By Dr. Marc Sonenshine
Chair, DHPA Communications Committee
The importance of effectively communicating our accomplishments cannot be overstated. Through clear and concise communication on DHPA achievements, we’re engaging policymakers, physicians, and potential new member practices through an increasing number of channels.
Earlier this year, we secured a column in the American Journal of Managed Care, which reaches approximately 48,500 physicians and other healthcare professionals with its hard-copy edition and averages more than 110,000 unique monthly visitors to its website.
We supported legislative efforts to reform the practice of “step therapy” – at the national level and in the State of Ohio – to ensure that patients can benefit from the treatments their physicians prescribe. If you haven’t had a chance, I encourage to read articles by DHPA Board Members in Morning Consult, AJMC and The Hill.
I want to thank our DHPA Board Members and the administrative leaders of our member practices, who quickly contacted their Members of Congress following introduction of the bipartisan Medicare Care Coordination Improvement Act of 2017 (H.R. 4206, S. 2051). Together we sent messages to more than 70 offices in the U.S. House of Representatives and 40 offices in the U.S. Senate, urging that our Members of Congress cosponsor and support passage of the bill.
In addition, the legislation was featured in POLITICO, Healio, and Becker’s GI and Endoscopy. In 2018, we’ll continue support of this legislation with additional outreach to Members of Congress and a coordinated and targeted media campaign in support of the legislation, directed at outlets in Washington, DC and in our respective media markets.
We’ve increased our platforms to communicate with our key audiences, launching the DHPA company page on LinkedIn. If you have a professional profile on LinkedIn, we encourage you to follow us for important updates on DHPA and our policy priorities. And don’t forget to follow us on Twitter and share our updates.
Lastly, to support prospective member outreach, we’ve revamped our prospective member presentation and have started outreach to our member practices with the goal of engaging potential new members in their states. Our new member materials can be customized easily to each prospective member, outlining the most important information practices are looking for when considering DHPA. Please reach out to DHPA’s Executive Director Kevin Harlen if you have contacts in an independent GI practice that might be interested in joining DHPA.
Thanks to all of you who have contributed to our communications efforts this year, and I look forward to partnering with you – and hearing from new voices – as we continue to elevate DHPA’s communications.