Saint Peters University Hospital

Crisis Communication Plan

254 Easton Avenue
New Brunswick, NJ 08901

Prepared by: Natalie Mundt

Saint Peters University Hospital Public Information Officer
Tested on: December 10, 2014

Saint Peters University Hospital Crisis Communication Plan

Table of Contents
Introduction

Page 3

Prodromes

Page 3

Purpose of the Plan

Page 3

Objectives of the Plan

Page 4

The Crisis Communication Team

Pages 4-5

Crisis Directory

Page 5

Key Publics

Pages 5-6

Notifying Publics

Pages 6-7

Key Media

Page 7

Identification of the Media Spokesperson

Page 7

Spokespersons for Related Organizations

Pages 7-8

Guidelines for Spokespeople

Page 8

Key Messages

Pages 8-9

Trick Questions

Page 9

Crisis Communication Control Center

Page 9

Equipment and Supplies

Pages 9-10

Pregathered Information

Page 10

Emergency Personnel and Local Officials

Pages 10-11

Website, Blogs, and Social Media

Page 11

Related Internet URLs

Page 11

Plan Evaluation

Pages 11-12

Rehearsal Dates

Page 12

Acknowledgments

Page 12

MEMO

Page 13

Saint Peters University Hospital Crisis Communication Plan

Introduction: Saint Peters University Hospital Crisis Communication Plan

A crisis is a significant unplanned event which will threaten and possibly damage the hospitals
image, integrity, and financial situation; the health, safety, and overall well being of patients,
employees, and visitors; and the well being of the surrounding communities. These threats will
become a reality if a crisis is not appropriately planned for and handled. A crisis will likely cause
interest in and be reported on by the news media.
Upon completion of a crisis inventory, the crises which are most likely to occur at Saint Peters
University Hospital (SPUH) include: the spread of communicable disease, mass scale food
poisoning, medical equipment failure, infestation of bed bugs, fires and natural disasters,
hazardous material spills, and criminal activity. Noticing potential warning signs for these crises
can help prevent a crisis from occurring and can save the hospital from many hardships in the
event that a crisis does occur.
Prodromes
The following warning signs are to be watched for by all hospital employees, as they could lead
to a crisis if not addressed promptly:
Multiple patients becoming ill with similar symptoms
Doctors and nurses not washing their hands properly after interacting with a patient
Power outages
Backup generator failure
Insects found anywhere throughout the building
Individuals wandering the hospital without an employee or visitor badge
Patients complaining of not feeling well after eating specific foods
Spills of any potentially hazardous material
Medical devices that do not seem to be working correctly
Building structural problems (ie: ceiling leaks, broken windows, bursting pipe, etc.)
Faulty fire alarms and extinguishers
Water main break
Purpose of the Plan
In the event of a crisis, the name and reputation of SPUH could be damaged if the crisis is not
handled appropriately. Any and all possible crises must be anticipated and prepared for to lessen
the stresses and difficulties during and after a crisis if one is to occur. If this plan is taken
seriously and is properly followed, the excellent reputation of SPUH will withstand a crisis.
What Could Happen If the Plan Is Not Followed?
If this crisis communication plan is not followed in the occurrence of a crisis, the hospital may
no longer be seen as reputable and the hospitals image and reputation could be forever hurt,
which will reduce business and result in financial hardships. People must be confident that they
and their loved ones will be safe and cared for while being a patient at SPUH.
Saint Peters University Hospital Crisis Communication Plan

Objectives of the Plan

In a crisis, all key publics must be clearly and openly communicated with to become aware of the
situation. All communications with the media must be as concise and unambiguous as possible,
while there may be no disclosure of any confidential patient information. The crisis at hand shall
be promptly attended to in order for hospital procedures to return to normal as soon as possible,
while patients will be put first throughout the crisis. No matter what unfortunate event occurs at
SPUH, the good reputation of the hospital must be maintained.
Every effort will be made to:
1. Put the crisis communication plan into action immediately upon notification of a crisis.
2. Notify all people in the hospital of the problem and make sure they are kept calm and safe.
3. Notify all key publics of the crisis as soon as it is safely possible to do so, while keeping them
informed throughout and after the crisis.
4. Quickly respond to the media and be honest about the current situation.
5. Find out why the crisis occurred and do what is necessary to fix it as soon as possible.
6. Bring the hospital back to normalcy while confidently telling key publics the issue has been
fixed.
7. Explain what procedures are being taken to make certain the crisis will not reoccur.
The Crisis Communication Team
The crisis communication team is responsible for achieving these objectives by putting this plan
into action as soon as safely possible after an emergency or crisis situation. The team must take
the necessary steps to ensure all involved people are kept safe and comfortable, while also
notifying key publics of the situation and clearly explaining what steps will be taken to
successfully recover. The crisis communication team is responsible for all media interactions and
must represent the hospital in a positive light. The SPUH crisis communication team will be
composed of the following individuals, each holding different responsibilities:
1. Public Information Officer (PIO)
Notify the crisis communication team of the situation at hand
Communicate with top management and prepare and approve important statements
regarding the crisis prior to them being publicized
Appoint the appropriate spokesperson to the media
2. Public Relations Assistant
Help write news releases and statements
Assume the role of the PIO when they are unavailable
3. President, CEO
The primary spokesperson during and after a crisis
4. Vice President, CFO
Saint Peters University Hospital Crisis Communication Plan

 The spokesperson when the CEO is unavailable

5. Chief of Security:
Keep the media off hospital grounds until they are escorted by a member of the crisis
communication team
Notify the PIO if approached by the media
Ensure the safety of all people involved in the crisis
6. Company Lawyer:
Assist with any legal issues that arise during and after a crisis
7. Human Resources Manager:
Give a human resources viewpoint if an employee is involved or affected by a crisis
8. Vice President of Finance:
Provide a viewpoint dealing with any financial problems that arise due to a crisis
9. Director of Technology:
Manage all social media accounts during and after a crisis
Coordinate the control room
10. All Department Managers:
Provide insight on individual departments to help the crisis communication team
understand how each department is affected by the crisis
Pinpoint what is needed for individual departments to recover after a crisis
Crisis Directory
A crisis directory will be distributed to all crisis communication team members and key
executives. This will enable all team members to contact one another at any necessary time. The
crisis directory will be prepared and revised by the PIO every six months and will include the
names and contact information of all current crisis communication team members as well as key
executives, potential spokespersons, and the most relevant key publics. This directory will
include business, home, and cellular telephone numbers as well as fax numbers, email addresses,
and home and business addresses. The addresses, phone numbers, and fax numbers of all
potentially necessary emergency personnel and local officials will be included in the directory as
well.
Key Publics
The crisis communication team must alert the following publics during a crisis:
Board of Directors
Key Executives
City and State Officials
Employees

Saint Peters University Hospital Crisis Communication Plan

Volunteers
Patients
Retirees
Emergency Personnel
Suppliers
Nearby Hospitals/Competitors
Media
Lawyers
Donors
Shareholders

Notifying Publics
All key publics will be notified by the crisis communication team as soon as possible if a crisis
occurs. SPUH board of directors, key executives, and employees will be notified first in the
event of a crisis.
The first person to learn of a crisis must contact the PIO or a member of security, who
will promptly notify the PIO
o The PIO will further investigate as much as possible to determine the who, what,
when, where, and why regarding the crisis at hand and will call emergency
officials and government officials if deemed necessary.
Emergency and government officials must be promptly notified of any
situation that has the possibility of putting the health and safety of people
in danger.
o The PIO will then notify the key executives, board of directors, and department
heads by phone.
If phone service is not available, these individuals will be alerted of the
crisis in person if close by, or by email, text message, or fax if not close in
proximity.
Department heads will notify the employees in their department of the
issue, while a mass text message will also be sent out to notify all
employees.
o Patients, visitors, and volunteers will be notified next via the hospital intercom
system.
o If the intercom is not working for any reason, the situation at hand will be typed
and posted on bulletin boards throughout the hospital and members of the crisis
communication team will circulate throughout the hospital to notify the patients,
visitors, and volunteers in person.
o If the media is warranted, a news release will be written and issued to key media.
o Social media and the hospital webpage must be quickly updated with the crisis
information for all publics to easily access.
o An email will then be sent to shareholders, retirees, and donors. If power is lost
for a significant amount of time and an email will not be sent in a timely manner,
letters must be typed and sent to these publics.

Saint Peters University Hospital Crisis Communication Plan

o If the crisis may require a lawyer, the lawyer will be contacted by telephone, fax,
email, or personal visit, depending on the severity of the crisis and available
means of communication.
o Nearby hospitals and suppliers will be notified last following a crisis.
Key Media
The media will be notified of a crisis via a news release. The following key media shall be
contacted by the PIO following a crisis:
Broadcast news networks
Radio stations which reach the surrounding areas
Newspapers
The Associated Press
United Press International
Reuters
Identification of the Media Spokesperson
After a crisis situation has been assessed, the President and CEO of SPUH will act as the primary
media spokesperson. If the SPUH President is unable to act as the media spokesperson for any
reason, the Vice President is to be the spokesperson. If both the SPUH President and Vice
President cannot attend to the media, the PIO will deal with all media interactions and inquiries
and will either respond or will direct the media to the appropriate department manager if unable
to respond effectively. The President, Vice President, and all department managers will be trained
annually by the PIO on how to respond to the media.
Spokespersons for Related Organizations
Following a severe crisis, spokespersons outside of SPUH may be called upon to answer
questions or to provide information that is outside the scope of the crisis communication team.
Individuals from the following organizations have been contacted and selected as potential
spokespersons if needed. These individuals must virtually meet with the crisis communication
team once annually. The annual meeting will help these spokespersons become familiar with
SPUH, will teach them how a crisis situation will be handled, and they will learn how to get in
contact with the crisis communication team. The crisis communication team will be in contact
with the following organizations quarterly to discuss who their current on-call spokesperson is
and how they can be contacted. Updated lists of the names and contact information of these
individuals will be prepared by the PIO and given to all members of the crisis communication
team as often as necessary.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
o Center for Disease Control and Prevention
o National Institute of Health
o Food and Drug Administration
U.S. Department of Labor
o Occupational Safety and Health Administration
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Saint Peters University Hospital Crisis Communication Plan

The World Health Organization

Middlesex County Health Department
New Jersey Department of Health
New Brunswick, NJ Fire Department
New Brunswick, NJ Police Department
Sysco (Purveyor)

Guidelines for Spokespeople

When dealing with the media all spokespersons must follow these guidelines during all
interactions:

Follow HIPPA laws at all times. Do not at any time comment on confidential patient
information that is protected by HIPPA.
Make sure patient, visitor, and employee safety are not put at risk by any comments
made.
Respond to media inquiries as soon as possible.
Be able to answer questions regarding who, what, when, where, and why.
Gather the necessary background information prior to media interactions.
If you do not know the answer to a question, do not be afraid to admit you dont know;
simply tell the PIO who can direct the media to the appropriate spokesperson. Do not
answer a question that you dont know the answer to.
Never say no comment to the media.
Do not lie to the media.
Only discuss facts of which you have direct knowledge.
Do not respond to hearsay.
Do not speculate.
Do not make any off the record comments.
Avoid Jargon.
Be honest and calm during media interactions.
Be pleasant and respectful to the media.
If at any time a patient or staff member is uncomfortable by the presence of the media,
the media must promptly relocate or leave the hospital premises.

The PIO will discuss these guidelines in detail and practice media interaction protocol with all
potential spokespeople once per year.
Key Messages
These speaking points are to be used by the spokespeople to ensure consistent information is
provided to the public during the stress of a crisis. By covering the following key messages in
media interactions, SPUH will remain credible in the face of a crisis.
Ensuring the safety of all patients, visitors, and staff is the first priority of SPUH.

Saint Peters University Hospital Crisis Communication Plan

SPUH has close relationships with emergency officials and other local hospitals and are
currently in contact with these groups to ensure the situation is being properly handled.
SPUH officials are effectively responding to the situation, and all key media and publics
will be updated as more information becomes available.
The details of why the issue occurred are currently being looked into, and the cause will
be disclosed when everything is clear.
By law, the names of affected individuals cannot be revealed at this point in time.
SPUH is financially prepared to handle this situation.
All necessary steps are being taken by trained individuals to recover and rebuild as soon
as possible.
Anyone with questions or concerns is encouraged to visit the website which will be
frequently updated as new information is uncovered.

Trick Questions
Trick questions from the media can be answered at ease through the use of the key messages
above. If the media asks a question that is not cautiously answered, the hospital may look bad
and the good reputation of SPUH can be ruined. Trick questions that must be anticipated by the
spokesperson include questions including and similar to the following:
1. Did this occur because hospital workers work long hours and are often tired on the job?
2. If the situation was not handled quickly, how many people would have been killed or injured?
3. You agree this crisis could be easily avoided, dont you?
4. Isnt it true that you knew a patient had bedbugs coming into the hospital but did nothing to
contain it?
5. Over half the patients were fed expired meat and most became sick, right?
6. Who is to be blamed for the crisis?
7. Off the record, what is your opinion on why the crisis occurred?
8. Why werent necessary precautions taken to prevent this?
Crisis Communication Control Center
If regular office space is unavailable following an emergency, the following sites will be used as
a crisis communication control center. All members of the crisis communication team have
permission to access the keys and to unlock the door to the basement of these locations after a
crisis. The basements of both locations are equipped with wireless internet access, many power
outlets, heat/air conditioning, tables, and chairs. All other equipment and supplies must be
brought to the location by the crisis communication team.
The first backup control center: Rutgers University Catholic Campus Ministry, 84
Somerset Street, New Brunswick, NJ
o Permission to use was given by the Director
The second backup control center: Saint Joseph Byzantine Church, 30 High Street, New
Brunswick NJ
o Permission to use was given by the Pastor
Equipment and Supplies

Saint Peters University Hospital Crisis Communication Plan

The following items may be needed by the crisis communication team, media, and visiting
publics during a crisis. These materials must be gathered and ready to use prior to the occurrence
of any kind of crisis.
Contact lists, media directories, and telephone directories
All pregathered information
Laptops and computers
Land-line telephones and cell phones
Walkie-talkies
Pens, pencils, paper
Computer printers
Chairs and desks
Manual typewriters
Battery powered radio and television
Lamps
Battery powered flash lights
Copy machines
Press kits
City maps
Hospital floor plan
Food and drinks
Cameras
Film
Extension chords
Generator power packs
First-aid kits
Batteries
Police Radios
Pregathered Information
Documents which may be necessary during a crisis include hospital safety records and
procedures, standard operating procedures, annual reports, training records, fact sheets,
certifications, photos, a map and floor plan of the building, a company backgrounder, and
information regarding satellite locations. These documents have been copied and are being stored
in the PIOs office where they can be accessed by any member of the crisis communication team
if needed. They have also been scanned and can be easily accessed online. This information must
be brought to the control center during a crisis.
Emergency Personnel and Local Officials

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Emergency personnel and local officials may need to be contacted during a crisis. The addresses,
phone, and fax numbers of the following emergency personnel and local officials are included
the crisis directory.

New Brunswick Police Department

Rutgers University Police Department
New Brunswick Fire Department
Middlesex County Health Department & New Jersey Department of Health
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital
New Brunswick Public Works
New Brunswick Water Department
New Brunswick Mayors Office
Middlesex County Government Officials & New Jersey Government Officials

Website, Blogs, and Social Media

The SPUH Webmaster will be contacted and updated on the situation by the Director of
Technology. The webmaster will regularly update the webpage and all social media with
pertinent information regarding the crisis to reduce the number of phone calls and time put into
recovering from the crisis. These will clearly state the hospitals concern regarding the crisis
along with a statement from the CEO. The webpage and social media will act as public bulletin
boards and will be updated as much as necessary to inform the public.
Social media and blogs used by SPUH that must be regularly updated:
o Facebook, eNewsletter, Linkedin, Twitter, Flickr, Google Plus, Pinterest, and
YouTube
Related Internet URLs
The following websites contain information that may be useful in a crisis situation:
Disease Control and Prevention: http://www.cdc.gov/
Food and Drug Issues: http://www.fda.gov/
Union Issues: http://www.dol.gov/
Occupational Safety Issues: https://www.osha.gov/
Environmental Issues: http://www.epa.gov/
Governmental Policy Issues: http://www.hhs.gov/
General Health and Research Information: http://www.who.int/en/,
http://www.state.nj.us/health/, http://www.nih.gov/
Food Purveyor: http://www.sysco.com/
Plan Evaluation
Following a crisis, all members of the crisis communication team must meet to evaluate this plan
and to determine what was handled well and badly during the crisis and to ensure the same
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situation will not reoccur. Based on the responses to the following questions, the crisis
communication plan will be revised to include pertinent feedback.
The following must be discussed during the evaluation:
1. Was the plan sufficient to minimize damage and remain respected and reputable during the
crisis?
2. Were there any warning signs that should have been noticed prior to the crisis but were looked
over?
3. Were all members of the team prepared to put the plan into action?
4. Were all of the objectives of the plan reached?
5. Were all key publics promptly notified of the situation, and were the predetermined ways to
notify them successful?
6. Were the key messages and anticipated trick questions used by the spokesperson in media
interactions?
7. Were the guidelines for spokespeople easy to follow?
8. Were spokespersons for related organizations called upon, and if so, were they successful?
9. Were all key media contacted in a timely fashion?
10. Were all needed equipment and supplies available and ready to use?
11. Was a backup crisis communication control center used, and if so, was it effective?
12. Was the contact information for emergency personnel and local officials put to use?
13. Were the website, blogs, and social media updated throughout the crisis?
Rehearsal Dates
Rehearsal Dates for the most potential crises are to be recorded. There must be annual rehearsals
of this plan, where all members of the crisis communication team are to be present.
Dates of Rehearsals Recorded Below
____12/10/2014___

_______________

_______________

_______________

_______________

_______________

_______________

_______________

_______________

Acknowledgements
By signing this statement I indicate that I have read the plan, am clear on how to put it into
effect, and am ready to put it into action at any point in time without prior notice.
President and CEO
________________________
(Signature and date)
Vice President and CFO

Saint Peters University Hospital Crisis Communication Plan

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________________________
(Signature and date)
*All crisis communication team members must sign below.

###

Saint Peters University Hospital Crisis Communication Plan

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MEMO
TO:

Nick Linardopoulos

FROM:

Natalie Mundt

DATE:

December 10, 2014

SUBJECT:

Saint Peters University Hospital Crisis Communication Plan

I believe this plan is very effective. It includes all critical components of a crisis communication
plan and goes in detail in each section to clearly convey what must be done in a crisis to
minimize the damage that the hospital could face if a plan were not in place. Each member of the
crisis communication team has individual responsibilities outlined in this plan, and all team
members must rehearse and acknowledge the plan to ensure that it can be put into action at any
point. This plan is clear, concise, easy to follow, and could be implemented without difficulty in
a hospital setting.
I would feel comfortable selling or proposing this plan to a potential employer. I believe potential
employers would be impressed with the hard work put into the creation of this plan. I imagine a
potential employer would be pleased that I do not only have knowledge of nutritional sciences
and healthcare, but also a strong background in communication where I have developed essential
skills that will benefit their company.
I hope youve enjoyed reading my crisis communication plan and find it to be effective as well!

I have read and understand the academic integrity policy of Rutgers University and I am
submitting this assignment in full compliance with this policy.
Name: Natalie Mundt
Signature: Natalie Mundt
RU ID: 132003953

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