OASIS Communication Plan

Background:

  • OsteoArthritis Service Integration System is an assessment and referral program, run by VCH, which helps individuals with osteoarthritis self-manage their condition and provides support services.
  • The first OASIS clinic opened in June 2006, after VCH had received funding from Provincial government, in order to shorten the wait times for hip and knee surgeries in osteoarthritis patients.
  • As high wait times persisted at UBC Hospital Centre for Surgical Innovation, clinical assessments for hip and knee surgeries became the primary focus at OASIS.
  • OASIS’s mandate has always been to support chronic osteoarthritis patients.
  • Many patients with osteoarthritis have multiple joints affected, so the need for expansion became evident.
  • Now that wait times have sufficiently decreased, the care continuum can expand its services to include assessments for hands, wrists, feet, and ankles.
  • OASIS is intended to support early intervention and prevention for osteoarthritis patients.
  • The program provides clients with the right education and tools to manage their disease by linking research, prevention, awareness and education with excellence in medical and clinical treatment to create optimal health outcomes for osteoarthritis patients.
  • OASIS offers a variety of educational sessions, covering topics such as exercise, nutrition, and pain management.
  • Certain education classes have been taught in different languages, such as Nutrition in Cantonese, and they were popular among the demographic.

Primary Audiences:

  • Primary Care Practitioners, Rheumatologists, Physiatrists and Orthopedic surgeons in Vancouver
  • Vancouver residents with osteoarthritis
  • Staff and physicians of VCH

Secondary Audiences:

  • Media
  • General public
  • Key Stakeholders: The Arthritis Society – British Columbia and Yukon Division; Physiotherapy Association of British Columbia; BC Society of Occupational Therapists; The College of Dietitians of British Columbia

Communication goal: To notify stakeholders that OASIS is expanding their services.

Objectives:

  • To officially accept patients with osteoarthritis in their hands, wrists, feet, and ankles.
  • To launch the newly renovated website, which includes the expansion of OASIS program.
  • To initiate content in various languages – Cantonese, Mandarin, Punjabi, Farsi –and include voice-overs for translation.
  • To expand education classes to include necessary information about hands, wrists, feet, and ankles.
  • To have these education classes be taught in other languages.
  • To reduce the size of the patient referral form from three pages to one page.

Key Messages:

  • OASIS continues to be a leader in surgical optimization for osteoarthritis in BC.
  • The multidisciplinary teams within the program work closely with orthopedic surgeons, family doctors, and rheumatologists.
  • Osteoarthritis is a degenerative condition, so OASIS has developed its program to assess patients in their various stages of severity.
  • OASIS is now accepting referrals of patients with osteoarthritis of the hand, wrist, foot, and ankle, but will continue to see hip and knee clients.
  • Translation services will be offered at OASIS, as the goal is to provide assessments and services for patients of all ethnic backgrounds.

Strategies:

  • Develop new communications material to spread the message that OASIS is expanding its services.
  • Allow the new material to be dispersed through a variety of channels or mediums – catering to surgeons, practitioners, health authorities, and the public.
  • Use unique approaches to engage future patients: interview past clients about their personal, success stories.
  • Commence social media marketing: create a Twitter account and tweet actively.

Tactical Outline:

DATE/TIMING / AUDIENCE / ACTIVITY / PURPOSE / RESPONSIBILITY
completed / revise PRF to include additional joints / it will shorten the length – from 3 pages to 1 – and make it more accessible to clients
share new form with clinicians / implement the new form in clinics / Sherry B and Dawn
upload new form to website / Sherry E
draft content for media release / Cindy
approve content for media release / Communications contacts (Maureen/Sheliza)
send out media release / Communications
public/media / include media release link on website / easily accessible on website platform / Sherry E
draft content for newsletter
approve newsletter and submitt / Communications
draft news story for VCH news
approve and submit story for VCH news / Communications
primary care physicians / draft intro letter for PCP’s, send a copy of referral form and info about website relaunch / explains expansion of program
confirm PCP distribution list and send out communication package
Orthopedic surgeons / draft info letter for surgeon, send copy of referral form and info about website relaunch / explains expansion of program
confirm surgeon’s distribution list and send out communication package
partner agencies / draft letter + newsletter, confirm partner agencies’ list and send out communication package / to inform them about new services offered