Public relations roles and perceived power in US hospitals

Purpose – The purpose of this study was to identify the roles and functions that public relations practitioners serve in American hospitals. Design/methodology/approach – An online survey was administered to 208 professionals working in hospital public relations departments to determine what activities public relations practitioners engage in, what powers practitioners perceive to have, and what functions of public relations practice need to be strengthened to prevent encroachment by other professions that could take those voids as opportunities. Findings – Public relations practitioners’ work in US hospitals is mostly in media and community relations and the powers practitioners most strongly perceive themselves to possess are referent, legitimate, and expert/informational, while most estimated they have very little reward power within the hospital. Originality/value – Discovering what roles practitioners serve, what training practitioners have, as well as their perceptions of practice and power can help illuminate the current status of public relations in hospitals.