1. LDMH Communication Plan 2012/2013
Supporting a culture of two-way communication

2. Why LDMH requires this
Communications Plan
• As a result of LDMH’s recent strategic planning process, an
identified gap determined the need to develop and implement an
internal/external communications plan at the hospital.

3. Purpose of the Plan
• Hospitals generally have an overarching strategy for all their
communications including internal communications, key internal and
external events, and unforeseen incidents.
• A well-developed communications framework will assist LDMH to
integrate all of its communications work on a particular issue,
• Leamington District Memorial Hospital has a need to communicate
with many different audiences
– beginning with staff at every discipline
– policy makers, government relations
– patients and their families,
– media relations
– academics,
– the health care industry (system partners),
– service, ethnic and community groups.

4. What will the plan accomplish
Internal Communication
• Build staff awareness/understanding of the hospital’s future goals,
– current situation and
– the case for change,
– based on the organization’s values/evolving strategic directions
• Ensure staff understand, they are valued as an integral part of the
hospitals in all of the following
– performance
– standing in the community,
– have the information they need to do their jobs,
– willing to serve as ambassadors for the hospital and build the hospital’s reputation
• Ensure managers understand and accept their role in the
communication process
• Ensure a variety of communication platforms are provided to better
suit the preferences of a multifunctional team

5. What will the plan accomplish
External Communication
• Build awareness of LDMH role and service offered to communities it serves as
– its role in community engagement,
• Promoting/supporting
• participating in community development
• Build awareness/understanding of LDMH
– its current situation
– desired future,
– case for change defined by LDMH
– values and strategic direction
• Manage and protect the hospital’s reputation with key stakeholders
– build trust, in creating
– definable and defensible position
– throughout communities LDMH will be serving and to
– its system partners.
• Enhance Media Relations
– become a desired source of relevant information as a key healthcare provider
throughout the communities it serves and the overall Erie St. Clair LHIN

6. Research Conducted
Staff and System Partners
• In the course of developing this communications plan for LDMH, research was
conducted beginning with the writer’s involvement in the strategic plan process
– And further the following research was conducted:
Staff engagement Erie St. Clair LHIN Region System Partners

7. Communication Plan Framework
Introduction
• The LDMH Corporate Communication Plan is a strategic document that
details the internal and external communication priorities, process and
policies that will guide the activities supporting the Leamington District
Memorial Hospital through the fiscal year 2012-2013
• The purpose is to outline clear and attainable communication
goals/priorities with tactics that are measureable while ensuring
success in the most cost effective manner given the available or
proposed resources.
• The following slides outline LDMH overarching objectives, strategic
goals and provides a context for the communications-specific plans.

8. Communication Plan Framework,
continued
Goals of the LDMH Communication Plan
• COMMUNICATING THE MISSION: To be recognized as the fundamental
“patient-centered” community hospital delivering compassionate care
– close to home
• INTERNAL COMMUNICATION STRATEGY: Develop a communications
framework that will improve two-way internal communications utilizing
a variety of platforms available to staff capability
• EXTERNAL COMMUNICATION STRATEGY: Build an external
communication program that will focus on community engagement
delivering key imperatives while becoming more visible throughout the
communities LDMH will serve

9. Communication Plan Framework,
continued
Communication Plan Outline
• Strategy Implication • Key Messages
– Strategic Plan has identified the need to – LDMH provided services
improve internal/external communications
– LDMH position in continuum of service offering
– Create a definable/defensible position
throughout the communities LDMH will be – LDMH relevance as community hospital – close
serving to home
• Communication Objectives • Timelines
– Provide understanding of the LDMH Strategic – Outlined by calendar if events
Plan
– Enhance perception of LDMH internally and – Specific requirements of tactical imperatives
externally • Tactics & Tools
– Improve staff satisfaction
– Provide communication framework improved
– Enhance information sharing internal/external two-way communications variety of platforms
stakeholders for staff
• Target Audiences – Proactively engage communities
– All Staff
– Communities • Responsibility/Measureable
– Elected Officials – Identified spokesperson for communication
– Service /Cultural Groups imperative
– Business Sector – Determine communication measurable
– Healthcare Partners
– Media

10. Understanding the Tactical Imperatives
for the LDMH Communication Plan
• There are several tactical imperatives that LDMH will need to
communicate internally and externally to determined audiences.
• Each of the imperative will be detailed in accordance with the seven
essential elements of the communication reviewed on the previous slide.
• Note the Tactical Imperative identified as Announcements/News Media
and slightly larger will be the communication bucket whereby general
and significant announcements regarding accomplishments and news
worthy stories are directed and specific target audiences determined and
media coordination arranged.
• The next slide identify the Tactical Imperatives for LDMH communication
planning:

11. Communication Plan Framework, continued
Tactical Imperatives for the LDMH Communication Plan

12. LDMH Target Audiences for Communication and
Community engagement
Core Audience Sphere

13. Understanding LDMH Internal/External
Audiences
LDMH’s core audience is staff; followed by the patient/public, healthcare system
partners, the media and other key opinion formers.
• Internal • External
– Public/Patients
– LDMH Board – Media
– Foundation Board – MPPs; MPs; Municipal Council
– Community Members and Board – MOHLTC
Committees – LHIN hospital partners (WRH, HDGH,
– Patient/Family CKHA, Bluewater)
– Staff – System Partners
• CCAC; FHT's; CMHA; CHCs; Essex
– Operations Group Community Services; EMS;
– Physicians • Teen Health Centre; Windsor Essex
County Health Unit; Trillium; University
– MAC of Windsor;
– Medical Association – Service Clubs
– Volunteers – Cultural Groups
– LDMH Labour Representatives – Business Sector
– Industry Associations
– St. Clair College; others (provide
database of contacts)
– OHA, OMA, CPSO
– External Labour Groups

14. LDMH Target Audiences for Communication and
Community engagement
Target Audiences

15. LDMH Internal/External Audiences
Target Audience Database
Contact data for each of the stakeholder audiences is provided to LDMH in a database
and Outlook format for external stakeholders provided electronically to the CEO Office

16. Communication Tools & Tactics
Internal Channels
what follows is an outline only of internal channels for communication. A list of 15 recommendations are
discussed in the report beginning on pg 15 and detailed in the inventory of recommendations beginning on pg 43
of the report.
•Direct Communication
Team Brief sessions •Electronic Formats •LDMH Publications
Board/SMT meeting
communication Video
LDMH Newsletter
Staff Recognition program
Strategic Plan presentation Monitoring/Equipment
Consistent Notice Boards Physician Bulletin Brief
Exhibit Display Stands
Constant Contact
Staff Orientation
Nurse Lab Education
Handbook/Electronic
Howie
Newsletter
LDMH Website

17. Communication Tools & Tactics
External Communication Tools
A comprehensive discussion outlining external communication tools and recommendations are
provided in the communication plan report beginning on pg 27 through pg 29. below is a general
outline of the tools discussed.
• LDMH new website/launch campaign
• LDMH new logo design
• Strategic Plan/Provided Services/Performances
– Presentation and Community Engagement
• Paid Advertising
• Printed Material
• Email Broadcast external communication
– Constant Contact
• You Tube platforms
• Social Media

18. Communication Tools & Tactics
External Communication Strategy
Primary strategy for improving LDMH’s awareness to its target audiences and communities are two-fold:
Community Engagement Media Relations
• One of LDMH fundamental responsibilities is the • The media appetite for health stories and
engagement of core audiences/stakeholders in all patient service improvements will continue to
aspects of: grow.
– Hospital provided service
– Activities • LDMH should pursue a policy of active
– Accomplishments
– Performance and, engagement with the media
– Strategic Direction – Ensure that media know the key
contacts/spokespeople at LDMH
• These services, activities, accomplishments,
performances and strategic direction are the Tactical • LDMH will need to update its media policy for
Imperatives that LDMH are to communicated and
engage with the community media query, direction and identified
spokesperson which will help manage the
• Specific Communities for Engagement inquiry.
– Patient/Family Communication
– System Partners • News releases templates should be updated:
– Opinion Leaders/Elected and Community Leaders
– Community Relations – always include backgrounder information,
– Service and Cultural Groups – video links if available.
– Business/Industry Associations
– better stories are packaged media will continue
to pick up stories from LDMH as a source

19. Tactical Imperatives for LDMH
Communication Planning
• The LDMH Communication Plan with approval of the Board
and implementation direction of the CEO Office and
management team will be able to determine its level of
involvement and the scope of its advocacy activities.
• These activities will be specifically outlined via the Tactical
Imperatives for Communication in section 12 page 30 and
specifically detailed in section 13 pages 31-42 Specific
Communication Strategies
• What follows in the next slides is:
– Action Plan for Tactical Imperatives
– Samples of Specific Objectives/Strategies Tactical Imperative

20. Action Plan
for
Tactical
Imperatives

21. Tactical Imperatives
Objectives/Strategies

22. Tactical Imperatives
Objectives/Strategies

23. Tactical Imperatives
Objectives/Strategies

24. Tactical Imperatives
Objectives/Strategies

25. Tactical Imperatives
Objectives/Strategies