Public Relations Interview Effective marketing strategies in the healthcare industry are essential to the success of the organization. Marketing promotes the hospital's services by supporting its clinical expertise, its technology, its outcomes and its commitment to the community it serves. The role of the public relations (PR) professional is an essential part of daily hospital operations to establish and maintain relationships within the community, as well as address the challenges and opportunities facing the organization. Public relations is more complex than managing the media during a crisis. It involves maintaining strong relationships within the facility and within the community. The following interview with the facility's director of marketing and public relations illustrates the products and services the hospital offers to the public. The interview examines the role of the public relations officer, interactions with facility stakeholders and community residents, the hospital's public relations plan, and the challenges this professional faces internally and externally. Products and Services Provided to the PublicRegional Medical Center Bayonet Point (RMCBP) is a 300-bed acute care hospital owned by Healthcare Corporation of America (HCA) (RMCBP, n.d., About Us). RMCBP is a nationally recognized Heart Institute and Accredited Chest Pain Center (RMCBP, n.d., About Us). The facility is an accredited stroke center with high-quality programs in cancer care, orthopedics, and neurosurgery services approved by the Commission on Cancer (RMCBP, n.d., About Us). RMCBP continues to grow as a heart institution and the Joint Commission recognizes it as “the premier organization in the State of Florida and one of five… middle of the paper… hospital. The biggest challenge facing the public relations professional is managing the public's perception of the facility. The public relations professional at RMCBP plays an important role within the facility and the community. Works CitedManning, J. (2004). Finding the best terrain: Effective reputation management for healthcare organizations. Public Relations Strategist, 10(2), 6-9. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.RMCBP. (n.d.). Who we are. Retrieved from http://rmchealth.com/about/index.dotRMCBP. (n.d.). Courses and events. Retrieved from http://rmchealth.com/calendar/index.dotRMCBP. (n.d.). Community involvement. Retrieved from http://rmchealth.com/about/community-involvement.dotRMCBP. (n.d.). Quality and patient safety. Retrieved from http://rmchealth.com/about/quality/RMCBP. (n.d.). Services A to Z. Retrieved from http://rmchealth.com/our-services/