Local Coalitions
Improving Health Care – Community by Community
The goals of Remaking American Medicine™…Health Care for the 21st Century (RAM) and the national outreach campaign are to stimulate a dialogue and to issue a call to action to improve the quality of health care. They are intended to help empower viewers to become advocates for better care and to motivate, inspire and connect individuals, organizations and institutions.
In order to accomplish these objectives, the campaign has encouraged the creation of local RAM coalitions representing private purchasers, providers, policy-makers, regulators, public broadcasting, consumer advocates, patients and their families. Today, 27 RAM coalitions are actively engaged in a variety of local outreach activities. Each coalition selected a particular quality issue, set goals, established alliances, pooled resources and are taking positive action – community by community.
St. Louis, Missouri (as of August 2006)
KETC, the St. Louis PBS station, in partnership with Primaris, Missouri’s Quality Improvement Organization, and more than 30 local organizations is conducting a statewide public outreach campaign. The goal is to encourage the public to become stronger advocates for their own health care and to facilitate a public dialogue about the issues addressed in Remaking American Medicine.
The cornerstone is a four-part documentary series, Remaking Missouri Medicine, which is meant to inspire and empower viewers. The programs aired in April and will be rebroadcast in October around the national series. The local programs explored the advances being made to improve the quality of patient care in hospitals including how technology is advancing chronic disease management and facilitating access to health care. The RAM coalition assisted in the development of a companion consumer resource guide, Remaking Missouri Medicine: Guide to Quality Healthcare. They will also offer support in the statewide promotional campaign.
Surrounding the national premiere, coalition partners will hold RAM screening events across the state, make presentations to health care groups. KETC will also convene partners and community groups in their studios to participate in a national satellite broadcast of the Champions of Change: A National Symposium on Improving Health Care being held at the at the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation in Washington, D.C. on September 27. The Symposium is the culmination of the RAM campaign.See the coalitions' Web site at: http://www.ketc.org/productions/remakingmomedicine.asp
Contacts:
Amy Shaw
Vice President for Education Services
KETC
(314) 512-9041
ashaw@ketc.org
Matt Heger
Media Relations
Primaris Health
(573) 817-8300 x 136
mheger@primaris.org
Indianapolis, Indiana (as of August 2006)
The Indiana RAM coalition is addressing issues involving patient- and family-centered care. The objective is to encourage patients and families to become stronger advocates for their own health care. The campaign is focusing on medication management, communication with health care providers, patient safety in hospitals and chronic disease management.
Coalition members include PBS station WFYI; Health Care Excel, the state Quality Improvement Organization; the Indiana School of Medicine; Butler University; the University of Indianapolis School of Nursing; the Riley Children’s Hospital; and the Central Indiana Council on Aging.
The campaign Web site features Champions of Change from the Indiana School of Medicine who are pioneers in electronic medical records and chronic care. Additional Champions will be featured in local television and radio programming, online and in coalition partner publications. In addition, coalition members are providing monthly consumer Healthcare Tips that are posted to the campaign Web site and in the station’s Member Magazine. The station is also producing four spots that address the important themes addressed in the series.
RAM coalition members will conduct health care forums and Web casts. They have made presentations at statewide conferences and are promoting the series and campaign on their respective Web sites and publications. Several will host community screenings and discussions around the series premiere including forums at the Citizen’s Healthcare Forum and Butler University, Riley Hospital’s annual Family Health Day and WFYI’s Speaking of Women’s Health Day in August.
Julie Moretz, director of Family Services Development at the Medical College of Georgia Health System, who is featured in Program Four of the series, “Hand and Hand” will be interviewed in September for Sound Medicine, the station’s local NPR station.
WFYI's RAM web page: http://www.wfyi.org/remakingAmMed.asp
Contacts:
Gail Strong
Outreach Director
WFYI
(317) 636-2020
gstrong@wfyi.org
Ellen Murphy
Public Relations Director
Health Care Excel
(812) 234-1499
emurphy@inqio.sdps.org
Tampa, Florida (as of August 2006)
WEDU and the FMQAI, Florida’s Quality Improvement Organization, are focusing on diabetes prevention and management within the Hispanic and Latino communities. Coalition partners include the American Diabetes Association and the Tampa Bay Healthcare Collaborative, which consists of a number of citywide health care organizations. The RAM coalition also includes local and statewide stakeholders, health care professionals, community organizations, non-professional caregivers and consumers.
WEDU, in collaboration with FMQAI, produced Diabetes & You, a 30-minute program that addressed diabetes prevention and treatment. Originally broadcast in the fall of 2005, it will be offered to other Florida PBS stations and rebroadcast around the premiere of Remaking American Medicine. Volunteers from the local chapter of the ADA will respond to callers during the program and viewers will receive Diabetes & You, a bilingual booklet focusing on the prevention and treatment of diabetes.
Coalition members have assisted in selection of Champions of Change, are holding diabetes screenings and discussion groups and are distributing clips from the program to providers throughout the Tampa Bay area. A companion Web site, tampabayhealth.org, includes consumer tools developed by coalition partners.
FMQAI's RAM web page: http://www.fmqai.com/Remaking/DiabetesSelfManage.htm
Contacts:
Larry Jopek
VP of Community Partnerships
WEDU
(813) 254-9338
ljopek@wedu.org
David Ruscitti,
Corporate Communications Coordinator
FMQAI
(813) 865-3255
druscitti@flqio.sdps.org
Salt Lake City, Utah (as of August 2006)
KUED, working in partnership with HealthInsight Nevada, the Quality Improvement Organization, is developing a statewide campaign intended to address chronic disease management and how at-risk and low income populations access treatment in our state. Coalition members include AARP, the Utah Medical Association, the End of Life Care Partnership, Regency Blue Cross Blue Shield, University of Utah School of Medicine, Caregiver Coalition of Utah and Intermountain Health Care.
KUED will also host a screening and panel discussion of Program Three, “The Stealth Epidemic” on October 17th, to promote the RAM broadcast. Members of the RAM Utah Coalition will serve as members of the panel discussion and address issues highlighted in the program.
KUED will produce a 30-minute program on its public affairs series, Utah Now, which will feature the local Champions of Change and address chronic diseases and health care access.
In September, coalition members will participate in 16 statewide forums that will address quality health care and chronic disease management issues. Coalition members are providing consumer tools and resources for a special kit called RAM Workshops in a Box that will be distributed to hospitals and medical colleges throughout the state. The coalition will also develop a patient information flier. Members will assist in promotion efforts and a statewide media campaign.
Once selected, local Champions of Change will participate as campaign spokespersons and appear in local programming and discussion forums.
Contacts:
Jacqui Voland
Outreach Coordinator
KUED
(801) 585-3523
jvoland@kued.org
Christie North
Project Coordinator
HealthInsight
(801) 892-0155
cnorth@healthinsight.org
Columbia, South Carolina (as of August 2006)
South Carolina’s rural community is nearly leading the nation in the percentage of its population suffering from chronic diseases. The RAM coalition’s statewide public education campaign is meant to empower patients to better manage their own health care with a special focus on seniors.
Coalition members include South Carolina ETV; the state’s Quality Improvement Organization, Carolinas Center for Medical Excellence (CCME); AARP; the South Carolina Hospital Association; and the South Carolina Medical Association, among others.
SCETV is producing a 30-minute documentary, Countdown to Better Care: Ten Tips to Help Protect Yourself Against Medical Errors, which will address prevention of medical errors. The documentary will be broadcast in conjunction with the national broadcast of Remaking American Medicine. It will also be video streamed on the station’s Web site and will serve as the focus for public screenings, events and presentations before target audiences.
The station is also producing Medical Error Countdown public information spots to be broadcast the month of October when the series airs.
Coalition members have selected Champions of Change who are being featured on the campaign Web site, in publications and in other publicity efforts. The coalition is also developing patient resources targeting underserved audiences. They will include lists of free medical clinics and services and monthly tip sheets on specific disease management. Coalition members are making quality improvement presentations to hospitals, home health care agencies and nursing homes and are distributing consumer tools and resources.
Contact:
Carolyn Holderman
Director of Higher Ed/Medical Education
SCETV
(803) 737-3447
hold@scetv.org
Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota (as of August 2006)
The goal of the RAM outreach campaign is to address issues of chronic disease management, specifically diabetes, and access to health care for underserved populations across the state. Twin Cities Public Television (TPT) has developed a Community Healthcare Awareness Initiative (CHAI) to focus on these issues. It is working in partnership with Stratis Health, the state Quality Improvement Organization, and the Buyers Health Care Action Group, among others.
TPT will produce two documentaries that will air in conjunction with Remaking American Medicine. Produced by Fred de Sam Lazaro, a health care field producer for NewsHour With Jim Lehrer, the documentary will feature Minnesota Champions of Change.
In addition, TPT will hold three community discussion forums facilitated by
Stratis Health in Minneapolis, Duluth and Rochester. The forums will feature Champions of Change as well as clips from Remaking American Medicine and the local documentary. One of the forums will be taped to be included in one of the documentaries.
Coalition members are developing a consumer tool kit that will be made available to viewers, distributed to health care organizations and related caregiver support groups, and provided to public libraries.
Contacts:
Ann Sunwall
Senior Outreach Officer
TPT
(651) 229-1126
asunwall@tpt.org
Kate Johnston
Media and Public Relations Specialist
Stratis Health
(952) 854-3306
kjohnston@mnqio.sdps.org
Detroit, Michigan (as of August 2006)
Detroit Public Television (DPTV) and MPRO, Michigan’s Quality Improvement Organization are the primary partners in a statewide effort that is focusing on improving quality of care for underserved populations.
RAM coalition partners include the Henry Ford Health System, Wayne State University, Detroit Medical Center, St. John’s Health, the American Medical Association, the state of Michigan’s Office of the Surgeon General and the statewide Chronic Illness Association, among others.
DPTV is producing a 30-minute program, To Help You Heal, which will feature local Champions of Change – individuals and institutions who are working to reduce disparities in health care. Physician volunteers will host a live phone bank in DPTV’s studios. The program will be broadcast in tandem with the national series and distributed to other Michigan PBS stations. Coalition members will also distribute program clips to health care providers.
DPTV will also produce a special program of its weekly public affairs program, American Black Journal. It will feature a representative from MPRO who will discuss issues of access to health care.
In addition, DPTV and MPRO are developing a Physicians Literacy Workshop to be held at Wayne State University on the issue of cultural competencies. Coalition members are developing the curriculum. They will provide experts and assist with its implementation.
Contacts:
Anne Patten
Director of Outreach and Program Promotions
DPTV
(313) 876-8130
apatten@dptv.org
Sue Burns
Manager of Public Community and Marketing
MPRO
(248) 465-7300
sburns@mpro.org
Richmond/Charlottesville, Virginia (as of May 2006)
Virginia’s RAM coalition is addressing the health care needs of uninsured and underserved patients. The 30-member coalition includes the Virginia Health Quality Center (VHQC), AARP Virginia, the Virginia Department of Health, Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association, Virginia Commonwealth University’s Medical College, and the Center for Quality Health Care & Consumer Protection, among others.
In conjunction with the series premiere, WCVE/WHTJ will broadcast two live call-in programs featuring local Champions of Change. One program will focus on the statewide nursing shortages and the second will address patient care and safety. The station is currently working with the VHQC to produce a Health Care Passport, a patient resource guide focusing on preventative health care and chronic disease management. It will be made available to viewers, distributed across the state by coalition members and placed on the station’s Web site. RAM coalition partners will select Champions of Change, assist with panel selection and support the statewide promotional efforts. WCVE will also host several community screenings of Remaking American Medicine, followed by discussion groups.
Contacts:
John H. Felton
VP for Programming and Production
WCVE
(804) 560-8120
jfelton@ideastations.org
Sallie S. Cook, M.D.
Chief Medical Officer
Virginia Health Quality Center
(804) 289-5320
scook@vaqio.sdps.org
Chicago, Illinois (as of May 2006)
The Chicago RAM coalition is addressing the issues of diabetes prevention and management within the Hispanic and African-American communities.
WTTW is partnering with the Illinois Foundation for Quality Health Care (IFQHC), the state Quality Improvement Organization; the American Diabetes Association; the Illinois Hospital Association; the University of Chicago Medical Center; Northwestern University; and Midwest Business Group on Health.
Working in conjunction with IFQHC, the coalition partners have developed an assessment tool to determine the geographical areas most in need of diabetes education. The results will be used to develop programming, related collateral materials and outreach efforts.
WTTW is collaborating with the Midwest Business Group on Health to produce a segment about diabetes management and prevention for Chicago Tonight, its local public affairs program. The station will also produce flyers and posters and conduct both radio and Web-based activities to support the campaign. WTTW, in collaboration with the Illinois Hospital Association, plans to hold screening events in several hospitals around the series premiere.
Contact:
Shaunese Teamer
Manager of Community Outreach & National Publicity
WTTW
(773) 509-5441
steamer@wttw.com
Scott Fortin
Manager, Communications and Outreach
Illinois Foundation for Quality Health Care
630-571-5540
sfortin@ilqio.sdps.org
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (as of May 2006)
WHYY-TV is a member of the Caring Community Coalition, a coalition of 100 organizations located across the region. Other coalition members include the Hospital and Health System Association of Pennsylvania, the New Jersey Hospital Association, AARP, the Delaware Healthcare Association, the American College of Physicians and the American Board of Internal Medicine. The goal of the RAM campaign is to address the needs of medical education and to improve provider communication skills.
The coalition has selected the Longitudinal Experience to Appreciate Patient Perspectives (LEAPP) program at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine as a Champion of Change. The program follows a group of medical students who are paired with chronically ill patients for the duration of their medical school training. The goal is to improve the patients’ care and the students’ communication skills. WHYY will feature this initiative in a local program airing close to the series premiere.
WHYY will also produce a live town hall meeting in their studios for medical school leaders, providers and the general public. It will feature Champions of Change who are addressing medical education needs in Philadelphia and surrounding communities. The meeting will also be Web cast and archived on the station’s Web site. WHYY-FM will also produce a complementary radio program for its NPR series, Voices in the Family.
Contact:
Willo Carey
Executive Director, Wider Horizons
WHYY
(215) 351-0540
wcarey@whyy.org
Baton Rouge, Louisiana (as of May 2006)
The goal of the RAM Coalition is to address the health care needs of the uninsured and to increase consumers’ understanding of how to better access health care delivery. Coalition members include Louisiana Public Broadcasting (LPB); the Louisiana Health Care Review, the local QIO; AARP; the Louisiana Nursing Home Association; the Louisiana Hospital Association; Volunteer Hospital Association; and the Louisiana State Medical Society.
Working with its coalition partners, LPB is compiling information about patients’ rights and provider services throughout the state. This information will be used to guide program content as well as to develop consumer tools and resources.
In addition to a live town hall meeting on the uninsured that will be produced by Louisiana Public Broadcasting, the outreach effort will include a series of six statewide Patient Education Seminars focusing on the needs of the uninsured. Speakers will include providers, coalition members and state government representatives, including Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
Contact:
Bob Neese
Promotions Manager
LPB
(225) 767-4274
bneese@lpb.org
Arlington, Virginia (as of August 2006)
Heart disease is the number one killer of women. According to the American Heart Association (AHA), African-American women face a greater threat of death from heart disease than women of other races. WETA-TV is leading a patient- and family-centered campaign focusing on cardiovascular disease prevention and management among African-American women in the Washington, D.C. area. The campaign is meant to inform, provide useful tools and resources and encourage women to become stronger advocates for their own health care.
Coalition members include the Delmarva Foundation of the District of Columbia, the local Quality Improvement Organization; the D.C. office of the American Heart Association; the National Association of Black Nurses; the Capitol City Cardiovascular Wellness and Rehabilitation Center; Unity Health; and Chartered Family Health.
The role of the faith community in addressing health-related issues has been, and continues to be a vital part of African-American life. The RAM coalition will produce a series of Educational Forums focusing on treatment and prevention of heart disease for this target audience. These events, entitled Remaking the Districts Medicine, will be held in African-American churches and community centers. WETA and the Unity Health medical staff are conducting a focus group of African American women in May. The results of this qualitative research will help guide the overall awareness campaign including the Educational Forums.
Coalition members will provide speakers at local events and provide promotional support for the entire campaign. Local Champions of Change will be featured at the Forums as well as in brief videos to be produced and broadcast by WETA.
Contacts:
Ferne C. Barrow
Sr. Director, Outreach & Education
WETA
(703) 998-2420
fbarrow@weta.com
Deneen Richmond
Executive Director
Delmarva Foundation
(202) 496-6541
richmond@dfmc.org
Vermillion, South Dakota (as of May 2006)
Access to adequate health care for the underserved and rural population is a major issue in South Dakota. The goal of the RAM coalition is to inform and empower these target audiences, with a special emphasis on American Indians within the state.
The “Power to the Patient” RAM coalition includes South Dakota Public Broadcasting (SDPB); the South Dakota Foundation for Medical Care, the state QIO; the South Dakota Department of Health; the South Dakota Nurses Association; the South Dakota Medical Association; South Dakota Foundation for Medical Care; and the South Dakota Association of Healthcare Organizations.
The coalition will mount a statewide promotion campaign that will include four community screenings, a series of local discussion groups and outreach at family health fairs. One screening event will be held on an American Indian Reservation.
The station will produce a special primetime edition of a weekend health series entitled On Call, which will air in conjunction with Remaking American Medicine. The coalition, working with the South Dakota State Medical Association, is producing a companion consumer brochure that will include tips and resources on how to better access health care. The brochure, which will be available on the station Web site, will be distributed at community events, screenings, health fairs and American Indian Reservations.
Contact:
Sherri Rodgers
Director of Education and Outreach
South Dakota Public Broadcasting
(605) 677-6454
sherri.rodgers@state.sd.us
Lincoln, Nebraska (as of May 2006)
The RAM coalition in Nebraska is focusing on patient safety and patient- and family-centered care. The goal is to encourage consumers to be more proactive in meeting their own health care needs, with a special emphasis on seniors.
Coalition members include Nebraska Educational Telecommunications (NET); CIMRO-Nebraska, the state QIO; the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services; AARP; the Nebraska Division of Aging; Nebraska Office of Public Health; Nebraska Association of Home Health; Nebraska Health and Human Service; and the Office of Minority Health and Community Health Agencies, among others.
Coalition partners are actively engaged in all aspects of the campaign. They will hold a series of RAM screening/events and forums throughout the state and select local Champions of Change. The Champions will be featured in NET’s weekly news magazine series, Statewide, and will participate in a series of panel discussions on Nebraska Connects, a statewide call-in program also produced by the station. They will also be featured on NET Radio, which is heard throughout the state.
Dr. Sheila Ryan, Ph.D., professor at the College of Nursing at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, is a member of the national advisory panel for Remaking American Medicine and is also participating in the outreach campaign.
The coalition is developing a promotional brochure for distribution at statewide health conferences for hospitals, rural health facilities, community health organizations and pharmacists. CIMRO’s Web site is serving as the ‘nerve center’ for the campaign. Other coalition partners are placing RAM related, family-centered information on their respective Web sites.
Contacts:
Marthaellen Florence
Producer/Outreach Coordinator
NET-Television
Lincoln, Nebraska
Phone: 402-472-9333 x220
mflorence@netNebraska.org
Keri McDermott
Communications Director
CIMRO-NE
(402) 476-1399
kmcdermott@neqio.sdps.org
Little Rock, Arkansas (as of May 2006)
Arkansas ranks high in the U.S. in mortality rates due to such chronic illnesses as heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes and obesity. The Arkansas RAM coalition is addressing the health care needs of patients and families who must deal with these chronic diseases.
Arkansas Educational Television Network (AETN) is partnering with the Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care (AFMC), the state Quality Improvement Organization; the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement; and the Arkansas Hospital Association, as well as a number of hospitals and health clinics throughout the state.
A recent Obesity Leadership Summit, hosted by AETN, served as the catalyst for the campaign. Eight Champions of Change have been chosen for a one-hour documentary that will air in conjunction with Remaking American Medicine. One of these Champions is Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, who is highly focused on the issue of obesity. As Chairman of the National Governors Association (NGA), Governor Huckabee has included this issue in NGA’s program, Healthy America.
AETN is producing an educational traveling exhibit on chronic care that will feature the work of local Champions of Change while promoting Remaking American Medicine. The exhibit will travel to health-related conferences throughout the state. Coalition members will develop collateral materials on chronic disease management that will be used in the exhibit and featured on their respective Web sites.
Contact:
Dan Koops
Outreach Producer
Arkansas Educational Television Network
(501) 682-4131
dkoops@aetn.org
Denver, Colorado (as of May 2006)
Rocky Mountain PBS had already created an outreach project called Healthy Impact! to address the state’s health care needs. Building on this base, the RAM coalition decided to focus on the issue of health disparities for the underserved and to encourage patients and families to become stronger advocates for their own health care. Coalition partners include the Anti-Defamation League; the Colorado Foundation for Medical Care (CFMC), the state QIO; Littleton Adventist Hospital; the Colorado Foundation for Medical Care; Colorado Medical Society; Regis University; Anthem BlueCross BlueShield; the Asian Pacific Development Center; and the Colorado Hospital Association.
Coalition members will assist in a fall teleconference that will address issues of cultural competencies, recruitment of health professionals from minority communities, improving data collections regarding health disparities and providing language interpretation services for patients with limited English proficiency. They will also help in the promotion of this event.
Rocky Mountain PBS is producing two specials that will air in conjunction with Remaking American Medicine. One, entitled LifeWise, will address issues affecting seniors and the other, entitled Hold Your Breath, will feature local Champions of Change and highlight the issues addressed in the national series.
Other activities include producing two short promotional features profiling Champions of Change, developing a project Web site and producing Spanish-language radio spots.
CFMC's RAM web page: http://www.cfmc.org/providers/providers_ram.htm
Contact:
Josefina P. Tuason
Director of Education Services
Rocky Mountain PBS
Denver, CO 80204
(303) 620-5686
josefina@rmpbs.org
Birmingham, Alabama (as of May 2006)
A statewide RAM coalition, led by the Alabama Quality Assurance Foundation (AQAF), is focusing on health disparities among diverse audiences as well as chronic disease maintenance and prevention. RAM coalition members include Alabama Public Television (APT), Alabama Public Radio, Alabama Hospital Association, Alabama Medical Association, the School of Medicine at the University of Alabama and the Community Care Network, among others.
The coalition has begun to hold a series of statewide health care summits to discuss these issues. A recent meeting in Montgomery included a presentation by U.S. Surgeon General Richard Carmona. The Surgeon General and several other local Champions of Change will appear in a local program, Remaking Alabama Medicine, which will air in conjunction with Remaking American Medicine.
Coalition members will conduct screenings and discussion events around the series and will promote both programs in their respective hometown newspapers, on their Web sites and through their internal publications. AQAF is taking the lead in the statewide publicity efforts.
Contact:
Michael Jones
Director of Communications
Alabama Quality Assurance Foundation
(205) 970-1600
mjones3@alqio.sdps.org
Research Triangle Park, North Carolina (as of May 2006)
The RAM coalition is being led by the University of North Carolina Public Television (UNC-TV), which is building on a three-year health initiative entitled HealthWise that addresses health literacy and chronic care. Coalition members include the Carolinas Center for Medical Excellence, the statewide Quality Improvement Organization; the Governor’s Emerging Issues Task Force, a University of North Carolina health initiative that combines the resources of the sixteen constituent campuses of the University of North Carolina; the North Carolina Health and Wellness Trust Fund Commission; and the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Services.
The coalition has selected eleven statewide Emerging Champions of Change in North Carolina Medicine. Four are providers and seven represent quality care initiatives within institutions. UNC-TV has created a special health area on its Web site that will feature the Champions and the series.
UNC and coalition partners will conduct a fall health summit/training workshop focusing on chronic disease management. In conjunction with Remaking American Medicine, UNC will also produce a story on this subject that will appear in its local health care series, Focus on Health.
Contact:
Mary Cay Corr
Diversity Coordinator
UNC-TV
(919) 549-7164
mcorr@unctv.org
Trenton, New Jersey (as of August 2006)
Based on research from the New Jersey Collaborative Center for Nursing of Rutgers University, New Jersey is currently experiencing a serious nursing shortage with a projected 43 percent reduction in the workforce by 2020. New Jersey Network (NJN), the statewide PBS station and New Jersey Public Radio, along with other members of the RAM Community Partners Coalition, are mounting a statewide campaign about this important issue as well as the anticipated shortages by other health care providers.
The RAM Community Partners Coalition includes AARP, American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, New Jersey Hospital Association, Rutgers University School of Nursing, Hackensack University Medical Center and the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, among others.
In conjunction with the premiere of Remaking American Medicine, NJN will broadcast a statewide panel discussion, entitled Remaking New Jersey Nursing focusing on these issues. It will feature medical professionals, state agency officials, nursing education leaders and other policy makers. Coalition members will help select panelists and local Champions of Change, who will be featured throughout the campaign.
The coalition is working with several area hospitals to host RAM screenings and discussions. The station plans to hold a legislative reception prior to the airdate for the national series to focus on the health care shortages. Clips from the series as well as NJN’s local production will be shown at that time.
Contact:
Elizabeth Christopherson, CEO
New Jersey Network
(609) 777-5000
ec@njn.org
Albuquerque, New Mexico (as of May 2006)
The New Mexico coalition has developed an initiative entitled New Mexico Health Care Takes On Diabetes in conjunction with Remaking American Medicine. The goal is to address issues of diabetes prevention and management in the Hispanic community.
The coalition is being led by the New Mexico Medical Review Association (NMMRA). Members include AARP, American Heart Association, New Mexico Hospital Association, Congressman Tom Udall's office, Eastern New Mexico Medical Center, New Mexico Aging & Long Term Services Department, New Mexico Department of Health and the New Mexico Association for Home and Hospice Care among others. They will assist in selecting statewide Champions of Change and will participate in the overall promotional campaign.
NMMRA is working with all three PBS stations, Albuquerque, Las Cruces and Portales to produce RAM-related programming. In addition to diabetes management and prevention, the programs will also deal with telemedicine and improving communication between patients and physicians.
NMMRA is also working with KNME (Albuquerque) to produce a series of six spots on diabetes management and will host a town hall meeting close to the series premiere. NMMRA has also produced a health resource guide that includes pioneering health care programs and is featuring RAM on their Web to promote the series.
NMMRA's RAM Web site: http://www.nmmra.org/nmram/index.php
Contact:
Jennifer Trotter
Communications Manager
New Mexico Medical Review Association
(505) 998-9744
jtrotter@nmqio.sdps.org
Reno, Nevada (as of May 2006)
HealthInsight, the Nevada QIO, and KNPB, the local PBS station, have just begun to develop a RAM coalition. They recently held a session with potential partners to identify which health care issues should serve as the focus of their campaign. They may include: access to health care for the underserved and uninsured; chronic disease management; patient safety; or encouraging consumers to play a larger role in their own health care.
KNPB is building on its current health care initiative for Northern Nevada called In Pursuit of Health, which addressed diabetes prevention and management. That project targeted the Hispanic/Latino community, which makes up approximately 20 percent of Reno’s population.
Once the specific quality issue(s) are selected, the RAM coalition plans to undertake a series of community screenings, local discussion groups and other promotional activities. If funding becomes available, KNPB will also produce a local call-in program that would air in connection with Remaking American Medicine.
Contacts:
Sherri Dangberg
Director of Community Outreach
KNPB-TV
(775) 784-4555
sherri@knpb.org
Kristin Boucher
Communications Coordinator
HealthInsight Nevada
(702) 385-9333
kboucher@healthinsight.org
Des Moines, Iowa (as of May 2006)
Iowa Public Television (IPTV) and the Iowa Foundation for Medical Care (IFMC), the state Quality Improvement Organization, have developed a statewide Iowa RAM coalition that will focus on how to increase access to health care for seniors. Other coalition members include AARP, the Iowa Department of Elder Affairs, the Council on Aging, the Visiting Nurses Association, and the Parish Nurses Association.
A recent statewide assessment of seniors’ health care needs demonstrated that those who are more active in their own care most often receive the best treatment. Participants were asked about their attitudes toward doctor-patient relationships, where they obtained information about health care and how responsible they are in attaining proper care. The results will form the basis for the statewide campaign.
IPTV will produce four segments for its weekly statewide public affairs program, Living in Iowa, which will target these issues. The coalition will produce a “Health Care Consumer Tool Kit” that will be distributed to nursing homes, home health care agencies, hospitals and other providers. The coalition will also identify local Champions of Change - physicians and nurses in home health settings and in nursing homes who will be featured in the campaign.
Contacts:
Mary Bracken
Outreach and Communications Coordinator
Iowa Public Television/IPTV
(515) 242-3124
mary.bracken@iptv.org
Peter Speikers
Communications Manager
Iowa Foundation for Medical Care
(515) 223-2178
pspeikers@iaqio.sdps.org
Phoenix, Arizona (as of May 2006)
The Health Services Advisory Group (HSAG), the state Quality Improvement Organization, is developing a statewide coalition that includes the Arizona Medical Association, the Arizona Hospital Association, Arizona Rural Health, Arizona Osteopathic Association, and KAET, the PBS station in Tempe. The goal is to help improve quality health care for the Hispanic community.
Once selected, bilingual Champions of Change will be featured throughout the campaign. They will appear in a local health care series entitled Doctor’s Day, produced by KAET, and promoted in coalition partner newsletters, magazines and Web sites. They will also be featured on Hispanic radio stations and in local newspapers leading up to the premiere of Remaking American Medicine. HSAG and KAET also hope to host a screening event around the series.
HSAG's RAM WEb page: http://www.hsag.com/ram/
Contact:
Barbara Warren
Director, Health Communications
Health Services Advisory Group
Phoenix, AZ 85020-3983
(602) 665-6113
bwarren@hsag.com
Washington, D.C. (as of August 2006)
The D.C.-area RAM coalition and WHUT, Washington’s public television station, are initiating a major outreach campaign for Remaking American Medicine that underscores two issues: “Caring for Your Health” and “Quality Care for All.” The coalition includes the Delmarva Foundation, the local Quality Improvement Organization; Howard University Hospital; the D.C. Department of Health; the American Hospital Association; the D.C. League for Nursing; the National Medical Association; and NBC 4.
Under the umbrella “Caring for Your Health”, WHUT will explore chronic disease management emphasizing the role individuals can play in managing their own health care. The focus will be on strokes, cancer, diabetes, and high blood pressure -- all chronic issues that disproportionately affect WHUT’s diverse viewing community.
“Caring for Your Health” will include a local television program, a public service campaign, a community forum, Web site materials and consumer handouts. Topics of discussion will include patient-doctor and patient-pharmacist communications, and how patients can better understand and manage their diseases. Providers and patient advocates will show how to manage medical records and make the best use of local acute and preventive care facilities and resources.
“Quality Care for All” will look at regional disparities in health care and illustrate ways in which individuals and organizations are effecting positive change in acute and long-term care facilities. It will focus on the ways in which nursing homes and other long-term care facilities are creating a more patient-centered environment.
Contacts:
Jennifer Lawson
General Manager
Howard University Television/WHUT
(202) 806-3010
j_lawson@howard.edu
Deneen Richmond
Executive Director
Delmarva Foundation
(202) 496-6541
richmond@dfmc.org
Spokane, Washington (as of August 2006)
The D.C.-area RAM coalition and WHUT, Washington’s public television station, are initiating a major outreach campaign for Remaking American Medicine that underscores two themes -- "Caring for Your Health" and "Quality Care for All." The RAM coalition includes the Delmarva Foundation, the local Quality Improvement Organization, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Howard University Hospital, Howard University Department of Graduate Psychology, Institute for Family Centered Care, Office of Minority Health, National Black Caucus Foundation, American Heart Association, and the Green Door.
The station is producing two local programs: the first will explore the role of the individual in chronic disease management and preventive care. Topics will include how to make the best use of local acute and preventive care facilities and resources. The second will examine health care disparities, emphasizing issues of access.
The RAM coalition used a report from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), a RAM National Partner, on D.C. regional health care disparities as a basis for campaign activities. The station will host two Community Forums, bringing Coalition partners together with Community members, and initiating a grassroots discussion of the health issues.
Promotional activities include featuring RAM and the local outreach campaign on the newly developed "Community Page" on the station's Web site. The station is also participating in a number of area community and school health fairs.
Contact:
Kerry Faggiano
Manager Corporate Marketing & Outreach
KSPS-TV
(509) 354-7748
kerryf@spokaneschools.org
Owings Mills, Maryland (as of May 2006)
The Maryland RAM coalition, led by Maryland Public Television (MPT) is focusing on the issue of cardiovascular care for seniors. Members include the Delmarva Foundation, the American Heart Association, AARP, Hospice Network of Maryland and the Maryland Department of Aging.
MPT recently hosted a Health Leadership Summit on senior wellness to help determine senior health care needs. MPT is also partnering with Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center on a Community Health Assessment Project to develop a consumer survey that will be conducted in over 1,000 homes in Southeast Baltimore. The goal is to identify specific areas of unmet health needs and risk factors for seniors. Outcomes will assist in the development of content for local programming, community discussions and the creation of consumer materials.
The coalition will select Champions of Change, individuals who are experts in providing care to seniors. They will be featured on in the campaign, on the station Web site and in partner Web sites. Leading up to the series premiere, MPT will host screenings and discussion events at nursing homes and hospitals throughout the Baltimore area. The coalition is developing consumer materials including a “healthy heart checklist” for distribution at these events. It will also be featured on the station’s Web site.
Contacts:
Faith Michel
Director of Outreach
Maryland Public Television
(410) 581-4031
fmichel@mail.mpt.org
Deneen Richmond
Executive Director
Delmarva Foundation
(202) 496-6541
richmond@dfmc.org
Quality Improvement Organization’s (QIOs)
A number of QIOs have played a critical role in the creation of RAM Coalitions. They helped define quality issues in their respective communities, created consumer tools and resources, provided financial support and produced television programming. In fact, several QIOs, such as New Mexico and Alabama, are serving as coalition leaders. To learn more about their involvement, please log on to RAMcampaign.org and go to the “Connect with Others” section. Select a state from the drop down menu and type Quality Initiative in the keyword box.
