Hospital external communication management during covid-19 in Spain

Perceptions of communication directors

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.20318/recs.2026.9958

Keywords:

covid-19, Chief Communication Officers, communication management, health information, external communications, public health

Abstract

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has positioned healthcare centers as key benchmarks not only for medical care but also for communication. Objectives: To gain an in-depth understanding of the experiences and perceptions of CCOs (Chief Communication Officers) regarding the hospital response in both care and communication during the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain, in order to identify strengths, weaknesses, and recommendations related to resources, information management, and communicative practices toward the public. Methodology: A qualitative method was employed, based on eight descriptive and conclusive in-depth interviews (11/2022–12/2024) conducted in public hospitals across five Autonomous Communities. Results: Key findings highlight the learning process and the strengthening of coordination under the umbrella of Regional Health Departments. A notable alignment was found between institutional information and media coverage. Conclusions: Communication management is recognized for conveying information to the population in a professional, ethical, and pedagogical manner, collaborating with reputable media outlets and authorities to control panic and misinformation (fake news).

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Author Biographies

  • Carmen Peñafiel Saiz, University of the Basque Country

    Professor of Journalism at the University of the Basque Country (EHU), PhD in Information Sciences from the EHU. She currently chairs the Spanish Association for Communication Research (AE-IC) and is Secretary General of the Basque Country Journalists' Association and the Basque Journalists' Association. Before dedicating herself to teaching, she worked at Cadena SER, Radio Popular Bilbao, and Radio Euskadi-EITB. She is a member of GUREIKER (IT1496-22), a Category A Research Group of the Basque University System, which develops a multidisciplinary approach, conducting theoretical and applied research with transferable value. Her research interests include: Communication and health; New journalistic narratives; and Television journalism.

    Email: carmen.penafiel@ehu.eus
    ORCID: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0862-6393
    Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.es/citations?user=afudXW0AAAAJ&hl=es
    H-index: 19, i10-index: 44.

  • Milagros Ronco López, University of the Basque Country

    PhD in Communication and University Specialist in Advanced Documentation from the Complutense University of Madrid. Bachelor's degree in Information Sciences from the University of Navarra. Tenured Professor at the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU). Currently, she is an Honorary Professor in the Faculty of Social Sciences and Communication at the UPV/EHU. Research areas: Information organization; communication and health; trends in communication research.
    Email: milagros.ronco@ehu.eus
    ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4571-0845
    Scopus Author ID: 56032784300 H-index: 4
    https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=L5CjteoAAAAJ&hl=es H-index: 12

     

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2026-06-04
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Vol. 17 No. 1 (2026)

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Copyright (c) 2026 Carmen Peñafiel Saiz, Milagros Ronco López

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How to Cite

Peñafiel Saiz, C., & Ronco López, M. (2026). Hospital external communication management during covid-19 in Spain: Perceptions of communication directors. Revista Española De Comunicación En Salud, 17(1), 60-76. https://doi.org/10.20318/recs.2026.9958

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