National Association of Community Health Centers Streamline Message Development Workshop Summary Rationale The Streamline process identifies key messages for your various target audiences so everyone in your organization can communicate with consistent messages. We ve provided examples below for two of the key target audiences you identified: policy makers and current/newly insured patients. In each case the following components have been identified: We ve compiled these messages in an easy-to-use matrix box that will serve as a useful tool for you and your staff whether the purpose is to explain your benefits to a prospective patient, respond to a reporter s question or provide elaboration for your state or federal lawmakers to justify sustainable funding. The following narrative will serve to demonstrate the message development process, along with additional background information gleaned from the workshops. And the additional attachment condenses the information as filtered through the Streamline process. Target Audience: Policy Makers Community health centers, with consumers on their boards, provide excellent health care to everyone at a reasonable cost with doctor visits, lab work and pharmacy services all under one roof. What do policy makers need to know to get involved, and why should they care? Community health centers are economic engines in their communities. CHCs serve more than 20 million patients annually one out of every 10 patients. CHCs are recognized as a model of care with cutting edge practices and standards. Patients are never turned away, based on their ability to pay, type of insurance or health
What is the goal of the communications? What do you want policy makers to do? How should they respond? We are a business. There IS a bottom line. CHCs are providers of choice not only for the uninsured, poor or last resort populations. Don t lump us in with free clinics. CHCs need sustainable funding from both the federal AND state levels. How do you keep policy makers engaged? What facts, quotes, case studies and individuals are needed to keep them motivated? CHCs are data driven, transparent and accessible. Monies generated by CHCs stay in their individual communities. CHCs are locally controlled organizations, with 51% of their boards comprised of consumers, so your constituents have a real voice in their health care. What do policy makers get in exchange for their support? How is the world, their world, a better place? Your constituents have a real say in their health care, with 51% of the board memberships of CHCs are comprised of consumers. Your constituents will never be turned away as a result of their ability to pay, their insurance situation or their health Your constituents enjoy quality care, at a reasonable cost, over a long period of time. They develop long-term relationships with their doctors, nurses and health care providers. And they receive all services under one roof doctor visits, lab work and pharmacy services. Sustainable funding will insure the longevity of these economic engines in their communities.
Target Audience: Patients Current/Newly Insured Community health centers, with consumers on their boards, provide excellent care to everyone at a reasonable cost with doctor visits, lab services and pharmacy services all under one roof. As a patient at your community health center, you will develop long-term relationships with doctors, nurses and healthcare professionals who know your health history. Services are provided all under one roof -- including doctor visits, lab work and pharmacy services so it s really convenient. You will never be turned away, based on your ability to pay, insurance situation or health Try it out. Encourage your family, friends and colleagues to come to your community health center to see for themselves how good the care is and how convenient it is to have all services under one roof. Write to your state legislators to share your positive experiences with your CHC. Ask them to continue funding for this vital center. Monies generated by your CHC stay in your community. You have access to results gathered by your CHC. Studies and data that help to drive ongoing healthcare decisions are transparent. You have a real voice in your CHC with 51% of the board membership comprised of consumers. You get excellent treatment at a reasonable cost at your community health center. You see the same doctors and nurses on an ongoing basis. They know your health history.
You can get everything taken care of all under one roof doctor visits, lab work and pharmacy services. You can never be turned away as a result of your income, insurance situation or health Additional Comments Generated in Workshops Misconceptions and Hot Button Issues ACA Obama Care Insurance Exchanges Legislative Mentality cut health budgets/save money CHCs get a lot of federal funding/don t need state funding Health care providers not as qualified Association with government bad No clue they re part of something larger (internal and external) Target Audiences In addition to the case examples of policy makers and patients, the following additional target audiences were identified. You can see how messages could be developed for each group. Although many of the key attributes would be repeated, they could be tweaked to appeal to the particular target group. Payors/Funders Business Community Education Community Other Health Care Providers Press Professional Staff Internal Professional Associations Additional Suggestions from Workshops Quality of care is as good as or better than individual doctors offices CHCs are accountable CHCs have had major growth over the past 5-10 years CHCs keep communities healthy
Plans to expand depends on individual states Saving our overall healthcare system money we can help Some legislators think we get tons of federal funds and don t need state support Community is a challenge in itself to communicate We partner with other organizations in our communities (nonprofits, businesses, hospital associations, etc.) People come to work for us Patients come and stay Make your CHC your medical center/home CHCs get people out of ERs CHCs can help to build public support locally with collected success stories We don t want to be the best kept secret in health care CHCs are committed to raising the bar not just thinking we re the little kids on the block CHCs can activate patients into knowledgeable consumers and advocates Employee buy-in Business focused legislation Balance budgets Legislatures Professional R-E-S-P-E-C-T Efficiency ratios Thin margins vulnerability Buy in to health care with a business model Community assessments Worker validation Affinity with mission Higher quality of life for patients, based on preventive care Proactive Empowering Well person care/not a sick model Patients own their rewards No loan payments Continuity of care Do good work Not expensive Medicare retention