SOS Rx

Education Campaign Work Group

Report on meeting on September 16, 2003

 

I.                    Eleven organizations attended the work group meeting, including the following:  American Society of Health System Pharmacists, Alliance for Aging Research, American Society of Consultant Pharmacists, Generic Pharmaceutical Association, National Consumer League, National Family Caregivers Association, National Patient Safety Foundation, NCPIE, UnitedHealth Group, Visiting Nurses of America Association, and Express Scripts

 

II.                 Objectives of the meeting –

1)     To gain a sense of what messages already exist in the media regarding safe use of medications; and

2)     To identify some of the issues that should be discussed either at the consensus retreat or by the coalition regarding the education campaign.  The experts at the consensus retreat will be identifying the consumer actions and the system changes that will have the greatest impact on outpatient medication safety. 

  

III.               Review of Media Audit  

Group reviewed the media audit conducted of print media in the past year. The group noted that there have been some education campaigns on television, and not in print media.   Also noted that the media has failed to adequately cover the system changes that are already taking place to improve patient safety. There is a sense that if the media is not covering it, it is not happening.

 

IV.              Target audience for the education campaign

1)     There are two potential audiences – consumers and health care providers.  For changes in consumer behavior, the messages will be primarily directed to consumers (with family caregivers also serving as a key supporting audience for consumers who are patients), while messages on health system changes will be primarily directed at health care providers.  These two target audiences are broad, they will need to be clarified and narrowed.  Since the consensus retreat will more clearly define the system changes that need to be addressed, the work group focused on the consumer messages.    

2)     Consumer messages - There was agreement that regarding the consumer messages, the target audience should be initially defined as follows:

                                                               i.      65 years old and older, and 

                                                             ii.      Family caregivers (defined as anybody who has a relational commitment to providing care to those 65 and over)

3)     Other issues regarding the consumer target audience which need clarification:

                                                               i.      Non-institutionalized – only initially addressing outpatient?

                                                             ii.      Disease state – those with chronic diseases are most likely to be taking multiple medication and more susceptible to adverse events

                                                            iii.      Literacy issues – are we addressing the literate consumer, or also the non-literate consumer? 

4)     Discussed that while there would be a primary target audience regarding consumer messages, this does not preclude other audiences from also being addressed.  Also realized that depending on the consumer actions that are identified at the retreat, the target consumer audience may become more clearly defined. .

 

V.                 Elements of an Educational Campaign – 

1)     Use every imaginable channel to deliver the message – not just spending money on media advertising.

2)     Look at the most effective way to reach your intended audience with the message, how to reach largest audience with least amount of money.   

3)     Reaching consumers where they live and interact – working with local organizations

4)     Putting a personal face on this issue

5)     Focus groups could first test the messages

6)     Channels for delivering the message – leveraging the messages through state and regional coalitions, retirement communities, parish nursing groups, etc.

7)     Review what has worked for past patient safety campaigns – AARP, etc.

8)     To recruit partners to help with the campaign – need to ask who will benefit the most from less adverse events and enlist their support, e.g., retirement communities.  

 

VI.              Survey  - Discussed the idea of conducting a survey of both consumers and health care professionals on safe medication use. 

1)     Consumer Survey – Goal is to obtain a profile of consumer understanding of this issue. Survey all consumers, including those 65 and over.  Possible questions could focus on current practices and attitudes toward medication safety. Examples:

                                                               i.      What are people willing to do or not do about the problem

                                                             ii.      Where are people currently getting information on safe use of medications

                                                            iii.      Where do people get their medications – multiple sources?

                                                           iv.      Do people keep a list of all the medications they are taking?

                                                             v.      How do people view medications?

                                                           vi.      Use of complimentary therapies

2)     Healthcare Professional Survey  - Goal of the survey is to find out from the health care professionals what would work for them to help ensure safe use of medications. 

3)     Timing – The healthcare professional survey could be conducted after the consumer survey and the subsequent media attention has drawn attention to the problem.  Discussed how it would be beneficial to conduct the survey before the educational campaign since the survey could produce information to help shape the messages and campaign.

 

VII.            Resource Audit

Presented the resource audit on patient safety resources – including past and current initiatives.   This is a living document – additional resources will be added as they are suggested.  

 

VIII.         Next Steps

Timetable – Consensus retreat in early November, which will prioritize the consumer actions and system changes that will have the most impact on outpatient medication safety. Education work group to convene again by early December.  Campaign further developed in January – February.  Roll out in Spring 2004.