Conceptual differences in public relations and marketing: The case of health-care organizations

Competitive pressures have caused many healthcare organizations to subsume public relations programs within marketing units leading the authors to conclude communication programs based on marketing theory will not achieve the same results as those grounded in public relations theory.

Abstract

Competitive pressures have caused many healthcare organizations to subsume public relations programs within marketing units. The result is more one-way and less two-way communication with publics leading the authors to conclude communication programs based on marketing theory will not achieve the same results as those grounded in public relations theory. Findings from several studies of health-care organizations are reviewed in relation to the authors' normative theory of public relations.