1. Valuing Private Hospitals Campaign
A National Awareness Campaign
Thank you for your time today.
I’m the champion in our hospital for a national awareness campaign created by the Australian Private Hospitals Association to showcase the great work private hospitals do in caring for the health of Australians, supporting the health care system, and the vital role we play every day in the lives of our patients.
Over the next 15 minutes I will walk you through what this campaign is all about, where it came from and let you know what will be happening over the coming weeks and months.
This campaign is about showing the wider community that we do so much more than many people think – hence the tagline you see on this slide – and to debunk some of the myths about private hospitals that still remain in parts of the community and in government.

2. What does the campaign aim to do and why?
Build awareness of the value and benefits of private hospitals.
Garner and mobilise community support for Private Hospitals.
Position the APHA and member hospitals to contribute positively to the debate about reform of Australia’s health system.
Why?
Because the value of private hospitals aren’t well known
Because too few Australians know much about what we do
With health and hospital reform in the sights of the Rudd Government, the APHA has seen an opportunity to put private hospitals front and centre in the debate.
The Valuing Private Hospitals Campaign will raise awareness of the value and benefits of private hospitals for both the patients we treat, and by removing some of the pressure on the public system.
It will encourage community support for the vital role of private hospitals.
And it will pave the way for greater government engagement.
Why? Because the value of private hospitals isn’t well known and because few Australians know much about the range of treatments we provide.

3. What’s behind the campaign?
APHA commissioned research at the end of last year
Benchmarking survey: community attitudes towards private hospitals
Social Media: how Australians are talking about public and private hospitals online
Traditional media audit
How does the APHA know this?
At the end of last year the APHA commissioned research to understand:
The community attitudes towards private hospitals through a benchmarking survey. The survey measured their political, situational and personal views about public hospitals and the health system as a whole and their views about private hospitals.
What people are saying about private hospitals online through an audit of social media.
How the media reports on hospitals, and private hospitals – is it positive or negative, who are the journalists, who are the other commentators and what are they saying.

4. Insights – Benchmarking Survey
Australians are concerned about the state of our health system.
Waiting is the primary concern of people seeking medical treatment
Patients and families already see ‘value’
Nurses are a trusted and influential voice
The community acknowledges we need both public and private hospitals
Few are able to say what private hospitals do
The survey APHA commissioned showed that
Australians are concerned about the state of our health system
Waiting is the primary concern of people seeking medical treatment
Patients and families already see ‘value’ in private hospitals and private healthcare
Nurses are a trusted and influential voice
There is an acknowledgement by many that Australia needs both public and private hospitals and that the public sector wouldn’t cope without us
But few are able to say exactly what private hospitals offer in terms of the range of treatments.

5. Insights – Social media
Pregnant women are the most vocal and passionate on the topic
The cost of private health care is what drives most of the discussion online
Other topics include: private health insurance, maternity services and choice.
Very few advocates for the value of private hospitals
Digital strategy is core to raising awareness
The conversations people have online about hospitals and health care is slightly different.
Pregnant women are the most vocal and passionate on the topic
For those in the community engaging in conversation online, the cost of private health care is what drives most of the discussion.
Other issues online are: private health insurance, maternity services and choice.
Whilst there are some critics of private hospitals, it isn’t overwhelming.
The digital media ‘listening post’ confirmed that there are very few advocates for the value of private hospitals providing a real opportunity for the campaign.
So a core part of this campaign involves the use of digital or social media.

6. Insights – media audit
Assessment of mainstream media shows that reporting is largely neutral
Third party commentators across a spectrum of government, industry bodies, professional bodies and individuals are neutral and slightly more positive towards private hospitals.
Government recognises potential value of private hospitals to the reform agenda
Convert ‘neutral’ to positive position in the media
As part of understanding what people read and know about private hospitals, the APHA also completed an assessment of mainstream media.
It showed that:
reporting is largely neutral, with journalists generally writing fair reports about issues ranging from health reforms, health insurance, waiting lists and quality care.
Third party commentators across a spectrum of government, industry bodies, professional bodies and individuals are neutral and slightly more positive towards private hospitals.
Government recognises potential value of private hospitals to the reform agenda although we didn’t feature in the recent announcements by the Prime Minister.
A campaign that can shift even a small proportion of the coverage from neutral to positive will provide the sector with an opportunity to influence public perceptions and attitudes.

7. Campaign strategy Four waves of activity
Preparation and early outreach
Launch
Sustained activity
Evaluation
Advocates are needed:
Inform > Engage > Persuade
(issue) (solution) (promoter)
Result = Awareness > Advocate
So armed with the research, the campaign strategy involves four waves of activity.
Preparation and early outreach – over the past few weeks the APHA has created materials and messages, talked with member hospitals and asked them to nominate a champion like me to share information about the campaign with you, and to begin developing stories for media.
Launch – the campaign will be launched through the inaugural private hospitals week later this month.
Followed by 8 months of activity to encourage the community to learn more and be part of the campaign.
Finally, the campaign will be evaluated.
As the research showed, private hospitals need advocates.
The strategy begins with information, encourages people to engage in the campaign, and to persuade or promote the value of private hospitals more broadly.

8. Target Audiences
To reach and impact upon the government, we need to engage our target audiences, beginning with patients and private participants, followed by the wider community.
The key to the campaign strategy is to encourage those already engaged in the private sector, our patients, families and carers and hospital staff, to talk about why they value what we do and what we offer. Through people sharing stories we will encourage more conversations.
In a political environment and in an election year there is nothing more influential for elected representatives than the community talking about an issue.

9. Core campaign proposition
So again, based on the research the core campaign proposition is
“Australia’s Private Hospitals: We do so much more”
This refers to the broad range of services and treatments we offer that many in the community would not be aware of, and how important choice and timely care is for our patients.

10. Core Messages Patients and families:
Private hospitals are a vital part of Australia’s hospital system
Without us, many Australians wouldn’t get the care they need when they need it
Nothing is too good for your family’s health – private hospitals take care of you and your family
We do a lot more in your community than you think
You are one of our greatest advocates
The campaign messages are as follows:
We are a vital part of Australia’s hospital system
We do a lot more in your community than you think
You are one of our greatest advocates

11. Core Messages Cont… General Community:
A healthy robust sustainable health system needs both public and private hospitals
We do a lot more than you think – the stereotypes are not correct
We contribute and give back to our communities
We improve the quality of life within your community
Private hospitals are a vital part of Australia’s health system
To the broader community the key messages are:
Australia needs both public and private hospitals
We do a lot more than you think
We contribute and give back to our communities
We are a vital part of Australia’s health system

12. Campaign elements Encouraging people to speak up our hospital staff
our patients, families and carers
the wider community
Activities
Inaugural Private Hospitals Week
Media engagement
Digital media
The campaign then focuses on encouraging people to speak up and share why they value private hospitals.
Over the coming week you will start to see posters and leaflets around the hospital.
Patients are encouraged to share their stories on what they value about private hospitals, and about our hospital.
As private hospital staff we are also encouraged to speak up and talk about how we make a difference in the lives of our patients and their families, and to talk about our own experiences.
Getting the general public involved will happen through the campaign media and online strategies and through Private Hospitals Week.

13. Private Hospitals Week Daily Themes
Monday – Private Hospitals: We Do So Much More Tuesday – Celebrating Private Hospital Staff Wednesday – It’s All About Our Patients Thursday – Private Hospitals: We Do So Much More Friday - Out in the Regions Saturday – World Class Research
The first ever Private Hospitals Week will be held between 26 and 30 April.
Each day will showcase something different about what we do - trying to debunk some of those myths about us and the sector, and encouraging people to see why we are so important to the health system.

14. Private Hospitals Week
National Launch
Daily themes to bring different stories/focus
Local level engagement
Media coverage
National Press Club address
Digital outreach
More specifically, there will be a national launch, local level activities in some hospitals, media coverage and a focus on conversations happening online.
The Australian Private Hospitals Association President Chris Rex will give an address at the National Press Club – the first time that has ever happened and will bring to the fore the important role we play in building and supporting a better system.

15. What materials are there?
Examples
Patient poster
Patient leaflet
Staff poster
Staff leaflet
Patient bookmark
Food tray liner
The campaign materials include (and show the examples)
Posters encouraging patients to get involved – that will be put up around the hospital
A leaflet for patients describing more about the campaign and what they can do – that we will put in waiting rooms, patient compendiums etc
Posters for staff and a leaflet with more information
A bookmark that we will give to patients
A tray liner that we will use
A DVD is also being put together that we can show in waiting rooms or in-house

16. At this hospital we will…
Put up the campaign posters in waiting rooms and public places
Put the patient leaflets in waiting rooms and in patient compendiums
Give the bookmarks to patients
Print and use the campaign tray liners for use during Private Hospitals Week and throughout the year
Get active in Private Hospitals Week
Use the campaign website as our Internet landing page
Put a link from our website to the campaign website
Include information in our staff bulletin
[If there are any specific events or activities your hospital is going to be doing, this is the time to promote those initiatives and encourage staff to get involved, as well as the things listed above]

17. What can you do? Read the materials
Go to the website to read more about the campaign
Share your ‘I value private hospitals because…’ story and encourage your colleagues, friends and family to do the same
Become an advocate
Sign onto the campaign newsletter
Become a fan on Facebook, share your story, pictures, and clips, and see what others are saying
Follow the campaign on Twitter
At an individual level if you feel strongly about the role private hospitals play then you can find out more via the website, share your ‘I value private hospitals because’ statement, talk with your friends and family, become an advocate, sign onto the newsletter, become a fan on Facebook or follow the campaign on Twitter.

18. Ongoing campaign activities
Local hospital engagement
Events and Advocacy
Media outreach
Digital media outreach
Beyond Private Hospitals Week the campaign will continue throughout the year, driven nationally through the APHA, but also through initiatives we might like to promote. If you have ideas, please share them with me.
Stories about private hospitals will be promoted through print media and radio and possibly other events and advocacy.

19. Digital Strategy Website – www.privatehospitals.org.au
Focal point for campaign
Draws together all digital influence strategy elements
Place for people and advocates to share stories
Contains facts and figures about private hospitals
‘We do so much more’ element
Fresh and regularly updated
Links on other websites
Digital or online engagement is a core part of every awareness campaign – that is where people are talking.
For this campaign, the website is a focal point.
It draws together all of the messaging and provides a way for people to share their stories and talk to one another.
It contains facts and figures, news items etc and will be linked through to other websites.

20. Digital Strategy cont…
Influencer Outreach Engage with influential bloggers ‘Open Room’ Invitation-only place for face-to-face and online Q&A Facebook Collect stories, fans Updates on campaign Webinars Testimonials
The digital strategy also includes working with influential bloggers, a Facebook Fan page and a host of other things.

21. Evaluation January 2011 evaluation
To measure campaign success looking at how well the campaign was designed and executed, the level of engagement in the campaign through various events, website and online media, and through positive profiling in the more traditional media (papers, radio, TV).
To recommend a focus for the second Private Hospitals Week and other campaign activities.
With such as significant campaign and investment on behalf of member hospitals, the APHA is taking the evaluation component seriously.
The evaluation will measure the success of the campaign across a number of indicators.
How well the campaign was developed and executed
How private hospitals are viewed by the public, how we are reported in the media and what we as members think about it.
The evaluation will inform the focus of future activities including the 2011 Private Hospitals Week.

22. Australia’s Private Hospitals – We do so much more.
Together, our voices can make a difference and we can show Australia how vital we are to the health system.
Australia’s Private Hospitals – We do so much more.
The campaign will be a success if people understand how important private hospitals are, how important the work we do here and across Australia is in meeting the health care needs of Australians.
We know how much we do and how important it is – so let’s take this opportunity to share it with the community.