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HELPING EMS & HEALTHCARE LEADERS REVIEW, REFOCUS AND RESET THEIR ORGANIZATIONS FOR SUCCESS. IN PERSPECTIVE
Volume 1 • FEBRUARY 2019
AS AN EMS AGENCY, WHY DO YOU NEED TO MARKET YOURSELF? The Necessity of Survival Marketing
You are seeking to reap the benefits of goodwill and informed support from those you serve. You need to make them see you as a positive, rewarding, and well-run entity. You need their support to help you purchase new equipment and make new hires. The community doesn’t understand your needs. The way to get them to understand is by marketing, telling your story. I’ve found that there are eight basic customer/client groups you need to connect with. 1. Employees/Staff Many agency leaders feel as though they’re dealing with conflict, recruitment or retention troubles, and unreasonable demands from employees. However, a properly trained and involved staff makes the best diplomacy. Conversely, employees who are treated like so many replaceable parts will turn into ambassadors of poison as they talk about your organization being a lousy place to work. Whether they are at a high school football game or shopping in the local grocery store, a happy staff can help create a positive image. 2. Patients/Families Whenever we conduct customer service training for field providers, we need to remember that we are observed every step of the way. These observations produce varied levels of understanding about what we’re doing, which affects the opinions that are formed about our capabilities. Meeting the needs of the customers we serve builds relationships and helps turn them into clients.
S ince the very first day EMS became a recognized specialty in the late ‘60s, we’ve provided immeasurable help and support to our communities. For decades, we have shown up when called, wading into intense and sometimes life- threatening chaos. We work double and triple shifts helping people facing dire situations. Then we go home, grab a few hours of sleep, and wait for the next call. In the beginning, the public simply called and we came. Contracts with municipalities and health care facilities were uncomplicated (if we had them at all). We collected subsidies, stipends, or donations from our communities, almost without question. We did our job, and that was enough to keep everything running smoothly. But that’s just not enough anymore. Response times, standards of practice, playing an active role in the community, developing strong relationships with local governmental agencies, mandatory system reporting, dealing with new privacy, and other federal compliance regulations are just the starting point for the expectations placed upon us. And that was before 9/11 happened. Now the expectations have increased, the readiness levels are higher, and communities look to us, the emergency service professionals, to deliver in times of crisis. Our research shows that 87 percent of all emergency medical service agencies
do not market or promote themselves effectively. It’s up to you to create an image that makes your worth clear. EMS, the fire service, and 911 communications centers: What do each of these emergency specialties have in common? They’re all in the service business. And being in the service business requires understanding the difference between customers and clients . The American Heritage Dictionary defines a customer as “one who buys goods or services.” On the other hand, it defines a client as “one for whom professional services are rendered.” These definitions perfectly explain the way many services view the relationships with those they serve. Most people look at anything outside the actual provision of emergency care as something that must be “dealt with,” and they certainly don’t see the need to continue a relationship “after the sale” (i.e., when the patient is out of the ambulance and off the stretcher). Best-practice agencies see the value in providing professional services to the client after the sale and to building a relationship and expectation beforehand. They know that a satisfied customer can be developed into a client and advocate for their agency. Every person who comes into contact with your service starts the relationship as a customer; it is your responsibility to turn them into a client.
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Family Game Night Break the Monotony of Overplayed Board Games!
Family game night is a time when a family can forget about all of life’s commitments and bond over a good old- fashioned board game. But the old, tattered Monopoly box or worn-out UNO cards can leave something to be desired, and the classics might be getting a little dull. If you’re tired of playing the same board games over and over, it might be time to start looking for ways to change things up. Here are four tabletop games you might not have heard of that are perfect for spicing up family game night. Mysterium Your family will love delving into this cooperative murder mystery game that is a mixture of Clue and Dixit. You can play as the ghost or as one of the mediums who enters the haunting. The ghost player gives each medium a clue or vision about a potential murderer, and the mediums have to guess which person, room, or weapon was used to murder the ghost player. After each turn, the ghost reveals whether each of the mediums’ guesses are right or not. If all of the mediums succeed in guessing correctly by the seventh in-game hour, they work together to find the true murderer. Laser Chess A classic game of chess is a great way to spend an evening, and it just got a little more interesting. Laser chess includes all the problem-solving skills a typical chess
game offers but with a twist. At the end of each turn, a player fires a small laser beam that bounces off the mirrored chess pieces. If it hits the non-mirrored surface of a piece, that piece is taken by the player. A player wins when the opposing player’s king piece is illuminated.
Catan Welcome to the island of Catan! After a long voyage at sea, the people in your expedition compete against other seafarers in building settlements. Enjoy the 45–90-minute game as you and your family build roads, barter resources, and race for absolute supremacy on Catan. One Night Werewolf Every night, werewolves prowl around the village, and it’s up to the villagers to find the werewolf once the sun rises — before it’s too late. Each person plays a unique role with different abilities to help find or conceal the werewolf. If the werewolf is caught, the villagers win the game, but if the werewolf manages to escape, the villagers lose. Now you can bring some exciting variety into your family game nights. Don’t miss out on these excellent tabletop games, and most importantly, have fun!
Is Health Care a Right or a Privilege? What Would Lincoln Do?
While Valentine’s Day tends to get the bulk of the hype in February, several other holidays hold immense historical significance. One of those days falls on Feb. 12, marking the birth of Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States. After his election into the White House in 1861, Lincoln, a self-taught lawyer and legislator, eventually led the U.S. through its greatest moral, constitutional, and political crisis: the American Civil War. During his time, the most controversial nationwide issue was slavery, a practice Lincoln opposed. For the Americans of today — and those in EMS specifically — perhaps the most vexing debate is health care. Because Lincoln worked through a divisive time, what would he think? Is health care a right or a privilege? I think that if Lincoln were alive today, he would acknowledge that our current system makes zero sense. Just as he had to take a national approach to abolish slavery, we need to take a national approach to health care. Because each state’s system is so convoluted, a
universal basic health care program that crosses state borders and that can be purchased at a reasonable price makes the most sense. If a federal program like this was implemented at the state level and offered a standard set of benefits for all Americans, it would go a long way in the effort to stabilize pricing for both procedures and medications. It shouldn’t cost $30,000 more to get a knee replaced on the East Coast than on the West Coast. On the other hand, no one should be placed on a Medicaid system for life. As an EMT, I’ve seen families with third and fourth generations on Medicaid, mostly because our country doesn’t provide any incentive for them to get off, which puts the help we offer senior citizens in jeopardy. A federal program could relieve these issues and provide help for those who need it. Topics like these have the power to divide and polarize an entire country. Leaders of today need to step up, take a stand, and bring communities together — just as Lincoln did. I’m not saying that you need to author the Gettysburg Address of modern health care, primarily because I think the solution requires much more than 272 words. Start by doing research, formulating an opinion, and then doing your best to share it with others.
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a speaker for the next staff meeting, or helping them understand your capabilities will go a long way toward building client relationships. 6. Other Responders Paul Maniscalco, a former deputy chief with FDNY EMS, has one of the best quotes I’ve ever heard on this subject: “How can you expect a guy to help you out if you don’t even know how he likes his coffee?” Treat your mutual aid and other community responders as customers by asking yourself, “What do they need from me? How can we work more efficiently together?” 7. Governmental Agencies and Regulators I recommend that services provide at least quarterly reports to the governmental leaders in the communities they serve. At a minimum, these reports should include responses, transports, average response times, and presentations or classes completed. If you’re a volunteer agency, the calls handled between 5 p.m. and 6 a.m. (when the politicians are home with their families) and the number of volunteer
hours provided to the community (including calls, drills, classes, and any other activities) are particularly important. Create a value statement showing your worth. 8. Media Organizations The media can be a valuable tool in your effort to build your community image. They need news to cover, and you respond to news events. Work together, meet with them, feed them news, know and respect their deadlines, and if an issue arises, deal with it immediately. If you are not actively creating opportunities to interact with your customer groups and the media, you’re not going to get the visibility you need. To take your organization to the next level, start by crafting a positive image. Go to Holdsworth.com/marketing to take the Community Awareness Marketing Quiz and see where you stand.
3. Other Managers You need to begin to look at coworkers as your customers also. Every leader in your organization has expectations needing to be met so that they can do their jobs properly. Building internal relationships using a customer service model and forming multidepartment project teams to solve business problems will go a long way toward achieving a team-oriented workplace. 4. Community Leaders/Special Needs Working with community groups, church leaders, and school officials on events like Project Prom or DARE allows these influential members in the community to form opinions of you and your agency. 5. Health Care Facilities Even if you’re the sole EMS provider in the area, facilities can be fickle about who transports their patients. Don’t assume no news is good news. Periodic calls to check in on how your crews are performing, providing
From Jen’s Kitchen
CREAM CHEESE ALMOND COOKIES WITH CHERRY PRESERVES
INGREDIENTS
Where’s the Fun?
Filling and Glaze • 8 ounces cherry preserves (or any flavor you like) • 1/2 cup of confectioners sugar • 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla or almond extract • 1–2 teaspoons of water
Cookie • 1 cup of butter (room temperature) • 8 ounces cream cheese (room temperature) • 1 cup of granulated sugar • 1 egg • 1–1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract • 2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
DIRECTIONS
1. Beat together butter, cream cheese, and sugar. 2. Add egg and extract until well-combined. 3. Slowly add in flour until all ingredients are incorporated. 4. In a small bowl, mix together confectioners’ sugar, extract, and water to make the glaze. 5. Mold the dough into small balls and place them on an ungreased baking sheet. 6. Dip a teaspoon into flour and press an indentation into the center of each cookie. 7. Fill indentations with preserves and bake at 350 F for 12–15 minutes or
Aquarius Chocolate February Leap Roses Year
Arrow Cupid Flowers Love Sweet Candy
Date Heart Pisces Valentine
until the cookies start to brown. 8. Cool cookies on cooling rack. 9. Drizzle glaze over each cookie and enjoy.
*Adapted from an old family recipe
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
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The Necessity of Survival Marketing
Bring Variety to Family Game Night
How Would Abraham Lincoln Feel About National Health Care? Cream Cheese Almond Cookies With Cherry Preserves
3 Ways Nature Improves Your Health
AWalk in the Woods Is the Prescription
3 Ways Contact With Nature Improves Your Health
repeating numbers back to researchers. Next, researchers separated the students into two groups. Group A took a walk around an arboretum and Group B walked along busy city streets. Afterward, they were asked to take the memory test again. Group A, the students who had walked in the arboretum, performed 20 percent better on the memory test. Group B didn’t show any marked improvement. Additional research has corroborated the memory-enhancing effects of nature. A MOOD BOOST Observing the benefits nature has for cognitive function, scientists wondered what effects it might have on individuals diagnosed with depression. In one study from the University of Essex, participants with major depressive disorder reported an improvement in self-esteem and mood after spending time in nature. Exercising while in nature resulted in even more of a mood boost for participants.
A CALMING EFFECT Research also shows that spending time in nature reduces stress. In a study conducted by Chiba University in Japan, participants spent two nights in the forest. Researchers evaluated their levels of stress hormones during and after this period and compared it to their normal work days in the city. Across the board, participants’ stress levels were much lower during the days spent in the forest and for several days afterward. Today, we’re less connected to our natural environment than our ancestors were. Modern comforts and technology mean we don’t have to go outside to get our food. But nature is still accessible and you don’t have to go far to find it. In many of the studies, even minor exposure to the outdoors, like adding plants to your home or looking out a window during work, showed health benefits. This winter, find ways to bring a little more nature into your life each day. Your brain will thank you.
Our ancestors were deeply connected to their natural environment, mostly because their survival depended on it. With no Whole Foods available, those who could best track a mammoth, find water, and forage for edible plants kept themselves alive and passed on their genes. Given our history as hunter-gatherers, it’s no wonder contact with nature provides us with several health benefits. A MEMORY BOOST In a University of Michigan study, a group of students were asked to take a memory test that involved
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