Change in general is hard; in a field as complicated as healthcare, change can be even harder. So when hospitals and health systems choose to implement accountable care, be it through an accountable care organization or population health management, the stakeholders involved in the change may have a hard time accepting and buying in to the new concept, especially if they do not understand it.
Communication can help build change acceptance and manage the overall change process. Unfortunately, a recent survey conducted by Maricich Healthcare Communications and the Council of Accountable Physician Practices found that many healthcare communicators do not feel comfortable communicating the changes associated with accountable care initiatives. Just 38 percent of surveyed communicators felt adequately prepared to communicate the change to both internal and external audiences.
Toyomi Igus, the communications director for CAPP, and Mark Maricich, CEO of Maricich Healthcare Communications, believe proper communication is essential to the success of accountable care initiatives.
"You need to have the buy-in of all of your stakeholders to ensure you are successful," says Ms. Igus. "I think it's important for physicians and staff to understand why [change is happening]. There needs to be need ongoing communication and transparency."
"Communication in general plays into the success of an ACO and also the health and outcomes of patients," adds Mr. Maricich.
In order to achieve the buy-in of employees, staff, payors and patients, the communication strategy needs to be aligned internally and externally, according to Mr. Maricich. However, communication plans will be different for each organization going through the transition to accountable care. "It has to be customized," says Ms. Igus. "There is no cookie-cutter approach."
Even though each communication plan should to be customized for individual organizations, Maricich Healthcare Communications has developed six best practices in accountable care communication that can be used as a roadmap for organizations going down the path to accountable care.
1. Accountable care communications audit. Before beginning the accountable care initiative, organizations should step back and start with the big picture. Doing an accountable care communication audit determines if the organization is ready to communicate the initiative to its audiences. This is a two-part process, according to Maricich. The organization should complete a current-state readiness assessment and organizational readiness research, both of which involve higher-level executive meetings, discovery and discussions.
The current-state assessment analyzes the organization's communications situation and future-state needs and goals. The organizational readiness research will uncover internal issues and perceptions of accountable care that should be dealt with to ensure the success of the ACO venture.
2. Internal and external perception research. This step involves surveys, interviews and focus groups with internal and external audiences to determine how the stakeholders interpret accountable care. Different stakeholders may have different perceptions of the initiatives, and this step determines where everyone stands on the issue of accountable care and change.
3. Accountable care messaging platform. The feedback gathered in step two is used here to propose message themes. One theme should be chosen and developed into messaging points. The overall vision for accountable care communication should be set here as well as the message tone and approach.
4. Accountable care communications plan. This is where the overall communications plan is developed, step by step. It should be based on the organization's internal and external challenges discovered earlier in the process.
Internally, the plan may involve staff training. Externally, the plan may involve public relations strategies, direct mail or advertising.
5. Patient clinical compliance communications plan. Patients are an important part of accountable care initiatives, since they are ultimately and should be communicated to as such. Organizations should develop strategies to get patients to follow through with their care plan and generally get involved in their care.
6. Creative development. The final step will be to actually implement the tactics developed throughout the steps as part of an integrated communication campaign. This could be a public relations campaign, creative advertising or anything in between.
While these six best practices provide a roadmap for any organization beginning the journey to accountable care, organizations will all reach a different end point. "Ultimately, every plan is going to be totally different depending on the organization," says Mr. Maricich. "But these six [steps] are the roadmap for getting there."
Communication can help build change acceptance and manage the overall change process. Unfortunately, a recent survey conducted by Maricich Healthcare Communications and the Council of Accountable Physician Practices found that many healthcare communicators do not feel comfortable communicating the changes associated with accountable care initiatives. Just 38 percent of surveyed communicators felt adequately prepared to communicate the change to both internal and external audiences.
Toyomi Igus, the communications director for CAPP, and Mark Maricich, CEO of Maricich Healthcare Communications, believe proper communication is essential to the success of accountable care initiatives.
"You need to have the buy-in of all of your stakeholders to ensure you are successful," says Ms. Igus. "I think it's important for physicians and staff to understand why [change is happening]. There needs to be need ongoing communication and transparency."
"Communication in general plays into the success of an ACO and also the health and outcomes of patients," adds Mr. Maricich.
In order to achieve the buy-in of employees, staff, payors and patients, the communication strategy needs to be aligned internally and externally, according to Mr. Maricich. However, communication plans will be different for each organization going through the transition to accountable care. "It has to be customized," says Ms. Igus. "There is no cookie-cutter approach."
Even though each communication plan should to be customized for individual organizations, Maricich Healthcare Communications has developed six best practices in accountable care communication that can be used as a roadmap for organizations going down the path to accountable care.
1. Accountable care communications audit. Before beginning the accountable care initiative, organizations should step back and start with the big picture. Doing an accountable care communication audit determines if the organization is ready to communicate the initiative to its audiences. This is a two-part process, according to Maricich. The organization should complete a current-state readiness assessment and organizational readiness research, both of which involve higher-level executive meetings, discovery and discussions.
The current-state assessment analyzes the organization's communications situation and future-state needs and goals. The organizational readiness research will uncover internal issues and perceptions of accountable care that should be dealt with to ensure the success of the ACO venture.
2. Internal and external perception research. This step involves surveys, interviews and focus groups with internal and external audiences to determine how the stakeholders interpret accountable care. Different stakeholders may have different perceptions of the initiatives, and this step determines where everyone stands on the issue of accountable care and change.
3. Accountable care messaging platform. The feedback gathered in step two is used here to propose message themes. One theme should be chosen and developed into messaging points. The overall vision for accountable care communication should be set here as well as the message tone and approach.
4. Accountable care communications plan. This is where the overall communications plan is developed, step by step. It should be based on the organization's internal and external challenges discovered earlier in the process.
Internally, the plan may involve staff training. Externally, the plan may involve public relations strategies, direct mail or advertising.
5. Patient clinical compliance communications plan. Patients are an important part of accountable care initiatives, since they are ultimately and should be communicated to as such. Organizations should develop strategies to get patients to follow through with their care plan and generally get involved in their care.
6. Creative development. The final step will be to actually implement the tactics developed throughout the steps as part of an integrated communication campaign. This could be a public relations campaign, creative advertising or anything in between.
While these six best practices provide a roadmap for any organization beginning the journey to accountable care, organizations will all reach a different end point. "Ultimately, every plan is going to be totally different depending on the organization," says Mr. Maricich. "But these six [steps] are the roadmap for getting there."
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