Leigh Clark braces herself in a doorway. After nearly losing part of her leg to a surgical error performed by Dr. Daniel Lim. Clark must now wear a brace to walk. Photo by Skip Peterson/Dayton Daily News.

Dr. Daniel Lim An Army investigation cited several reported incidents involving Lim at Fort Jackson and at Tripler Army Medical Center in Hawaii. The Army suspended Lim's hospital privileges at Fort Jackson. However, the suspension was never reported to the National Practitioner Data Base, established by Congress to weed out problem doctors. Lim appealed, arguing he did nothing wrong. Several months later, the commander of the Army Medical Corps restored his privileges. Source: Dayton Daily News

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Dr. Ubaldo P. Beato Jr. Dr. Beato failed tests for state medical licenses at least six times between 1973 and 1988, in California, New Mexico, Florida and Oklahoma. Beato, a graduate of the medical school at the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines, was made chief of flight medicine at Sheppard Air Force Base in Wichita Falls, based on his "broad knowledge of the concepts and facets of preventive medicine in the United States Air Force." Beato, who still does not have the unrestricted state medical license that Defense Department regulations require, is stationed at the Armstrong Aerospace Medical Laboratory at Brooks Air Force Base in San Antonio. Source: Dayton Daily News

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Benoit's Taxonomy

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What has come to be known as image repair in communication, traces its roots to a sociological and psychological birthplace. Though the terminology may be different, the theme is the same: When someone or something’s reputation is on the line, there is always a very strategic route to take to preserve a good image, despite unfavorable circumstances. Crisis management skills are critical; but, image repair strategies are paramount to individual and corporate success. Image repair goes beyond getting through a crisis. It is the skillful manipulation of the messages to the public, which make or break the offender’s reputation.

How does an individual or a corporation know that its image is being threatened? Maybe the crisis is not of such magnitude to threaten the public’s perception of an individual or a corporation. Benoit and Czerwinski (1997) state there are two criteria to establish that: "(a) the accused is held responsible for an act; (b) the act is portrayed as offensive – an image repair strategies are organized accordingly" (p. 39).

While readers still find image repair strategies relating to individuals, such as Richard Nixon, Adlai Stevenson, Harry Truman and Edward Kennedy (Ware & Linkugel, 1973), most research currently shows how image repair strategies relate to corporate culture (Benoit, 1995).

Corporations can use Benoit’s model of image restoration discourse to understand crisis situations. Practitioners can use it as a guide to develop messages during crises. By applying Benoit’s theory to how the military has responded to the attack on its medical health system, it is likely that image problems are imminent.

Methods of Analysis

The authors of this paper performed a content analysis of many articles which have appeared in various media since October regarding the military’s healthcare system. It was determined through this analysis that the military’s medical care image was definitely in jeopardy.

When OSD/PA was contacted for comment December 3, it was discovered that the organization did not agree with the analytical findings presented in this paper. OSD/PA had sent guidance out to the field containing canned responses to anticipated media queries, as well as to specific questions asked by investigative reporter Russ Carollo, but no formal plan had been strategized to repair the tainted image of the medical healthcare system.

OSD/PA was not convinced that any damage had been done, since it had not received many calls concerning the issue. The researchers of this project disagree.

By applying Benoit’s theory of image restoration discourse, the authors of this paper have analyzed the scope of the attack on the military’s healthcare system, applied the theory to the military’s response to show its inadequacies and recommend a strategic plan to improve the image of the military healthcare system.

Benoit says that an attack on an image has two components: (a) The accused is held responsible for an action; and (b) That act is considered offensive. Since neither form of denial (simple denial or shifting blame) were employed through the military responses, it was safe to assume that the accused -- the military – was responsible for the acts; and, loss of life due to incompetence is obviously considered offensive. Once these two conditions were said to have been clearly met, the next step was to evaluate the potency and nature of the attack.

Carollo’s seven-part series uncovered many disturbing and damaging cases of military doctor’s malpractice, improper licensing and lack of repercussions to these offenders. Due to the fact that Cox Newspapers is the fourteenth largest news service in the United States, Carollo’s articles achieved some far-reaching results. His series was published simultaneously in the Air Force Times, the Army Times and the Navy Times, and also appeared in many civilian newspapers owned by Cox. The story was also picked up by 20/20 and run on the national television news program.

Benoit says that the response must match the attack. The Department of Defense has the resources to effectively launch a counter attack of the same magnitude or at least a response to Carollo’s series, but it did no such thing. At its disposal, the military has hundreds of newspapers, television news programs for each branch of the service, web sites, and the ability of commanders to speak directly to their subordinates to reinforce media messages. None of these channels were used to disseminate the military’s message using mass communication theories such as two-step flow or diffusion.

Conversely, the messages, weak at best, were sent only to Russ Carollo and the Times Wire, reaching the same internal audience, and the external audience that Carollo had already penetrated was completely ignored.

Military internal media focused on the DoD’s transition to a new family care program, medical command feature profiles, and patient satisfaction surveys.

Benoit says that image is a central concept to the field of public relations. He contends that firms can take preventative and restorative steps to solve image problems brought about by crises. His theory of image restoration discourse is useful in developing and understanding messages that respond to crises.

His taxonomy has five major components: (a) Denial. This is when an organization flat out denies that the problem exists or that it does, but it is not hurting anyone. Another variation of denial is shifting blame; (b) Evasion of responsibility. This allows an entity to manipulate public perception so as to relinquish responsibility; (c) Reduce offensiveness. This strategy seeks to offer an alternative perspective to the problem, one that makes it appear less offensive which may include stressing only good points, or focusing on more important issues than the events at hand; (d) Corrective action. The organization attempts to repair the damage by taking action to prevent recurrence; and (e) Mortification. The offender apologizes and asks for forgiveness (Appendix D). Benoit contends that an organization may employ a combination of image repair tactics to solve a problem, but it must be done carefully as not to contradict or back peddle to only worsen the credibility of the offender. Appendix E shows how the military’s responses fit into almost every one of Benoit’s strategies, yet a proactive plan was not in place to spare the organization’s image and reputation.