This chapter is written in order to provide the student with a general overview of communication and public relations in healthcare. All healthcare institutions have a need for adequate and successful communication with their external and internal stakeholders. Every contact of a particular healthcare organization with the public represents a unique interface, as an important part of the communication strategy. Therefore, it is very important to create strategic consistency among all the messages that stakeholders need to receive. The chapter will discuss the relationships between the various components of integrated marketing communications in healthcare, crisis management in the communications sphere and ethics and social responsibility issues.
Keywords: Integrated marketing communications; advertising and PR; crisis management; ethics; media; social responsibility; stakeholders (external and internal).