From the Blog: February 24, 2025

Reputation Management in Healthcare: Lessons from Recent Crises & Best Practices for 2025

Lauren Helm working at her desk and typing on a laptop.

The world is moving quickly, and managing healthcare organizations’ reputations is becoming more critical. Patients, employees, and stakeholders demand and expect transparency, trust, and rapid response from healthcare organizations amidst crises.

Recent high-profile incidents in the healthcare industry explain the benefits of a proactive reputation management strategy for healthcare executives to consider implementing or refining for their organization. In this blog, we’ll examine three significant events, identify reputation missteps, and provide data-driven strategies to restore public confidence.

Why Healthcare Reputation Management Matters

Healthcare organizations don’t just provide services to patients; they build trust. A strong reputation fosters patient loyalty, helps attract top talent, and strengthens partnerships with insurers, vendors, and investors.

  • 75% of patients read online reviews before choosing a provider.1
  • 93% of executives agree that a positive reputation directly impacts revenue.2
  • Organizations with poor crisis communication experience a three to four-year decline in public trust than those that respond transparently.3

Let’s analyze three recent healthcare reputation crises and explore a different approach to safeguard their reputation.

Case Study 1: Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare’s Security Threat Response

Incident Overview

In 2023, Tallahassee Memorial Hospital (TMH) received threatening statements from an individual who was not on campus but still posed a perceived risk. In response, the hospital heightened security across its facilities and restricted entry to the main Atrium entrance.

On August 30, TMH issued two public statements. The first statement announced the security measures in place and the second stated that the hospital remained fully operational. Both statements continued to emphasize safety as the organization’s top priority and confirmed their coordination with local law enforcement.

Reputation Management Misstep

While TMH communicated promptly, its messaging lacked key elements that could have further reassured the public and prevented unnecessary speculation:

  1. Limited Transparency: The statements did not specify the nature of the threat, such as verbal/written or targeted/general. While some details must remain confidential, a clearer explanation would have prevented uncertainty and misinformation.
  2. No Public-Facing Leadership: No hospital executive or security official visibly addressed the media, leaving the public without a central, reassuring voice during the crisis.
  3. Minimal Proactive Reassurance for Patients: Although TMH states it was “fully operational,” it missed an opportunity to proactively address concerns about patient safety, scheduled procedures, and emergency services.
Recommended Reputation Management Approach

A stronger reputation management strategy could have included:

  • Clearer, More Transparent Communication – Providing general context about the nature of the threat (e.g., “a verbal threat was made over the phone by an individual known to law enforcement”) would prevent unnecessary speculation.
  • Executive or Security Leadership Statements – A video message from the hospital CEO, security director, or chief medical officer could have provided a reassuring presence, reinforcing that TMH was handling the situation effectively.
  • Proactive Patient Reassurance – Addressing specific patient concerns in a FAQ-style update (e.g., “All scheduled procedures will continue as planned” or “our ER remains fully staffed”) would have minimized unnecessary fear.
  • Timely Social Media & Website Updates – A series of short, ongoing updates (e.g., “Security measures remain in place; law enforcement confirms no immediate risk.”) would have helped control the narrative instead of allowing public speculation.

Case Study 2: UnitedHealthcare CEO Shooting

Incident Overview

In 2024, Brian Thompson, CEO of UnitedHealthcare, was involved in a shooting and the incident instantly went viral. UnitedHealthcare did confirm the event in a statement, but the initial lack of detailed communication led to speculation about his condition and the company’s stability.

Reputation Management Misstep

While privacy considerations were understandably a factor, some of the missteps included:

  1. Vague Initial Statements: The company’s first response lacked specifics on next steps, which allowed media speculation to spread.
  2. Delayed Reassurance About Company Stability: While leadership continuity was eventually addressed, it should have been communicated sooner to reassure investors, employees, and policyholders.
Recommended Reputation Management Approach

A stronger reputation management strategy could have included:

  • Immediate Leadership Reassurance – A well-prepared crisis communication plan has a designated spokesperson who immediately addresses concerns, and UnitedHealthcare’s spokesperson should have shared information about leadership stability (e.g., “Our executive leadership team remains fully operational, and business continuity plans are in place.”).
  • Balancing Privacy & Transparency – Instead of complete silence, the company should have issued a controlled update series (e.g., “CEO Brian Thompson is being evaluated by medical staff. We respect his privacy and appreciate your well wishes.”).
  • Proactive Internal Communication – Ensuring employees receive updates first prevents misinformation from external sources. An internal email to staff and stakeholders about operational continuity would have reinforced stability.
  • Media Strategy for Narrative Control – Engaging with trusted media outlets and offering a follow-up statement from senior leadership would have helped maintain control of the public narrative.

Case Study 3: Tallahassee Primary Care Associates Restructuring

Incident Overview

In 2025, Tallahassee Primary Care Associates (TPCA) announced a restructuring plan to streamline operations after a series of emails went out to patients about their doctor no longer participating in the practice. However, sources initially speculated that the organization was closing, leading to widespread confusion among patients, employees, and local media outlets.

This miscommunication created unnecessary panic, with many patients believing they would lose access to their healthcare providers and medical records.

Reputation Management Misstep

The most significant misstep was TPCA’s failure to control the narrative. Some additional missteps included:

  1. Lack of a Clear Patient Reassurance Plan: TPCA failed to proactively address patient concerns, leading to an information vacuum that fueled rumors.
  2. Delayed Corrective Communication: The organization waited too long to issue a clear, unified message, allowing misinformation to spread.
Recommended Reputation Management Approach

A stronger reputation management strategy could have included:

  • Proactive Patient & Community Outreach – TPCA should have immediately communicated to patients via an FAQ-style press release to address concerns about provider continuity and social media updates that reinforce available services.
  • Crisis Response Timeline – Engaging with trusted media outlets by controlling the first wave of messaging to ensure they received accurate information up front instead of TPCA playing defense.
  • Media Relations Strategy – Partnering with local media for interviews or issuing a public-facing video statement from leadership could have prevented widespread panic.

Key Takeaways for Healthcare Executives

  1. Control the Narrative Early – If you don’t shape the story, someone else certainly will. Misinformation spreads quickly in healthcare, which is why making early, proactive communication an integral part of your strategy.
  2. Ensure Internal & External Consistency – Consider aligning internal messaging with external statements to prevent confusion in key messaging and reinforce brand trust.
  3. Reassure Key Audiences Immediately – Patients, employees, and investors should never be left in the dark to speculate. A strong reputation management strategy prioritizes their concerns first.
  4. Transparency Builds Long-Term Trust – Openness and clear communication strengthen credibility and help shield against lasting damage even in a crisis.

Is Your Healthcare Organization Prepared for Reputation Challenges?

Trust is everything. A well-executed reputation management strategy can mean the difference between a temporary setback and long-term brand damage.

If you’re unsure where to start, let’s talk.

1 Embracing the Rise of Healthcare Consumerism | Healthgrades. (n.d.). Healthgrades Partner Solutions. https://b2b.healthgrades.com/insights/blog/online-reviews-impact-how-patients-select-hospitals-doctors/

2 PwC. (2024, March 12). Trust in US Business Survey. PwC. https://www.pwc.com/us/en/library/trust-in-business-survey.html

3 Penn, M. (2023, December 12). Corporate Crises — and Reputational Recovery — Have Changed. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2023/12/corporate-crises-and-reputational-recovery-have-changed