Public relations as a marketing function is an extension of the societal marketing concept which focuses in every marketing decision is designed to enhance the image of the organization in the minds of its various public. It is the aim of this research work to find out if hospitals do make use of public relations as one of their marketing strategy for customer satisfaction and enhancing the image of the organization in the minds of its public. This research work is sub-divided into five chapters. Chapter one contains a general discussion of what public relation is all about as has been said by different authors. It went further to state the problems to be studied and why this study was carried out, the scope and limitation of study, and finally, the proposition and the definition of terms. For the literature review, a number of past related literature examined by other studies as it relates to the role of public relations in marketing of hospital services are highlighted also. Third chapter, deals with the design of the study, the method used in collecting relevant data. It equally treats the way the questionnaires were distributed and the treatment of data. In chapter four, the data got from the research survey were analyzed and interpreted. Also, similar questions on both questionnaires were compared. Finally, chapter five contains the summary of findings, conclusion on the research and recommendations made by the researchers. For hospitals to enhance the image of their organization in the mind of its public hospitals should put the recommendation made in this study into use for it will not only satisfy services offered to their customers but a continuous increase in the number of patients that do patronize their hospital and an increase in profit.
Before now, like in 1960’s public relations practice was not popular only a few Nigerian’s know what public relations was, until the recent past when public relations practice and public relations programme and activities were considered as the powerful tools in co-ordinating human and business image. The knowledge of public relation diffused fat in Nigeria society because of the economic, social and political progarmmes of activities were in a state of constant change.
Public relations can improve the image and reputation of a company which according to the institute of public relations as “The deliberate, planned and sustained effort establish and maintain mutual advertising between an organization and its public”.
Pubic relations is the management function which evaluate public attitude, identities, the policies and procedures of an individual or organization with public understanding and acceptance (Canfield, 2007:58).
A pregnant woman once came to deliver in one of our hospital and ask the nurse on duty to take her to labour room because she was weak. The nurse replied in a harsh and hostile to “if you like, crawl to the labour room, after all I did not impregnate you”. Some doctors, nurses and staff are sometime non challant to patients welfare, harsh to patients, some hospitals have recorded the greatest number of death, and some changing exorbitant price some unqualified personnel and some demand payment first before treatment. These and many other reasons may be accountable for the performance of one hospital over another.
So, hospital management should be conscious of everything they do because they depend on the public for their profit and should satisfy their customers. Therefore, the management should understand that public relation as a marketing promotions function if practice well will help them to guard their image jealously and maintain favourable relationship between the hospital and its public, thereby creating goodwill for themselves.
Public relations is too important in a firms total communication and promotion effort to permit it to be either negative and damaging or indifferent to the point where the public knows little or what the company is doing, what it stands for and what it is trying to achieve.
(Rom Markins 1979:521) The hospital show blow its triumphant very effectively, and if poorly managed, will find it fruitless to get its goodwill no matter the promotional strategies it adopts. Once the consumer of their patronage to another hospital. There should be constant communication among the doctors, nurses, paramedical staff, drug suppliers, patients and god deeds will get to the public and take the credits. The hospitals therefore need not to advertise for patients or customers but there are effective ways of making patients to come to their hospital and that is through public relations.
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