Insight about communication planning in health care: an exploratory study

Purpose – To investigate via a specific case analysis if the Communication Plan is a valuable means to coordinate the activities and communication process in Health Care, and how its implementation brings improvements for achieving organizational goals. Approach – A single case study research through interviews and document analysis is carried out. A specific Scientific Institute, Humanitas, a centre of excellence in terms of quality of its healthcare in Milan Italy, is studied. Multiple sources in data gathering allow triangulation of data. Findings – The way of communication plan implementation in healthcare organization, the managerial tools used to explore the scenario and identify the stakeholders and the best ways to reach and engage them, the objectives pursued, the tools employed, the decision-making process, the organizational-relational aspects in the planning process, the budget allocated and the performance monitoring system of communication plan in Health Care. Research implications – Despite a single and specific case included, the paper is to be considered a starting point for further investigations on this topic. Practical implications or applications – Insights about communication planning in Helath Care useful for managers and practitioners who want to improve the effectiveness of communication.