Communications at a City Hospital with Media Relations Director Dan Collins

Media relations is more than press releases — it's a strategic tool for driving hospital goals like patient acquisition, physician recruitment, and employee retention.

Key Insights

• Media vs. PR: Public relations is the tree; media relations is its largest branch. Both must align with organizational priorities, not executive egos.

• Platform Strategy: Tailor content for each platform. Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok. Know your audience and demographic.

• Crisis Management: Handle negative social media comments strategically —hide misinformation, engage critics through patient advocates, and turn them into ambassadors.

• Staffing Impact: Media relations enhance recruitment by showcasing employee recognition stories, cultivating a positive workplace narrative that attracts top talent.

Episode Overview

In this episode of SoundPractice, Mike Sacopulos interviews Dan Collins, senior director of media relations at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore. With nearly three decades of experience at Mercy and a journalism background with the Washington Times and Baltimore Examiner, Collins offers expert insights into how strategic media relations can transform healthcare organizations.

Mercy Medical Center's success story is remarkable: the urban community hospital grew from seventh to first in Baltimore's women's health market share, thanks to their "magnet doc" philosophy — recruiting top-tier physicians whose reputations attract patients and peers. Collins explains the hospital’s innovative partnership with NBC affiliate WBAL for "The Woman's Doctor," a weekly TV segment running for over 30 years (likely the longest-running hospital media campaign in the U.S.).

The conversation explores tailoring content for different platforms, avoiding TikTok because of demographic mismatches, and managing social media crises by addressing misinformation while engaging critics directly. Collins emphasizes the importance of collaborating with hospital executives, ensuring media relations teams are part of strategic planning.

The episode concludes with how media relations support staffing challenges by creating recognition stories for nurses and other healthcare workers, demonstrating organizational values that aid in recruitment and retention.

Why It Matters

Patients choose doctors, not hospitals. Strategic media relations ensure the right physicians reach the right audiences at the right time.

Contact Dan Collins at dcollins@mdmercy.com

Learn more about the American Association for Physician Leadership .