Communicating from the public or private sector: The case of hospitals

Abstract

The ultimate goal of private hospitals in Spain is to increase their number of patients, or at least their revenues, whereas public hospitals do not have this goal because they do not necessarily need to attract more patients. Consequently, the communication carried out at each type of institution may be different. In order to find out if there are any differences and determine their impact on citizens, the communication of both public and private hospitals in two regions of Spain (Castilla y León and Galicia) is analyzed using personal interviews and a survey about public relations. In addition, an official health report is analyzed to determine the satisfaction, assessment, and selection of health centers. In conclusion, private hospitals have better public relations; but, citizens prefer and value public hospitals more. The preliminary image of each type of institution prevails over the communication processes they carry out.