Public Relations Initiative UnderwayThese past several months have presented us all with unprecedented challenges, to be sure. But there are fewer places this holds more true than our health facilities and emergency care centers. “Essential” cannot begin to capture all that you do every day on the frontlines of our battle against the pandemic. We recognize this and are committed to supporting you during this trying time. As such, we are undertaking a statewide effort dedicated to addressing some of your most pressing issues. We’ve gathered and analyzed data based on responses from you – this is what will be informing and driving our work over the next several months: advocacy, public relations, policy and legislative agenda development. We invite you to stay engaged through all of this work. We heard directly from you and know: Overwhelmingly, you are experiencing increased stress; it is one of the biggest challenges you are facing. Patient volume has decreased significantly across the state and many of you have been furloughed or had your hours and salaries significantly reduced, with a majority not knowing when they will go back to normal. Almost none of you are receiving hazard pay. In reading this data, it became crystal clear that action is needed – now. Emergency physicians need a unified voice that will be heard, a coordinated effort to advocate on the issues that matter most. So, we have decided to undertake this effort through a statewide multifaceted public affairs strategy. To help execute this, we have engaged national public strategy firm Mercury Public Affairs. Mercury has expertise in message development, media relations, governmental affairs and campaign management – all skillsets that will prove valuable in our immediate challenges and as we prepare for the legislative session. Mercury will be leading efforts to secure media placements, provide information to elected officials and raise public awareness for the duration of our campaign. Dr. Vankawala names a Task Force to work with Mercury and TCEP staff that includes Theresa Tran, MD, Robert Hancock, MD, Doug Jeffry, MD as well as our Imperium lobby team, Michael Grimes and Price Ashley. The first objective is to address the decrease in emergency room patients and ensure emergency room services are fully utilized when they are needed. Specifically, we are developing a public awareness campaign that will set out to engage the public; provide assurances regarding COVID safety measures and dispel any misperceptions of health risks in emergency rooms; and alert the public to the life-threatening dangers of avoiding critical emergency care. The campaign will take a three-pronged approach: 1) traditional earned media will provide opportunities for thought leadership, third party validation and general public awareness; 2) social media will create a platform for amplifying messaging to reaching an even broader audience; and 3) grassroots and coalition-building strategies will provide you, our members, with opportunities for engagement and activation. We’re going to do everything we can to make sure people know:
We’re calling on people to choose care, not fear. We are prepared – and ready – to help them. Looking ahead to the legislative session, we understand from the survey results that many of you have prioritized access to adequate PPE. Many of you are also looking to us to advocate for liability protections. And finally, the need to manage reimbursement and surprise billing issues was also reflected in your survey responses. TCEP is committed to studying all of these issues as we work to develop our legislative agenda for 2021. Today, as well as in the in weeks and months ahead, we will make sure your concerns are heard – and addressed. You have not once given up in your care of patients. And we will not give up in our commitment to you. |