Positioning and PR in healthcare: from a strong proposition to relevant media attention
Positioning and PR in healthcare: from a strong proposition to relevant media attention
Rob Lagendijk
Rob Lagendijk
11 October 2026
How healthcare organisations, health companies and healthtech sharpen their story, develop a focused media strategy and build trust with patients, professionals and decision makers.
How healthcare organisations, health companies and healthtech sharpen their story, develop a focused media strategy and build trust with patients, professionals and decision makers.
A healthcare innovation can be technically convincing and still difficult to explain. A clinic can have excellent expertise while referrers barely understand what makes it different. A health company can be visible without that attention leading to the right conversations.
A healthcare innovation can be technically convincing and still difficult to explain. A clinic can have excellent expertise while referrers barely understand what makes it different. A health company can be visible without that attention leading to the right conversations.
The strategic question is therefore: which story helps the people who matter to your organisation understand your value?
The strategic question is therefore: which story helps the people who matter to your organisation understand your value?
Positioning gives direction to that story. Media strategy determines where, when and through whom it becomes relevant. PR brings it into the outside world and helps build relationships.
Positioning gives direction to that story. Media strategy determines where, when and through whom it becomes relevant. PR brings it into the outside world and helps build relationships.
Positioning: make clear why your organisation matters
Positioning: make clear why your organisation matters
Strong positioning starts with choices. Who are you relevant to? Which problem do you help solve? What makes your approach different? And what evidence supports that difference?
Strong positioning starts with choices. Who are you relevant to? Which problem do you help solve? What makes your approach different? And what evidence supports that difference?
For a healthcare organisation, the focus may be a specific patient group or a different way of organising care. For a healthtech company, it may be a bottleneck in the work of healthcare professionals. For a health company, it may be a concrete user need.
For a healthcare organisation, the focus may be a specific patient group or a different way of organising care. For a healthtech company, it may be a bottleneck in the work of healthcare professionals. For a health company, it may be a concrete user need.
Each audience needs a different perspective. A patient wants to understand what a change means for their care. A professional looks at usability and quality. An executive or procurement lead wants to know how the solution fits the organisation and what investment it requires.
Each audience needs a different perspective. A patient wants to understand what a change means for their care. A professional looks at usability and quality. An executive or procurement lead wants to know how the solution fits the organisation and what investment it requires.
The core story should remain recognisable while the explanation adapts to the person you need to reach.
The core story should remain recognisable while the explanation adapts to the person you need to reach.
Separate evidence, ambition and expectation
Separate evidence, ambition and expectation
Words carry weight in healthcare. Claims such as saves time, improves health or makes care more accessible require evidence.
Words carry weight in healthcare. Claims such as saves time, improves health or makes care more accessible require evidence.
Show what has been demonstrated, in which context and what still needs to be researched. A pilot, a user experience and a large scale study provide different types of evidence.
Show what has been demonstrated, in which context and what still needs to be researched. A pilot, a user experience and a large scale study provide different types of evidence.
Consider a supplier of clinical documentation software that wants to say its application reduces administrative pressure. The story becomes stronger when the company can describe how much time users spend on documentation and corrections, how that was measured and what the limitations of the measurement are.
Consider a supplier of clinical documentation software that wants to say its application reduces administrative pressure. The story becomes stronger when the company can describe how much time users spend on documentation and corrections, how that was measured and what the limitations of the measurement are.
That gives the positioning substance that professionals, partners and journalists can question and verify.
That gives the positioning substance that professionals, partners and journalists can question and verify.
Media strategy: decide who you need to reach before choosing media
Media strategy: decide who you need to reach before choosing media
A national publication can be attractive. Whether it is valuable depends on your objective.
A national publication can be attractive. Whether it is valuable depends on your objective.
If you want conversations with hospital executives, a substantive contribution in a relevant trade publication may be more useful. If you want to put a societal healthcare issue on the agenda, national news media, regional journalism or an interview may offer better routes.
If you want conversations with hospital executives, a substantive contribution in a relevant trade publication may be more useful. If you want to put a societal healthcare issue on the agenda, national news media, regional journalism or an interview may offer better routes.
A media strategy connects three choices: audience, story and moment.
A media strategy connects three choices: audience, story and moment.
Audience: who should get to know your organisation or assess it differently? Story: which development, expertise or finding is relevant to that audience? Moment: when is there a substantive reason to tell the story?
Audience: who should get to know your organisation or assess it differently? Story: which development, expertise or finding is relevant to that audience? Moment: when is there a substantive reason to tell the story?
New research, a demonstrable improvement in practice or a partnership that addresses a concrete problem can all create a relevant moment. A product launch can be a trigger, but it still needs journalistic relevance.
New research, a demonstrable improvement in practice or a partnership that addresses a concrete problem can all create a relevant moment. A product launch can be a trigger, but it still needs journalistic relevance.
PR: translate expertise into a story other people want to tell
PR: translate expertise into a story other people want to tell
A journalist evaluates a story from the perspective of the reader, viewer or listener. Which question is answered? What has changed? Who experiences the consequences? Which information can be checked?
A journalist evaluates a story from the perspective of the reader, viewer or listener. Which question is answered? What has changed? Who experiences the consequences? Which information can be checked?
Good preparation therefore includes a clear angle, available evidence, a credible spokesperson and room for critical questions.
Good preparation therefore includes a clear angle, available evidence, a credible spokesperson and room for critical questions.
For healthcare organisations, the story may concern accessibility, collaboration or a change in everyday care. For healthtech and MedTech, it may concern the use of an innovation in practice. For health companies, it may concern evidence based expertise around a relevant health issue.
For healthcare organisations, the story may concern accessibility, collaboration or a change in everyday care. For healthtech and MedTech, it may concern the use of an innovation in practice. For health companies, it may concern evidence based expertise around a relevant health issue.
The final editorial decision belongs to the media outlet. Earned media cannot be guaranteed.
The final editorial decision belongs to the media outlet. Earned media cannot be guaranteed.
Thought leadership: build a recognisable substantive position
Thought leadership: build a recognisable substantive position
Executives, entrepreneurs and experts can play an important role in public debate, but that requires a clear substantive line.
Executives, entrepreneurs and experts can play an important role in public debate, but that requires a clear substantive line.
Choose themes where you have expertise, practical experience and a distinct perspective. Develop those themes through articles, interviews, opinion pieces and conversations with trade media.
Choose themes where you have expertise, practical experience and a distinct perspective. Develop those themes through articles, interviews, opinion pieces and conversations with trade media.
An expert who consistently explains what a development means makes their knowledge recognisable to others. Leave room for uncertainty, new evidence and disagreement.
An expert who consistently explains what a development means makes their knowledge recognisable to others. Leave room for uncertainty, new evidence and disagreement.
What does positioning, media strategy and PR cost?
What does positioning, media strategy and PR cost?
The investment depends on the challenge, the quality of the existing foundation and the level of execution required. An organisation that first needs to sharpen its proposition needs a different programme from a company with a well evidenced story ready for introduction.
The investment depends on the challenge, the quality of the existing foundation and the level of execution required. An organisation that first needs to sharpen its proposition needs a different programme from a company with a well evidenced story ready for introduction.
PulsPR currently offers a Strategic PR Work Programme at €4,500 excluding VAT. It sharpens the story and develops a concrete PR plan. Media outreach is not included.
PulsPR currently offers a Strategic PR Work Programme at €4,500 excluding VAT. It sharpens the story and develops a concrete PR plan. Media outreach is not included.
The Positioning and Evidence Sprint starts at €7,500 excluding VAT and develops a distinctive position and evidence based core messages for PR, sales and stakeholder communication.
The Positioning and Evidence Sprint starts at €7,500 excluding VAT and develops a distinctive position and evidence based core messages for PR, sales and stakeholder communication.
PR Momentum starts at €15,000 excluding VAT and combines strategic preparation, press materials, targeted media outreach and evaluation around an important story.
PR Momentum starts at €15,000 excluding VAT and combines strategic preparation, press materials, targeted media outreach and evaluation around an important story.
Strategic Reputation Counsel starts at €3,750 per month excluding VAT, with a minimum of three months. It provides ongoing senior guidance on positioning, media strategy and reputation. Daily execution is budgeted separately.
Strategic Reputation Counsel starts at €3,750 per month excluding VAT, with a minimum of three months. It provides ongoing senior guidance on positioning, media strategy and reputation. Daily execution is budgeted separately.
The services page sets out what each programme includes. Scope and any external costs should always be agreed in advance.
The services page sets out what each programme includes. Scope and any external costs should always be agreed in advance.
Measure what attention actually delivers
Measure what attention actually delivers
Define success before execution. Then look at relevant coverage, message accuracy and concrete next steps.
Define success before execution. Then look at relevant coverage, message accuracy and concrete next steps.
Those next steps may include introductions to healthcare organisations, enquiries from potential partners, invitations to substantive conversations or contact with referrers. Ask new leads how they found you and track what happens afterwards.
Those next steps may include introductions to healthcare organisations, enquiries from potential partners, invitations to substantive conversations or contact with referrers. Ask new leads how they found you and track what happens afterwards.
Media attention can contribute to those outcomes, but an enquiry or partnership usually has several causes. Do not automatically attribute the entire result to PR.
Media attention can contribute to those outcomes, but an enquiry or partnership usually has several causes. Do not automatically attribute the entire result to PR.
Where should your organisation start?
Where should your organisation start?
If the story is still unclear, start with positioning. If the foundation is sound but the route to the right people is missing, develop the media strategy. If you have evidence, a relevant trigger and an available spokesperson, you can go outside deliberately.
If the story is still unclear, start with positioning. If the foundation is sound but the route to the right people is missing, develop the media strategy. If you have evidence, a relevant trigger and an available spokesperson, you can go outside deliberately.
PulsPR helps healthcare organisations, health companies, healthtech and MedTech make those choices and connect strategy to execution.
PulsPR helps healthcare organisations, health companies, healthtech and MedTech make those choices and connect strategy to execution.