Strategic Corporate Communication in Healthcare

Option A:
You have been asked by a nonprofit community organization that has been awarded a substantial research grant, to put together an effective campaign to reduce, and eventually eliminate, from children’s diet in the United States, high calorie soft drinks. The campaign is intended to help fight the epidemic of childhood obesity. Discuss at least three of the following (you must address # 6):

1. Provide a message or statement that you would use and explain why you chose this message or statement to reach your target audience.
2. Who would be your target audience and why?
3. What media and/or other means of communication would you use to convey your message, and why?
4. What do you consider to be the most important benefits from, as well as the biggest challenges to, a successful campaign?
5. What information or findings from articles on health campaigns could assist your campaign?
6. Whether the goals of your campaign and the objectives of the Affordable Care Act are aligned and, if so, in what ways. If not, why not.

Option B:
There is a general consensus that better communication between health care administrators, providers, patients, and families can lead to fewer medical errors, better health outcomes, and improved patient satisfaction. However, certain features of our health care system and our diverse country present challenges to reaching this goal. The following list contains some examples of such challenges, including:
 lack of courses for medical students, and/or lack of skills training for physicians and other providers, on ways to improve provider-patient communication
 managed care requirements and restrictions
 insurance coverage restrictions and payment/reimbursement limitations
 cultural diversity and cultural attitudes toward health
 health literacy and disadvantaged populations
 lack of funding for technology and/or failure to properly implement existing technology
 other systemic/societal topic (chosen by you)
From the above list, select one or two topics. Then discuss at least three of the following as they relate to your selected topic(s) (you must address # 3 and # 6):

1. Its direct or indirect relationship to effective health care communication and better patient outcomes.
2. How that topic adversely impacts effective provider-patient communication.
3. A proposal that would address the challenges presented by your topic.
4. How you would evaluate the effectiveness of your proposal.
5. Information or findings from communications articles that are relevant to your topic or proposal.
6. How the objectives of your proposal are, or are not, aligned with the objectives of the Affordable Care Act.

Option C:
Direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription and over-the-counter medications cost more than $6 billion annually. Advocates of such advertising point out, for example, that it leads to greater consumer awareness of drugs that can improve and extend people’s lives. Opponents of such advertising contend, among other things, that it allows drug companies to promote higher cost drugs at the expense of lower cost alternatives, downplays risks, and creates unrealistic expectations. Such advertising influences patient preferences and, together with direct marketing to hospitals and providers, has a significant effect on provider prescribing patterns.
You are asked by a nonprofit group in your community – concerned with the impact of this form of communication on patient health and the total cost of health care in the United States – to evaluate this advertising and marketing. Discuss at least three of the following areas (you must address # 6):

1. The advantages to consumers of direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical advertising.
2. The disadvantages to consumers of direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical advertising.
3. The potential or actual conflicts of interest when pharmaceutical sales representatives market drugs to hospital representatives and medical providers.
4. Suggestions you would put forth to ensure that the drug company’s advertising to consumers and its presentation to hospital representatives and medical providers is primarily educational, and not primarily a sales pitch.
5. Action you would recommend be taken by regulatory bodies, hospitals, and/or physicians to mitigate or eliminate potential or actual conflicts of interest.
6. Changes you would propose, or recommendations you would make, to reduce (or limit the substantial increases in) the price of essential drugs in the U.S.