Count backwards from 10…
BC residents narrowly escaped a collective medical emergency last weekend when the BC Supreme Court ruled that anesthesiologists must continue to provide full hospital services – at least until after a subsequent ruling on April 20.
Contrary to much of the coverage, the physicians are not just concerned about compensation.
“The issue here is we need a process to deal with the problems that we have with the recruitment and retention of anesthesiologists in this province,” said Dr. Jeff Rains, president of the B.C. Anesthesiologists Society.
And sure, compensation is part of that discussion. But so is lifestyle. Note that Dr Rains talks about recruitment and retention. How do we get doctors to come to BC – and keep them working here? Keep them working at all?
The anaesthesiologist dispute in BC falls on a backdrop of the 2012 Federal budget announcement where it seems that those of us lucky enough to still be at the peak of our careers, now have a chance to work even longer. For those of us who love our jobs, this doesn’t seem so bad today. But how will it feel when we are close to retirement?
Most of us will need to ease out slowly. We will want to nurture colleagues still building their careers – and make sure the intuition and expertise we have developed over our working lives is not lost. We will need a legacy. Our employers will need it too.
Why would a doctor want anything different? Most physicians spend their careers managing overwhelming workloads at the expense of their own families and lifestyle. I am sure retirement is a big draw for many. And many doctors are close to retiring. Canadian Medical Association research shows that 44% of BC physicians are over age 55. Replacing those doctors in this highly competitive recruitment market will be next to impossible.
Perhaps what we need to do is focus less on recruitment and more on retention – that and a gradual easing of workload as physicians age. Rather than putting more money and effort into recruiting a physician workforce that is in desperate supply internationally, perhaps we should consider innovative ideas to help older BC doctors keep working in ways that continue to reward them, and the communities they serve.
Maybe an attractive retirement program would even attract physicians to move to BC? Maybe a different way of doing things would bring anaesthesiologists, too.
The anaesthesiologist dispute is likely to be followed by many other physician shortages as more BC doctors retire. The countdown has started and with some creative foresight we can choose not to be put under.
Part of the Club
It was with excitement that I received a heavy package in the office mail this week. It contained my certificate that confirmed I am now a Certified Environmental Professional. This is not the highest academic achievement I have attained, but it is one I am very proud of.
The designation recognizes my experience in environmental and stakeholder communications as well as my graduate certificate in sustainability, received from the Bainbridge Graduate Institute in Seattle in 2010. More than anything it means that I have been evaluated by my peers as meeting a standard of excellence.
According the FSC-certified guidebook that came along with the certificate, “the CEP designation provides Canada with an invaluable tool for developing a highly skilled workforce. Environmental professionals demonstrate their ability to meet the National Occupational Standards (NOS) for environmental employment. “
CEPs work in environmental protection, sustainability and resource management sectors and consist of scientists, researchers, educators and communicators.
In short, the EP certification represents the standard of excellence in environmental employment in Canada. They have done so for more than a decade. It feels great to be part of this ‘club’.
I am now connected to a large network of Canadian peers who are both passionate about the environment and who have demonstrated their expertise as environmental professionals. For me this means that I can connect with project partners and follow front-line research much more readily.
Through the CEP designation clients and employers also have a way of separating self-proclaimed experts from those with years of dedication and experience. When it comes to making decisions about how our activities impact our precious environment – it makes sense to be talking to the right people. And the CEP designation helps us all know who they are.
Not to say that there aren’t plenty of experts doing great work without the recognition of a certifying body. There are. It is just that the certification is a kind of shorthand – it lets you know right away if the person you are consulting has met a national standard of excellence. Kind of like knowing that your doctor passed medical school – except this time the patient is the environment.
And we all have a responsibility to provide the best care possible.
Learn more about Certified Environment Professionals at http://eco.ca/certification/
Take a partner
It’s an ongoing challenge in public health outreach and promotion — reaching as many people as possible in the most effective ways possible. So, as health communicators, what strategies can we use to tackle that mountain?
Over the last few years we’ve spoken several times at conferences and public health events about the benefits of identifying and fostering relationships with stakeholder groups in support of improved personal health.
The rationale – awareness and understanding of a health topic will be more accepted and more likely to be acted upon when it comes from a voice people believe in – a doctor, a therapist, support group leader, or non-profit health organization, etc.
Well planned and executed partnership programs rely on a network of like-minded groups to share health promotion messages through their existing communication channels and tools without heavily impeding on their resources. The benefits of this model include increased credibility, cost effectiveness, consistency of message and expanded reach within a health promotion campaign.
Easy to say, harder to do.
At Communication Solutions, we’ve developed an Integrated Health Promotion outline — a short series of questions for project leaders and managers to consider when planning an outreach initiative, which can help form the basis of a measureable stakeholder partnership model.
These questions include:
- Are there opportunities to align or connect with organizations in support of my program or initiative?
- How could my messages align with those being shared by other groups? Would the messages appeal to their audiences?
- Are there new or additional opportunities to create champions of my program or initiative?
- What communication channels and tools could be created or accessed to maximize increased education and information sharing?
In the end, thoughtful investment in a partner program makes it easier for stakeholders to share information and promote action even after funding dollars run out. What successful public health partnerships have you or your organizations been involved in?
So Much Strategy Behind “I’m Sorry”
I have always driven my family nuts by analyzing the strategy behind various marketing communication programs or products.
I can’t watch TV without devoting too much analysis to the commercials. I often say aloud whether or not I think an ad worked or how it was made or what creative technique was used to get my attention. So basically, I don’t watch TV anymore. And I am in good company because stats suggest less and less people are watching TV and more are searching for both information and entertainment online. Which is why I feel compelled to give huge kudos to the marketing minds behind the Johnson & Johnson “Triple Sorry” campaign for O.B. Tampons.
OK fellas, bear with me. Sometimes, I see something that reminds me of why I love this business. And this week, it was the “Triple Sorry”. But as is my folly, instead of just appreciating it, laughing, and wanting to share it with my women-folk, I analyzed the strategy behind it. I have no inside information on the success, but I do have 25 years of thinking about marketing communication strategies and based on that, I think it’s brilliant.
Here’s the short of it. Johnson & Johnson failed to provide adequate stock of O.B. tampons, retailers could not stock the shelves, and loyal customers could not find the product for a period of time. What is clearly a marketing and sales crisis that likely resulted in a decrease in sales, frustration and loss of trust among retailers and customers turning to other products, the “Triple Sorry” addresses crisis management, brand loyalty, incentive marketing and will probably result in increased sales — all through an online, personalized apology.
But its not just an apology. It’s everything many women would want — being serenaded by a handsome fellow (wearing white pants no less), showers of rose pedals, white doves and the expression of commitment tattood on your guy’s bicep. This comes all as a way of expressing an authentic apology directly and personally to each and every customer and offering to earn their trust again through a plea to give “O.B.” another try.
It’s the kind of brilliant that makes me wish I could have been part of the team that went through the strategic planning process of knowing what they needed to accomplish, what the customer needed to respond and how to deliver it in a way that is consistent with the company / brand equity. I know once these key questions had answers, the creative brainstorming would have been both free and intense. And to have a client that put the problem on the table and did not restrict the marketing experts from creating a solution — it’s what all of us in this business dream of every day we come to work.
Visit obtampons.ca/apology — type in your name or that of your favorite gal — and be patient while it gets up the nerve to say “I’m sorry”.
Our total business review
It’s amazing how the Total Business Review we participated in more than a year ago — through internationally renowned agency management guru David Baker of ReCourses – benefits our day to day work, our decision making and direction. Baker’s advice helped us to recognize the benefits of narrowed expertise, improve our definition of roles, and create focused positioning related to our experience. It’s been quite a transformational process at Communication Solutions, and even in our “infancy” of implementation, the advantages are felt. If you manage anything, we recommend you read David’s newest book, Managing Right for the First Time.
Trust – Can’t Be Left Up in the Air
Beijing, China and San Luis Obispo County, California, are an ocean apart. But in the past few weeks, they both faced pressure from the media and the public in relation to air pollution.
In the case of Beijing, city air quality officials and the government have been increasingly called to task on the details of their air quality reporting, specifically the levels of particulate matter (PM) in the air. They’ve also been criticized based on conflicting air quality monitoring made available through the US Embassy in Beijing, which suggests air pollution levels are much higher than what the city reports. Just last week, Chinese officials bowed to some of that pressure by committing to upgrade their air index and to include levels of PM 2.5 in their data sharing, in addition to PM10.
In San Luis Obispo County, residents learned air quality research commissioned in 2008 to measure particulate matter near a recreational vehicle area has been accused of being flawed. The study was completed to help officials determine how to reduce PM traveling downwind from a popular off-road recreation park. It’s important research with an admirable goal. However, if people doubt the study process, will they have faith in the results?
And that’s the tie; public trust – earning it, maintaining it and protecting it. No small feat when trust is your most valuable asset in communicating about air quality – whether you’re a public, private or not-for-profit organization.
Air quality reporting has become a vital public health service that is gaining more and more attention. We know from our research on branding and communicating air quality indices, people are more likely to make decisions about how to manage their own health, and how to be stewards of air, if the air quality information comes from what they consider a trustworthy source – whether that be a health care provider or a government agency.
Organizations that report air quality have an obligation to uphold an open and transparent system for measuring, reporting and communicating relevant messages so people, no matter where they live, can have faith in the information, and the information source.
Do you understand and have faith in the air quality information in your community?
Communication Solution’s Kate Stebbings highlights merits of professional accreditation
As strategic marketing and communication professionals, it’s always gratifying to know our expertise and experience is supporting efforts to raise the bar within our industry. This month our Director of Strategy, Kate Stebbings, is featured in the International Association of Business Communicators’ (IABC) publication Communication World, discussing the merits of the IABC Executive Accreditation Seminar (EAS), an intensive week long accreditation option for communicators who have at least a decade’s worth of experience in the field. Kate became accredited through IABC in 2007 and has volunteered her time for the past two years serving as the Director of Business Development for IABC’s Accreditation Council. Read the article.