pexels.com/Hakan Erenler Few tasks by PR practitioners are as tough as responding to a tragic death.
Yet that was the job to befall the team at UnitedHealth Group last week. A shooter gunned down Brian Thompson, CEO of insurance giant United HealthCare, outside a New York hotel. Police believe the killing was deliberate and targeted. The three bullets removed from Thompson’s body had etched into them the words “Deny,” “Defend” and “Depose”—shorthand among industry critics describing how health insurers reject claims.
UnitedHealth’s statement contained what you’d expect under the circumstances: acknowledgement of heartbreak, appreciation for those who reached out, support for Thompson’s family and friends, and a just wee bit of business messaging that seemed a little tone deaf but not surprising.
By and large, that’s fine. But the task won’t be wrapped up by a one-and-done standby. There’s a bigger challenge facing UnitedHealth, the health insurance industry, and perhaps the corporate world as a whole. This tragedy quickly morphed into a much broader discussion about the ethics and behavior of the industry. PR practitioners must address it head-on.
Almost immediately after Thompson’s death, social media lit up with FAFO messages. Among the more tame yet disturbing posts: “My thoughts and prayers were out of network.” “…might be the most celebrated death on [X, formerly known as Twitter] since Henry Kissinger.” "When you shoot one man in the street, it's murder. When you kill thousands of people in hospitals by taking away their ability to get treatment, you're an entrepreneur."
Yolanda Wilson, a professor of Health Care Ethics at St. Louis University, told NPR that the response reflects deep-seated frustration and anger at health insurers; Thompson’s killing gave them the opportunity to speak in unison.
While I’m no fan of health insurers’ meddling, I find the celebratory posts about Thompson’s murder distasteful and chilling. He was a human being and a family man. Hating a company’s practices shouldn’t give license to applauding how a wife has been widowed and children have lost their father.
However, it does appear that this “wake-up call” isn’t rousing the right discussion in this or any other industry. Deleting executive photos from websites and beefing up security fail to address the real issue of what’s stoking the rage.
Here is where PR needs to step up and show its value—to the business, to the customer, and to society. And that step will probably involve some discomfort.
We cannot merely serve as a mouthpiece for the organization. Part of making sure our client’s voice is heard is listening. What are stakeholders saying in full? Are we making sure the organization hears and understands that in full? Are we engaging in those uncomfortable conversations—as tough as they are—to help find meaningful solutions? If we aren’t, then we’re not serving anyone.
I’m under no delusion that health insurers will transform its business model, nor that patients will become industry cheerleaders. The truth is, both parties have very different priorities.
But as communicators who believe in two-way, relational, mutually beneficial dialogue, PR pros need to gather the voices, be willing to deliver the tough messages, and lead the effort to help all parties find a path that doesn’t involve people dying—on a sidewalk or in a bed.
Yet that was the job to befall the team at UnitedHealth Group last week. A shooter gunned down Brian Thompson, CEO of insurance giant United HealthCare, outside a New York hotel. Police believe the killing was deliberate and targeted. The three bullets removed from Thompson’s body had etched into them the words “Deny,” “Defend” and “Depose”—shorthand among industry critics describing how health insurers reject claims.
UnitedHealth’s statement contained what you’d expect under the circumstances: acknowledgement of heartbreak, appreciation for those who reached out, support for Thompson’s family and friends, and a just wee bit of business messaging that seemed a little tone deaf but not surprising.
By and large, that’s fine. But the task won’t be wrapped up by a one-and-done standby. There’s a bigger challenge facing UnitedHealth, the health insurance industry, and perhaps the corporate world as a whole. This tragedy quickly morphed into a much broader discussion about the ethics and behavior of the industry. PR practitioners must address it head-on.
Almost immediately after Thompson’s death, social media lit up with FAFO messages. Among the more tame yet disturbing posts: “My thoughts and prayers were out of network.” “…might be the most celebrated death on [X, formerly known as Twitter] since Henry Kissinger.” "When you shoot one man in the street, it's murder. When you kill thousands of people in hospitals by taking away their ability to get treatment, you're an entrepreneur."
Yolanda Wilson, a professor of Health Care Ethics at St. Louis University, told NPR that the response reflects deep-seated frustration and anger at health insurers; Thompson’s killing gave them the opportunity to speak in unison.
While I’m no fan of health insurers’ meddling, I find the celebratory posts about Thompson’s murder distasteful and chilling. He was a human being and a family man. Hating a company’s practices shouldn’t give license to applauding how a wife has been widowed and children have lost their father.
However, it does appear that this “wake-up call” isn’t rousing the right discussion in this or any other industry. Deleting executive photos from websites and beefing up security fail to address the real issue of what’s stoking the rage.
Here is where PR needs to step up and show its value—to the business, to the customer, and to society. And that step will probably involve some discomfort.
We cannot merely serve as a mouthpiece for the organization. Part of making sure our client’s voice is heard is listening. What are stakeholders saying in full? Are we making sure the organization hears and understands that in full? Are we engaging in those uncomfortable conversations—as tough as they are—to help find meaningful solutions? If we aren’t, then we’re not serving anyone.
I’m under no delusion that health insurers will transform its business model, nor that patients will become industry cheerleaders. The truth is, both parties have very different priorities.
But as communicators who believe in two-way, relational, mutually beneficial dialogue, PR pros need to gather the voices, be willing to deliver the tough messages, and lead the effort to help all parties find a path that doesn’t involve people dying—on a sidewalk or in a bed.
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