Communications Plan

Hopewell Health Management Clinic

Greg Cowell and Soledad Mejia December 6, 2011 McMaster University-Centre for Continuing Education 462-001 | Introduction to Public Relations

HOPEWELL HEALTH MANAGEMENT CLINIC

COMMUNICATIONS PLAN

SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS

A McMaster University researcher and physician specializing in pain management and drug dependency has intentions of filling a service gap through opening a pain clinic in downtown Ancaster. This clinic will operate on a referral basis and will serve Ancaster residents only. Will offer a variety of modern pain management treatments including Methadone

SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS

Multidisciplinary treatment clinics throughout Ontario often meet opposition from local residents, business owners, and school officials. The Hopewell Clinic predicts similar pressures due to its location within an influential community, physical attachment to other businesses, and 150-yard proximity to Bless Virgin Elementary School. Nonetheless, the clinics objective is to open by November 2011 with minimal opposition.

INTERNAL
Reputable physicians Linked to McMaster Multidisciplinary pain management Proximity to school Proximity to businesses Location-people from the local area may be ashamed to enter

S O

W T
NIMBY Family oriented, wealthy, influential, residents-ignorant to clientele Business opposition

Research Grants Substance abuse education Change view-point Reputable, noted clinic

EXTERNAL

NEGATIVE

POSITIVE

No Walk-ins, A-town residents only

STAKEHOLDERS

Physicians, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health

Clients/ Patients
Local BIA, adjacent business owners

Parents, School Officials, Trustees of Elementary School Ancaster Community (local residents), City Council

Needs
Better understand the issues and concerns raised in the Ancaster community that contribute to the ongoing stigmatization of methadone clients and methadone clinics.

Approach
Speak with other pain management clinic practitioners and proprietors to learn from similar experiences Internet search on similar clinic openings What have other clinics done recently? What have your other clinics done in relation to this topic? What are other jurisdictions/municipalities doing? What has the media said about other pain clinic openings? What's being said online about the opening of this clinic? What tone did they take? Positive or negative? Who are the influential community leaders that you need to consider?

GOALS
ORGANIZATIONAL

COMMUNICATIONS

Become a leader in multidisciplinary pain management and addiction treatment.

Community Relations

Communications Objectives

Hopewell Health Management Clinic aims to engage and educate 60 percent of the identified stakeholders within the Ancaster community by the end of October 2011. When surveyed, 60 percent of the stakeholders will have an understanding of the clinics purpose.

Strategies
PATIENTS

Educate stakeholders on different modern pain management offerings/techniques

COMMUNITY

Educate stakeholders that this clinic is good for the community in order to ensure that it is not deprived of active citizens Educate local family physicians, agencies and health officers of clinics evidence-based practices to enhance the care of chronic pain patients

PHYSICIANS

TOGETHER WE LEARN, TOGETHER WE CHANGE!

ALLEVIATE PAIN ACTIVITY REGAINED!

K E Y M E S S AG I N G

A helping community is a leading community.

Effective modern pain treatment options, tailored to suite your lifestyle and road to recovery.

Town Hall Meeting

Plan and organize an information meeting Invite homeowners, adjacent business owners, council, school board Guest Speaker at meeting: 1. Presentation by McMasters Medical Director of The Institute of Pain Research and Care 2. Local Resident/CEO of business-Recovering opiate user-the changing face of opiate users Hand out Hopewell Clinic brochure and survey Advertise meeting on Hopewells website Advertise meeting in Ancaster News Hosted at Ancaster Town hall on Wednesday, October 12, 2011 at 6:30 pm. Hand out survey Guest book-allow visitors to sign guest book for follow-up correspondence/surveys

TAC T I C S
Communications

Clinic Open House

Plan and organize an open house at the clinic Invite clients, family doctors, and the clinics multidisciplinary team of experts Have SMART boards showcasing the clinics advance treatments for pain and the physicians, counselors, etc. on-hand to explain each process/ treatment Hand out Hopewell Clinic brochures Advertise meeting on Hopewells website Advertise meeting on Twitter 1 week prior to clinic launch

TAC T I C S
Communications

Brochure
Create Clinic brochure Benefits include: powerful advertising tool for future clients, translates our services and what are clinics goal is, explains who is on staff and what services we offer Includes messaging, mission statement, services offered, brief synopsis of pain management control, contact/connect information, professional staff listing Mail brochure to all Ancaster residents 4 weeks prior to Town Hall Include mail back survey in brochure (postage paid) Create a pdf version of brochure on website for easy download Distribute brochures to local family doctors

TAC T I C S
Communications

Survey
Create self-administered survey www.surveymonkey.com

4 weeks prior to launch 4 weeks after launch Yearly thereafter Include link to Hopewells website upon completion of survey

TAC T I C S
Communications

Community Focus Group

Establish a community advisory committee Assist in addressing community issues and concerns Improve program planning Assist in educating community stakeholders, info sharing and communication with Membership should include a representative from: Public Health, Mental Health, Pain Treatment Physicians, specific community players, school trustee, service agencies, BIA member, client engaged in treatment Establish July 2011

TAC T I C S
Communications

Social Media/Online
Create a website www.Hopewell.ca-Include, but not limited to, all services provided, staff listing, links to information on pain treatment, commonly asked questions, upcoming meeting/ events listing, link to survey, etc Intranet-internal communications Twitter/Facebook Setup page to announce new approaches/techniques, advertise upcoming Webinars, research techniques, connect clients to relevant content, link to survey Join/Partner with Inspire provides online patient communities in a safe, privacy-protected environment. YouTube webinar Create website 2 months before clinics opening. Tweet twice/week 2 Webinars/month 1. patients/clientseffective modern pain treatments 2. Staff/physicians new pain management technique

Communications

TAC T I C S
HOPEWELL.CA

Communication Tactics
Website creation Logo creation Pamphlets/flyer creation/postage (22000) Ancaster news add Town Hall Meeting including rental Webinar creation - consultant Open House (excluding staff wages) Miscellaneous

$
9800.00 5000.00 15300.00 500.00 1500.00 6000.00 3000.00 1500.00

TOTAL

42600.00

BU D G E T
Communications

Preparation

Program Content: Pretest content of brochures, websites, speeches. Use short words, passive voice, easy reading style-Gunning Fog Index Information Base: Ensure vital information is not missing from original situation analysis

Implementation

Distribution: # of brochures sent/downloaded from website Placement: # of messages/articles in media-how much hype/controversy Potential Audience: # of households that receive Ancaster news Attentive Audience: # of people that attend meeting, # of followers on twitter/Facebook, # of surveys received, Webinar view count, # of Website visits

Impact

Knowledge Gain: initial survey results-# of people who learn message and event content, # of requests received from council Opinion/Attitude Change: formulate 2nd survey results-# of people who change opinions, # of requests received from council 8 weeks after opening Behavior Change: # of people who act in a desired fashion consult focus groups for feedback, follow-up meeting with BIA, area councilor, school principle

Clinic aims to engage and educate 60 percent of the identified stakeholders within the Ancaster community by the end of October 2011. When surveyed, 60 percent of the stakeholders will have an understanding of the clinics purpose.

Conclusion

Hopewell Health Management Clinic is opening November 2011. The clinic is mutually beneficial to all stakeholders and will fill a major service gap in pain treatment within the Ancaster community. Our communications plan will educate and engage stakeholders, minimize opposition and change the communitys perception of pain treatment centres. With a successful launch, Hopewell can become a leader in multidisciplinary pain management and addiction treatment.

Q & EH?