiates your story’s importance.

4. Add Compelling Quotes

Quotes from leaders of your organization, such as a medical director or CEO, can help add a human element to your press release. Select concise but hard hitting quotes that you believe will inspire or motivate your readers. This personalized element draws in your audience and boosts the authority of your statement.

5. Plug a Clear Call to Action

Create a call to action paragraph where you provide important information about how readers can get involved in events highlighted by your press release. For instance, if your facility is opening new clinics, provide the addresses and contact information for these locations so that prospective patients know where to go. This can help you meet the underlying objectives of creating your announcement.

6. Include Contact Information

Be sure to share contact details somewhere in your healthcare press release, in case a news outlet would like to request further information. It’s best to share a specific individual’s business contact information, such as their email address or phone number, as opposed to the organization’s main line. Also, it’s helpful to add links to any social media channels where your facility can be found.

7. Sell Your Brand

After you learn how to write a great press release, you’ll want to create a boilerplate statement — a paragraph emphasizing the benefits and core components of your organization. This paragraph is typically standardized and reused at the end of any press release your facility puts out, with the goal of proving your authority in the medical sphere.

Consider adding these elements into your organization’s press release, but remember that there is no exact formula. Your press release will differ depending on your organization’s specialty, the nature of the news being reported on, and goals for the statement. Prioritize clear communication with the stakeholders in your facility to ensure that any press releases align with the company’s values and objectives.

How to Promote Your Press Release

Knowing how to write a great press release is more useful if you also understand how to promote it. So when you’re done writing an effective press release, here are a few tips you can keep in mind to help you reach readers and grow your audience.

1. Identify Relevant Distribution Channels

There are several ways you can distribute your press release, and you can either find channels that are known for medical coverage or go broad to capture a wide and diverse audience. You may want to:

• Contact journalists who can follow up and report on the news or publish your news release to audiences who may be interested in the topic.
• Work with a press release distribution service to help you spread your press release across multiple media platforms.
• Publish your press release on your healthcare organization’s website or blog.

Regardless of your mode of distribution, it’s important to thoroughly review the capabilities and pricing of any media services you choose to work with. Finding a budget-friendly outlet that’s effective in reaching a wide patient or provider population will ensure your resources are going to good use.

2. Foster Relationships With Journalists

If you decide to work with a journalist, it’s important to find the specific contact information of journalists directly instead of reaching out to the newsroom generally. This will ensure that your press release is seen by the right people.

You should also try to build ongoing relationships with journalists who can help with the coverage of any future news or events you may want to publicize in the future. They may also be able to share some additional insight on how to write a great press release. Take these steps to initiate and foster an effective partnership:

• Create a strong pitch using a concise, but well-written email introducing your healthcare organization, describing your story, and why it aligns with the journalist’s audience.
• Offer mutual value by explaining why your story would help attract and engage the audience that the journalist typically reports to.
• Follow-up by thanking journalists each time they help share your press release or follow up with interviews. If you have other groundbreaking news to share, you can also offer early access to journalists you’ve had success working with already.

Keep in mind that you may be sending your press release to a professional outside of the healthcare industry with the hope that the message reaches a broader public audience. Make sure to avoid using medical jargon and double-check your grammar before sending.

3. Harness the Power of Social Media

After your press release is published, use your healthcare organization’s social media platforms to spread it around. Post a tagline of your story with compelling photos and videos (while adhering to copyright laws) and use healthcare-related hashtags to reach wider audiences. You can also tag the journalist who helped you cover the story to credit their work and engage them in your social media marketing process.

Get Help Building a Newsworthy Healthcare Organization

Now that you know how to write a great press release and promote your facility, it’s time to take your healthcare facility’s marketing game to new heights. Get valuable insights into marketing, staffing, and more, delivered directly to your inbox.