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Association of Washington Public Hospital Districts Washington State

Hospital Association

Talking to Your Community About Patient Safety

PresentersPresenters

Cassie SauerDirector, Advocacy & Public RelationsWashington State Hospital Association

Jennifer WestGeneral Manager, Spokane OfficeRockey Hill & KnowltonPublic Relations

Goals for TodayGoals for Today

Explain why talking about safety and quality is so important

Give you tools for talking about safety and quality

Encourage you to proactively educate your staff, board, and community about safety and quality

– Not reactive– Communicate the great work you are doing

Create an industry-wide campaign with one voice

Presentation OutlinePresentation Outline

Poll results

Campaign strategies

What is a message

Washington hospital messages

Tips for effective messaging

Practice

BackgroundBackground

Funded by public hospitals

Started as general image campaign– Combat negative images in press– Use statewide advertising and public relations

Used research to guide our strategy

Shift in focus: patient safety communications

Satisfaction with Hospitals is Higher than Satisfaction with Health Care in GeneralSatisfaction with Hospitals is Higher than Satisfaction with Health Care in General

73%

24%

83%

11%

81%

10%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Health care incommunity

Hospitals in state Local hospitals

Satisfied Not too/not at all satisfied

Recent Patients Satisfied with Quality of Health Care They Received at Hospital

Recent Patients Satisfied with Quality of Health Care They Received at Hospital

Of the 53% who had been patients or had family members as patients in the last five years: “How satisfied were you with the quality of health care at the

hospital, very satisfied, fairly satisfied, not too satisfied or not at all satisfied?”

63%

25%

88%

7% 4%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Verysatisfied

Fairlysatisfied

TOTALvery/fairlysatisfied

Not toosatisfied

Not at allsatisfied

“Quality of Care” is Most Important When Choosing a Hospital

“Quality of Care” is Most Important When Choosing a Hospital

20%

12%

12%

8%

4%

38%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40%

Quality of care at the hospital

Coverage by your insurance

Location

Doctor recommendation

Personal experience & familiarity

Cost

“In general, when choosing a hospital, what is most important to you personally?”

Evaluating Hospital Quality: Most Important Factors

Evaluating Hospital Quality: Most Important Factors

“In evaluating the quality of care at a particular hospital, how important are each of the following factors in determining a hospital’s quality, very important,

fairly important, not too important, or not important at all?”

97%

91%

83%

81%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Protects patients from getting infections in thehospital

Has a low rate of medical mistakes

Offers basic hospital services that mostcommunities need, such as maternity, basic surgery,

orthopedics and emergency

Has attentive, caring nurses

Very important

Nearly Four-in-Five Say Quality of Hospital Health Care

Has Been Steady or Improved

Nearly Four-in-Five Say Quality of Hospital Health Care

Has Been Steady or Improved“Over the past few years, in the hospitals you are most familiar with, has the

quality of health care improved, remained the same, or declined?”

35%

42%

9%14%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Improved Remained thesame

Declined Don’t know

Most Believe Multiple Government Agencies Regulate Washington Hospitals

Most Believe Multiple Government Agencies Regulate Washington Hospitals

“If you had to make a guess, how many government agencies do you think regulate hospitals in Washington State?”

2%6%

32%

47%

14%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

None One Two or three Four ormore

Don’t know

Confidence in Hospitals Does Not Significantly Increase, Knowing State and

Federal Agencies Regulate Hospitals

Confidence in Hospitals Does Not Significantly Increase, Knowing State and

Federal Agencies Regulate Hospitals“If you knew that most hospitals are regulated by both state and federal

agencies, how much would that increase your confidence in hospitals, a great deal, quite a bit, not too much, or none at all?”

39%

4%

57%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Great deal/quite abit

Don’t know Not too much/noneat all

Additional In-House Hospital Programs to Prevent Medical Mistakes Increases

Confidence in Hospitals

Additional In-House Hospital Programs to Prevent Medical Mistakes Increases

Confidence in Hospitals“If a specific hospital had its own program to prevent medical mistakes, in addition to those required by government agencies, how much would that

increase your confidence in that hospital?”

78%

4%

18%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Great deal/quite abit

Don’t know Not too much/noneat all

News Story Quote Credibility: A Variety of Sources are CredibleNews Story Quote Credibility: A Variety of Sources are Credible

“How much trust would you have in each of the following if they were quoted in a news story about your hospital, a great deal, quite a bit, not too much, or none at all?”

72%

70%

70%

69%

57%

21%

24%

24%

25%

28%

38%

72%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

A nurse

An expert in reducing medical errors

A doctor

A patient whose life was saved at the hospital

Family members of a hospital patient

A famous celebrity being treated for a serious medicalcondition

A great deal/quite a bit Not too much/none at all



Conclusions from the Poll

Poll HighlightsPoll Highlights

There is widespread satisfaction with the quality of health care and hospitals in the state

There is no overriding complaint about hospitals in the state among dissatisfied respondents

“Quality of care” is more important in hospital selection than insurance coverage, location, or doctor recommendation

Opportunity: Talk About Quality and Safety

Opportunity: Talk About Quality and Safety

Public is concerned about medical errors Public wants to hear what hospitals are doing on

safety and quality Hospitals should raise awareness of internal

programs in place that prevent medical errors and improve hospital quality

Significant opportunity to maintain and enhance credibility and consumer confidence

A Communications Challenge A Communications Challenge

Enormous investment in – and commitment to – patient-safety initiatives

Hospitals aren’t talking much about their safety / quality work

Hospital staff are uncomfortable talking about patient safety and quality

– Need tools and messages to do so– Staff with responsibility for safety and quality need

message/media/public speaking training

What the Poll Tells UsWhat the Poll Tells Us

We must talk about patient safety programs: – Credibly– Consistently– Confidently

Hospital Compare gives the rundown on US Hospital Compare gives the rundown on US hospital serviceshospital services

Data Show Scourge of Hospital Infections Data Show Scourge of Hospital Infections

Lethal hospital bug cases rocketLethal hospital bug cases rocket

Hospital-Acquired Infections Can KillHospital-Acquired Infections Can Kill

Medical errors still claiming many Medical errors still claiming many lives lives

System sought for reporting medical errors:System sought for reporting medical errors:Whistle-blower protection urged Whistle-blower protection urged

News Headlines Are Easy to FindNews Headlines Are Easy to Find

This is a curve we need to be in front of, not behind.



Patient Safety Communications Campaign

Strategies

Longer-range, reinforce and enhance

support for financial and public-policy decisions in

support of Washington hospitals.

Educate the public and hospital staff about

patient safety and quality to bolster confidence in their hospitals; give hospitals tools to talk about their

patient safety and quality work.

Campaign GoalsCampaign GoalsReinforce and build

confidence and trust in Washington’s hospitals as providers of quality care.

Campaign StrategiesCampaign Strategies

Establish messages on patient safety: define and convey a consistent message and compelling story for Washington’s hospitals

– Gather stories to back up messages– Communicate to public and policy makers

Increase positive news stories and public speaking opportunities

– Media / speaking trainings– Materials for speakers– Include focus on internal audiences

Campaign StrategiesCampaign Strategies

Communicate proactively and openly about hospital quality and safety in Washington State

– Patient safety brochure– Posters– Quality measurements/campaigns (Hospital Compare, IHI)

Reach key leaders with campaign messages– Business journal inserts: “sponsored advertising section”– Creating jobs and driving economic development– Patient safety– Safety net

Patient Safety Brochures(English and Spanish)

Patient Safety Brochures(English and Spanish)

Business Journal Inserts

Business Journal Inserts

Your RoleYour Role

Being credible spokespersons

Using research-tested messages

Identifying stories of success that we can use

Communicating internally and externally about your commitment and your success

We can’t do this without you!We can’t do this without you!We can’t do this without you!We can’t do this without you!



Applying Effective Messaging

What Is a Message?What Is a Message?

A clear, concise statement about your product or service which effectively communicates the unique value your organization brings to the marketplace – and which engages the audience.

A Message is Not…A Message is Not…

A slogan

A factoid

A vision/mission statement

Good Messages Demonstrate…Good Messages Demonstrate…

What we are

Where we want to be

That we’re setting the trend

That we’re leading change

Effective Messages…Effective Messages…

Are conversation inviters (not stoppers)

Lift the conversation to 30,000 feet

Cut through the clutter

Can be supported with specific examples

Are consistent and repeated, over and over

Target Stakeholders for Hospital CommunicationsTarget Stakeholders for

Hospital Communications

InternalHospital CEOs

Hospital leadership/boards

Administrative teams

Communications specialists

Quality/safety experts

Physicians

Nurses

Auxilians

Other hospital employees

ExternalConsumers/patients and their families

Special-interest or cause groups

Public opinion leaders, including elected/appointed officials

Business/civic leaders

Referral sources

Vendors, suppliers, partners

Insurance carriers, health plans

Accountants, attorneys, business advisors

Media

Washington Hospitals’ Key Messages

Washington Hospitals’ Key Messages

1. QUALITY CARE. Washington hospitals are there

when you need them, providing safe and high quality health care every day.

2. EMPOWERING. Washington hospitals help you become an empowered, educated health care consumer.

3. ECONOMY DRIVERS. Washington hospitals, as the core of the state’s health care system, create jobs and drive economic development.

WASHINGTON HOSPITALSWASHINGTON HOSPITALS

Slogan: “Your Source for Life”

Fact:

Hospitals are a source of health care information, as they provide health information and education to the state’s 6.2 million residents.

Message:

Washington hospitals help you become an empowered, educated health care consumer.

Key Messages with Facts and ExamplesKey Messages with Facts and Examples

1. QUALITY CARE. Washington hospitals are there when you need them, providing safe and high quality health care every day.

Fact 1: Hospitals are open every hour of the day, every day of the year, handling your big and small health needs.

Examples: Hospitals as safety net Charity care figures Number of admissions and ER visits



Fact 2: Hospitals are investing in innovative ways to advance patient safety.

Examples: All hospitals working on 100K Lives Campaign Rural Healthcare Quality Network Technology: barcodes, tele-medicine, electronic

medical records



Fact 3: Hospitals hold themselves accountable by continually measuring and improving the quality of care.

Examples: Hospital Compare – voluntary data submission 100K Lives Campaign Working together to improve quality



Fact 1: Hospitals want consumers to know about the quality of our care.

Examples: Hospital Compare State Department of Health and JCAHO surveys Inform patients about the care in their hospitals



Fact 2: Hospitals want you to take an active role in your care and your safety.

Examples: Patient safety brochures Helping patients with chronic conditions manage

those conditions Clear information to patients about the care they are

getting



Fact 3: Hospitals are an important source of health care information to patients.

Examples: Health information and education for patients and

communities Wide range of services such as health screenings,

mammograms, immunizations Disaster preparedness information to communities



Ten Tips for Successful Message Delivery

10 Tips for Successful Message Delivery


1. Use a Cheat Sheet. Put your messages by your phone, in your wallet or on your screensaver. Always keep them in front of you in an interview, and use them to guide your communications content.

2. Control your Message. Remain focused and on message in all communications with the variety of audiences. Use bridging techniques (and let me add that….or what I can tell you is that….) if needed to handle tough conversations.



3. Keep it Simple. Use words and phrases your audience will understand. Avoid industry jargon and acronyms that require explanation, i.e. IHI, bundles, nodes, intervention, AMI.

4. Know your Audience. Tailor your messages to your audience. If it’s a clinical crowd, use clinical examples. If it’s your neighbor, be conversational and use stories with a human appeal.



5. Start at the End. Always deliver your message first, follow it with a supporting fact and example. This is contrary to the way we usually tell stories.

6. Be Succinct. For media interviews, messages must be delivered in a 10 second sound bite.



7. Be Consistent. The most effective messages are repeated over and over and over.

8. Be Persuasive. Use a tone that is strong and powerful. Flag your messages by calling special attention to them, i.e. the most important thing you need to know is …



9. The More the Merrier. Universal application of messages will build momentum and impact in carrying out the campaign goal and in telling the hospital’s story. As more hospitals apply these messages, it will make a greater impact.

10. Be Yourself. You are a credible expert and you know your industry. Relax and have confidence in telling the story about Washington’s hospitals role in patient safety.



Practice

Resources:www.wsha.org and www.awphd.org

Resources:www.wsha.org and www.awphd.org

Overview speech about safety and quality

Materials from trainings

Patient safety brochures and posters

Longer version of poll

Information about safety campaigns

Patient safety newsletters

In-person training: November 10



Questions and Comments

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