A medical or healthcare press release is an official communication issued by healthcare organizations to provide specific information to journalists or the general public.


Healthcare is just one of many industries that use content distribution services. For over a century, the press release has been considered the most crucial marketing and PR tool. Not only does it allow a company or individual to make important announcements, but it also offers a cost-effective way to draw in a larger audience.

What You Can Gain from a Healthcare Press Release

First, we need to take a closer look at the advantages of sending out a medical news release. What can you hope to get out of the time that’s invested? 

Apart from connecting you to more patients, effectivePR distribution also improves an organization's credibility within the community and draws more talented physicians to a practice.

 

Identifying Types of Medical Press Releases<

Healthcare press releases can further be categorized based on their purpose. Some medical updates that organizations would consider sending out a release for are: 

  • To present medical research findings 

  • To introduce new lifesaving equipment

  • To raise awareness about a health issue 

  • To announce the hire of new doctors

  • To confirm dates for a medical conference 

The content and format for each may differ, but essentially, a medical press release serves the same function — to inform audiences. 

 

Knowing Your Audience 

Before crafting a release, healthcare organizations must consider all stakeholders.

This involves conducting a detailed analysis of the demographics of the patients, doctors, and researchers associated with their practice. Furthermore, it involves using that data to craft relevant releases.

An announcement about the quick spread of COVID-19, for instance, is of value to audiences of all backgrounds, while a medical update about a new treatment for children will be most valuable to parents, caretakers, and pediatricians.

 

Writing Tips for Healthcare Press Releases   

Then comes the most crucial process — press release writing.

To be considered well-written media, communications must strike a balance between sounding too alarmist while giving out the right amount of verified information to make it interesting for the reader — and authentic enough for a publication.

Here are some best practices for medical announcements. 

Follow the Press Release Format

A healthcare news release is generally expected to be written in a journalistic style. This involves adding all the crucial information — as well as answering the questions “who, what, when, where, how, and why?” — right at the outset. 

The rest of the information follows in an inverted pyramid structure. 

Usually, all healthcare press releases should include: 

  • A headline, preferably catchy while conveying the point in simple terms

  • A subheading that explains the announcement in more detail

  • An introduction that includes all the most relevant information and answers the basic journalistic questions

  • A body that includes a detailed synopsis of the announcement and relevant quotes and statistics to back up claims

  • Boilerplate: A short biography of the organization or research team that can be reused for future press releases

  • CTA/Contact information: A strong note encouraging the reader to take further action. It can also include the organization or research team’s contact details.   

Use Clear and Understandable Language

Reports from the healthcare industry often fall into the trap of using too much jargon. While this medical terminology may be easily understood by experts, it may be a struggle for  the general public to wrap their heads around it. 

One of the best steps when crafting effective medical communication is to be clear and precise with your descriptions. Simplify complex medical conditions to the best of your ability and ensure that there is no scope for misunderstanding, especially when making more sensitive announcements. 

Incorporate Credible Data

The first audience of a press release is not the eventual reader but a discerning journalist who receives up to a hundred releases a week. To boost your chances of publication, ensure that all claims made in your release are correctly cited and backed up by data. Media houses have no patience for baseless claims or poorly-sourced releases.

Incorporate Quotes

Including quotes from experts and researchers is another practice that can help boost the credibility of a release. At the same time, these quotes can make a release more personable to a reader, even if they contain a large amount of data and statistics. 

Multimedia Elements<

While writing a press release, also consider its visual appeal. Multimedia in medical news can be much more effective, so include relevant high-quality images, infographics, or even a video.

Fact-Check Everything

When reporting on healthcare industry news or findings from a medical journal, it’s essential to get all the details right. Nothing ruins reputations or creates panic more than a release that hasn’t been thoroughly verified.

Fact-checking in healthcare is thus an integral part of the press release writing process. It could involve getting information verified by specific experts or checking multiple sources before making a claim. 

Distribution and Timing

Once the content of the medical communication has been finalized, healthcare practitioners must learn about the various distribution channels at their disposal.

The most prominent channels include medical journals, medical news outlets, news organizations, and relevant online platforms. To get the most out of these channels, the authors of a release must also engage with prominent journalists and influencers in the healthcare niche and build solid relationships with them. 

Timing a press release is another tricky but valuable tool in this regard. A healthcare release sent out immediately after a major medical conference or during a health awareness month is more likely to be published than one with no news relevance. 

Common Mistakes in Medical Press Releases 

The goal of a healthcare public relations strategy should be to inform the reader about the latest developments while still crafting content that is engaging and likely to get noticed. In the process, practitioners are prone to making several mistakes, such as: 

  • Overhyping results

  • Poor quality fact-checking 

  • Using too much technical jargon 

  • Not following the proper format

  • Misunderstanding audiences 

Tracking Press Release Distribution 

Once a release has successfully been sent, there are several indicators that a healthcare provider should track — related to website clicks, engagement rates, or the number of publications who have picked up the release, for instance.

Some press release services, such as Canada Newswire, simplify this process by offering tracking and analysis tools.  For instance, the organization's complimentary visibility report is the simplest way to measure and track topline metrics. 

Conclusion

It’s tricky to craft a medical press release that ticks all the boxes — informing and capturing the reader’s attention while following the basic principles of journalistic integrity. However, by following the press release structure outlined in this blog, medical practitioners will find that the release is one of the most essential marketing and educational tools.

Canada Newswire understands the importance of healthcare press releases. As one of the leading global press release distribution services, our team has  the  resources required to  give your content the amplification and attention it deserves. We’re here to help with your press release needs. Don’t hesitate to reach out to us to get started.