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Expertise | Storycrafting | Our Services | Our Work | Social Media Our Work Butler Health System The Guardian/Special Report to the Community: Transparency Need/Opportunity They say you can't fight with newspapers because they buy ink by the barrel, but what happens when the local newspaper not only fails to tell the community hospital's story, but seems committed to distorting it? The CEO of Butler Health System at the time, facing this situation, began The Guardian, a monthly newspaper circulated to 43,000 in the community. In partnership with WordWrite Communications, The Guardian became a credible source of information for the community on one of its most important institutions, the hospital. By taking a journalistic approach and featuring independent voices (including those of hospital critics), The Guardian became a key tool in proving the hospital's commitment to transparent communications. This became a critical asset as the hospital faced the reporting of Form 990, a nonprofit tax form that details executive compensation, charity care and revenue, among other information. For the 2005-2006 fiscal year, the report included the one-time retirement payout for the former CEO, more than $2.1 million, including his last year's salary. Intended Audiences Butler Health System typically mailed The Guardian monthly to 43,000 homes. The majority of recipients were in north central Butler County, which is the health system's immediate target market, although it also was sent more broadly to outlying areas. BHS also mailed The Guardian to other key stakeholders, including business leaders and government officials. For the special May 2007 transparency issue, the intended audience was more narrowly focused to reach community residents within the circulation area of Butler's daily newspaper, which was expected to negatively report on the Form 990 in yet another attack on the hospital's credibility and operational competence. The health system also mailed copies of the special issue to its employees, whereas other issues of The Guardian were distributed to employees at their worksite. Objectives Butler Health System's goal was to leverage the credibility The Guardian had created for Butler Health System within the community. Specifically, the special issue was a preemptive strike. After being accused of disregarding public opinion and working behind closed doors as it planned for a major health system expansion, BHS wanted the special issue of The Guardian to convey a sense of transparency. The special issue of The Guardian allowed the hospital to be the first to communicate the Form 990 story and demonstrate to the community its serious approach to transparency. In doing so, BHS leadership also sought to discredit those whom they expected to negatively portray the executive compensation issue and health system leadership and to preserve its own reputation. Project Description To address this potentially damaging communications situation, the CEO of Butler Health System turned once again to WordWrite and The Guardian. In a special four-page issue of the newspaper, WordWrite literally dissected the Form 990, highlighting the most critical aspects (including executive salaries), explaining them in a way that aided the understanding of the community, and diminished the opportunity for the media or critics to attack the hospital. Employing the same journalistic approach and multiple voices that are basic tenets of The Guardian, WordWrite first met with health system leadership to develop an appropriate slate of stories that would essentially "open the books" for the public while also explaining exactly what they were seeing. WordWrite then interviewed the key independent board member on the board compensation committee, and principals of the firm hired by the board to establish executive salary policies. A special two-page centerfold reprinted key sections of the Form 990, with pullout boxes and arrows providing context for the raw numbers required in the annual filing. Evaluation The special issue of The Guardian reached mailboxes a few days ahead of the formal filing date for the health system's Form 990, not only giving critical stakeholders the hospital's financial information ahead of the required date, but scooping the local paper as well. When the local paper did write a story about the former CEO's salary, it included nearly a half-dozen direct references to The Guardian, including several quotes lifted from the paper and attributed to "the hospital publication." Pittsburgh media also used The Guardian as a source in reporting the story. Thanks to Butler Health System's commitment to transparent communications, and its partnership with WordWrite Communications, an open dialogue with the community has been established, and as the special issue experience demonstrates, that dialogue and commitment to transparent communications has already defused one of the potentially most damaging communication issues that a community hospital faces: disclosure of its Form 990 filing. back to Our Work About Us | Expertise | Resources | Media Center | Our Clients | Contact Us | Site Map | Home © 2008 WordWrite Communications, LLC • 724-935-7580 • info@wordwritepr.com |
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