panel 4: importance of communications

This document is provided as a courtesy to those interested in Emory Healthcare and does not constitute medical or any other advice and does not create any physician-patient relationship. Also, Emory Healthcare does not endorse or recommend any specific commercial product or service. This document is provided solely for informational purposes only and no part of it may be used for any other purpose. The Emory Healthcare Ebola Preparedness Protocols full site/materials Disclaimer is available at www.emoryhealthcare.org/ebolaprep. These documents are subject to change based on

developing epidemiology in the country. Updated 11/10/2014 10:34 AM Copyright© Emory Healthcare 2014 – All Rights Reserved.

Internal Communications

Melanie De Gennaro

Corporate Director of Communications

emoryhealthcare.org

If you learned that the first patients with known

Ebola Virus Disease to ever set foot on

American soil were coming to your hospital in

three days, who would you tell first?

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OUR INTERNAL AUDIENCE IS OUR

FIRST AUDIENCE

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FIRST SEVEN DAYS Thursday, July 31:

• System-wide email announcing arrival of

patient to EUH in coming days

Friday, August 1:

• Town halls in the afternoon and evening

• Letter to EUH patients in English and Spanish

• Talking points for call center

Saturday, August 2:

• EUH staff and MD town hall in the morning

• A.M. email recap of situation; announce EUH is

getting a second patient

• P.M. email after the first patient’s arrival

• Internal and external websites launched

• School of Medicine Dean message to chairs

supporting the decision

Sunday, August 3:

• System-wide email with website link, precaution

information, thank you message, etc.

• English/Spanish patient letter and call center

talking points revised to be more current

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Monday, August 4:

• Link to Ebola internal website included in all-

staff news beat compilation email

• Post on the Ask John Blog (blog for President &

CEO) thanking staff/pride in the organization

Tuesday, August 5:

• All leader email announcing next round of town

halls

• EUH/EUHM staff and physician email

announcing next round of town halls

• All staff and physician email announcing arrival

of second patient, reminding staff about

protecting patient information and referring

staff to the Ebola website for more information

Wednesday, August 6:

• All staff and physician email with West Africa

travel guidelines

• Town halls at EUH and EUHM for staff and

physicians

emoryhealthcare.org

WORK IN LOCKSTEP

• External communications team

• Clinical team

• Operations team

• Executive team

• Human Resources

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emoryhealthcare.org

CONSTANT THEMES

• Facts about Ebola

• Safety of patients and staff

• Staff members are trained and prepared

• Privacy

• This is why we exist

• Emory Healthcare pride

• Gratitude

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TOOLS OF THE TRADE

• Emails

• Town Halls

• Rounding

• Talking points/scripts

• Designated email

• Internal website

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PATIENTS AND THE COMMUNITY

• Letters to inpatients

• Educational video on CCTV

• External educational website

• Patient screening signage

• Response to emails and calls

with concerns

• Protocols website

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DON’T FORGET TO RECOGNIZE!

• Thank you emails from John Fox, President & CEO

• Meeting with President Obama

• Thank you reception

• Recognition system

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EMORY HEALTHCARE PRIDE

• Blog

• Media coverage

• NBC special

• Meeting the president

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Ebola Virus Communications and

Media Relations: A Team Effort

Janet Christenbury

Director of Media Relations

emoryhealthcare.org

EMORY EBOLA TIMELINE

Slide prepared by McGinn and Company.

Aug 2 Aug 5 Aug 6 Aug 8 Aug 1 Aug 9

Emory announces it will treat Ebola patients. Trump sends

alarmist tweets. Media focuses on Nancy Writebol’s arrival. Emory

continues to educate the public—Ribner discusses the role that

supportive care and ZMAPP play in fighting and treating the virus.

Brantly releases a statement and thanks Emory for its

excellent care. The New York Times posts an editorial

supporting the treatment of health care workers in the

United States.

Kent Brantly arrives at Emory. Media and social media coverage increases dramatically. Sanjay Gupta reports

live from Emory. Emory doctors Ribner, Varkey, and Isakov express their confidence in containing the virus and explain Emory’s safety protocols. News media and the

public support the decision to treat patients, but remain cautious.

Susan Grant’s Washington Post op-ed is published. Dramatic shift in tone and content of Ebola conversation. Media,

public, and alumni praise Emory on social media and on

traditional media platforms.

Susan Grant appears on NBC Nightly News.

emoryhealthcare.org

EMORY EBOLA TIMELINE

Slide prepared by McGinn and Company.

Aug 18 Aug 21 Aug 10 Sept 5

Nancy Writebol quietly leaves Emory Hospital to spend time with her family.

Emory holds press conference on the departure of Kent Brantly. Ribner speaks

to the media.

NBC airs a special on Ebola preceded by a week of promotional coverage.

Ribner, Isakov, Lyon, and Varkey speak to Time magazine. The story was published

in print and video format.

emoryhealthcare.org

THE EMORY TEAM

• Emory University Hospital core team

• Guiding principles

• Communication flow and process

• Internal Communications

• External Communications

• Designated media spokespersons

emoryhealthcare.org

MANAGING RELATIONSHIPS

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

• Georgia Department of Public Health

• Samaritan’s Purse

• SIM USA

• Patients’ family members

• Other medical centers

Photo: James Gathany, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

emoryhealthcare.org

THE MEDIA

• Local and national

• Social media

• Challenging issues

• News conferences

Communication flow and process

• Internal Communications

• External Communications

emoryhealthcare.org

LESSONS LEARNED

• Guiding principles

• Discipline

• “Stay in your lane”

• Trust

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