Management of Health Care Organization: Assignment Week 5

Chapter 13: Collaborating Outside the Organization

Chapter Objectives

• Appreciate the need for collaboration among health organizations.

• Know how to form partnerships among organizations.

• Understand why local health organizations must interact with state and federal agencies.

• Know how to interact with the public.

• Be able to form working relationships with members of the media.

Outline

• Collaborating with External Organizations

• Interacting with the Public

• Interacting with Traditional Media: Print and Broadcast

Collaborating with External Organizations

• The Context for Collaboration

• Partnerships, Balance, and Trust

• Politics

• Relationships with Government Agencies

• Sharing Resources

• Joint Programs

The Context for Collaboration • Historically, health organizations operated

independently and were territorial.

• Today it is recognized that collaboration is essential: – Health problems and disasters are not

geographically bound

– Needs often overwhelm capacity

– External resources are scarce

• Partnerships can address these changing circumstances

Creating a Working Partnership 1. Identify potential partners

2. Hold meetings with senior managers and decision makers

3. Identify common areas of interest

4. Establish and earn trust over time

5. Create a formal memorandum of understanding (MOU) that:

– Defines the purpose and goals of the partnership

– Establishes formal by-laws

– Facilitates exchange of resources

Considerations when Collaborating Externally

• Balance of power

– Can be accomplished by open communication and clear governance documents like by-laws and MOUs

• Resources

– Personnel, funding, training, etc.

– Budgeting is a chronic dilemma

• Delivery of federally and state mandated programs

Politics

• Health organizations often underestimate the importance of political entities.

• Health leaders and organizations must attempt to earn the respect of politicians without allowing them to dictate how health organizations operate.

Relationships with Government Agencies

• Local health organizations should develop relationships with:

– Other local agencies and organizations for collaboration to serve the community directly

– State governmental agencies for key information related to legislation, development of model programs, auditing, and compliance with laws and regulations

– Federal agencies for funding, support, and information

Sharing Resources

• Sharing personnel allows organizations to acquire additional expertise and capacity

– Example: several small local health departments may share one epidemiologist

• Sharing facilities and equipment can be important for training or emergency response

Joint Programs

• Creating joint programs with other entities that serve similar populations and have similar goals allows for:

– Reducing the total cost of administration

– Improved grant funding opportunities

• Trust and mutual confidence must be developed

Interacting with the Public

• Health organizations should collaborate with customers, clients, and the general public by:

– Providing excellent customer service

– Holding informational meetings for staff

– Soliciting and responding to customer and client feedback

Interacting with Traditional Media Overview: Print and Broadcast

• Integrating the Media

• Developing Working Relationships

• Providing Material

• Avoiding Problems

• Delivering Accurate Information

• Final Thoughts

Integrating the Media

• A solid working relationship with the media can help health organizations better communicate with the public.

• Media outlets should be investigated and understood to determine which can be most helpful.

• Consider the audience, groups, and constituencies the organization most needs to reach.

• Ensure media collaboration efforts are consistent with health program objectives and services.

Developing Working Relationships

• Health personnel should have a prime role in developing ongoing relationships with the media

• Respect and utilize the expertise and experience of media personnel

• Establish ground rules

• Remember: the media can reach many people with a brief sound bite or a few lines of text

Providing Material

• Messages for television and radio should be in 10-15 second sound bite form

• Additional information should be provided in a press kit

• Information should be clear, concise, and not misleading

• Organizations have an ethical responsibility to provide honest and accurate information – A single false statement can damage an

organizations reputation

Avoiding Problems

• Contact with the media is inevitable; prepare in advance

• Avoid professional jargon and abbreviations

• Keep it simple: communicate only three concepts at a time

• Media experts can be used to help prepare messages and plan for collaborating with the media

Suggestions for Working with Media Professionals

• Think before speaking

• Honesty may be unpleasant but cannot be challenged

• “No comment” is usually heard as “I know something and won’t share it”

• Always assume that a camera or microphone is live

• Assume that every conversation or statement is on the record

• Admit when you don’t know an answer

• Avoid speculation

Delivering Accurate Information

• The media appreciate prepared press releases that include background information.

• Stories and documents must be complete and accurate.

• A commitment to accuracy over time can establish trust and build good working relationships with the media.

Types of News

• Reporters are paid to seek information.

• Both good and bad news should be shared with the media.

• Sharing information with the media should be a priority for a health organization.

• This is a form of quality improvement.

Avoidance

• Reporters should not be avoided.

• If reporters cannot get information from health organizations, they will drop the story or find another source.

• Other sources may provide inaccurate or misleading information.

• Organizational executives can train subordinates and delegate media communication duties.

Advice • Key points about the media:

– Be deliberate when providing material

– Discard insignificant items

– Do not bury important information in an otherwise boring press release

– Honesty is genuinely appreciated by all parties

– Calling media contacts in advance about an important story will help to earn their trust