The U.S. healthcare system is going through monumental change and criticism. On October 1, one of the pivotal components of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) went into effect in the form of public health insurance marketplaces. And like any highly anticipated consumer product launch–think Apple iPhone, Madden NFL video games or Microsoft Windows software—we watched it all unfold through the media.
Even months before the launch, media were skeptical of the functionality of the federally-run exchange and how many people would visit or enroll in a public exchange once the marketplaces were open. Some of our clients even participated in the discussion. And as we all know by now, the website was woefully unprepared for the crush of visitors with plenty of blame to go around Washington.
Many industry visionaries have taken hold of the media windstorm around health reform to vocalize their opinion and prediction for the success or failure of the exchanges. If you are doing business in the healthcare technology space and hoping to raise your profile as an expert or thought leader, this is one opportunity that can be leveraged with a simple statement or op-ed placement.
Nearly two months after the launch, health insurance exchanges still own the headlines across the industry and national spotlight, with the conversation and speculation focusing on IT Band-Aids, blame, and predictions for the future. Regardless, our clients in the healthcare space will track this milestone for months and even years to come. Our job as PR pros is to keep a pulse on the news cycle and watch for shifts in the story as well as ways to include our clients as expert resources.
See how we used this tactic most recently for clients with a perspective on the government shutdown.
