Paris Semansky and Patricia Hoffer: Communications Matters - Engage Early, Engage Often

Healthcare Change Makers

Paris Semansky is Director, Communications and Public Affairs at CAMH. This role urges her to wear a variety of hats, including being a brand protector, advocate, and problem-solver.

Patricia Hoffer also wears a number of hats while being Chief Communications Officer and Vice President, External Relations at St. Joseph’s Health Care London. She takes pride in leading a diverse and dedicated group of communicators and storytellers.

In this episode, Paris and Patricia share key strategies that help them ensure their teams succeed in the healthcare setting, their thoughts on strategic integrated communications, the importance of removing the noise that comes with their jobs, and more!

Quotables:

“We’re known for the what and the how, but when we go back to the why then that’s where the strategy comes in and that’s where the purpose and the matter come in.” – PH

“When you have a team approach, you bring much more diversity and thought, much more creativity, and much more strategy to the table.” - PH

“Make sure that Communications has a seat at the leadership table, because without it we don’t have a line of sight on not just the issues, but opportunities that others won’t think about from a communications perspective, storytelling perspective, or brand perspective.”- PH

“One of the core things we can do to make our team successful is to have our team not all be the same, in experience, socioeconomic background, racial background, religious background, there’s so many different components to that.” - PS

“Our goal is to take your plan and enable success and make it sing no matter what it is, whether it’s an issue we’re trying to manage or a great story that we’re trying to tell.” – PH

“When communicators have the opportunity to be at decision making tables in the middle of a crisis, we show our full scope of practice. We show our ability to be strategic and to think about the broader community.”– PS

“The role and value of communications is all about driving culture, improving and strengthening our brand and reputation, and making that alignment of what are the priorities of the organization, what is the strategy, and how does that all converge with our community we serve.” – PH

“We’re the boundary spanners and environment scanners, we’re looking at what’s going on in the world, we’re that contact with the outside world.” - PS

“Provide time and opportunity and space to be proactive versus reactive because that fuels creativity and allows time for that strategic opportunity.”- PH

“Why am I throwing the covers off in the morning?” - PH

Mentioned in this Episode:

• CAMH

• St. Joseph’s Health Care London

Access More Interviews with Healthcare Leaders at HIROC.com/podcast

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