The Apollo cover up discussion in Voices of Super Power India blog puts up a thought provoking question. It says that Apollo hospital’s is a trusted name in the health industry. Though they have an image of being costlier than other medical institutions, yet over the years it’s also come to be recognized as an hospital which is value for money, considering its league of Dr.’s and that of it being state of the art technology. The hospital is known to send its Dr.’s on international seminars and sessions to keep its Dr.’s abreast of the latest in medical science. Now if that is an image created only by its PR agency or if there are shades of truth in the media reports, can be argued.

This is considering the recent Rahul Mahajan episode in the media and how Apollo hospital has taken an almost U turn in its pathology lab findings. We have seen how TV channels have shown stories about how Apollo has been the supposedely safe heaven for criminals in the past, taking the health excuse out. Many media publications have questioned the hospital’s ethics and professionalism. So there we have - a Public Relations crisis in hand!

Now people are asking if the image of corporate and international hospital Apollo has tried to create over the years has been just a hogwash. Was that a forced image created by the PR agency, if ever something like this could be done or maintained for a long time?

Now again I was wondering why did the PR agency or the department let the hospital management used a PR tool for such a ride with the media, by calling a press conference, putting up a smart corporate backdrop and doctors in ties briefing the media with the confidence of expert salesmen. Maybe they were trying to do a Hinduja - remember the Hinduja hospital spokesperson some weeks back briefing the media over the late Shri Mahajan’s conditions. Maybe Apollo thought they could pull off a great show like that one. But what they missed realising was that they need to have the truth laid down under them to ride on it with the media for a grand PR experience. PR could not have survived on half-truths and potentially trackback statements. Imagine the trusts of so many Apollo favourite journalists that they might have broken with just one wrong management decision that decided to play PR.

All said and done, there might be ounce of truth in what Apollo said in the first place- we never know. I suppose any PR agency or department couldn’t do much when the basics are all being questioned. But definitely it was not a moment to call a press conference and play PR. It would be a learning experience now for all to see Apollo Hospital’s crisis communciations people in action. After all, from what I have heard, our PR friends who handled that hospital are specialists in that industry. All the best to them.

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