Television documentaries lifting hospital, medical center profiles

The nation's hospitals and medical centers are enjoying the legacy of TV audiences' addiction to medical dramas. Cable television has met the challenge with documentary coverage of real live hospitals. The medium offers many benefits and few disadvantages for those marketing managers with the courage to welcome camera crews. Lynn Hopkins Cantwell is director of public relations and marketing for Children's National Medical Center, Washington, D.C., which was covered in a seven-instrument "Lifeline" documentary for the Discovery Channel. James G. Gosky is director of communications for The MetroHealth System, Cleveland, which was the subject of two installments of "Trauma: Life in th ER," produced for the Learning Channel. These marketing pros describe the myriad details they faced when their respective hospitals went "on camera." Among the key factors were good communications with all constituents, attention to detail, and follow-up.