Volu m e I - Purdue University Calumet

etc. It would also be important to send this newsletter to all of the coalition members,
along with the HR departments to ensure that it could be posted on the bulletin boards
at each respective hospital. It also opens up the opportunity for news on the coalition
to become a part of the hospital’s newsletters. This process is not expensive and it
allows the coalition newsletter to reach more people at one time. This would be
another avenue to getting more information about the coalition into the hospitals and
the community. A newsletter not only provide an opportunity to assist in the efforts of
helping to increase the sense of belonging to the coalition members, but also provides a
great venue for disseminating the work of the coalition to many external publics.
o E-mail
• E-mail has quickly established itself as a legitimate alternative to phone conversations,
faxes and land mail. It provides the opportunity for a quick delivery, and an equally
quick return, which in turn increases the affectability and efficiency of using email over
older methods of communications. Data shows the coalition members feel e-mails
received are informative, but that responses and frequency of e-mails are not regular.
PSC suggests to implementing an e-mail program that tracks openings such as constant
contact. It could be made clear that this will not be used as a “watchdog program,” or a
form to punish members who may forget to check an e-mail. The purpose of a
program such as this would allow those sending out the emails to know if the e-mail
was effectively received by coalition members, and if another reminder or notice may
need to be sent out. Additionally, people will be more likely to review the e-mail
knowing that others can see that it has or has not been opened. A sign in sheet might
need to be available at every meeting so that each month the e-mail directory can be
updated both for the coalition and its members. The updated e-mail directory should
be placed on the member log in on the Northwest Indiana Patient Safety Coalition’s
Web site. The intranet service could be utilized more efficiently on the coalition’s
existing Web site to help facilitate communication as well, as this could provide an
ideal venue for conversations and ideas to be shared and built on, without having to be
all together at once. It was quite clear that the coalition members like the convenience
and timeliness of the e-mail process, and it is in the best interest of the coalition to
work within those parameters to ensure notices and reminders are not only sent
throughout the coalition, but also received.
External Communications
Policies and Procedures
o Typically, the external publics of an organization are not very concerned with the
policies or procedures taking place within it. However, every organization is different,
and when the coalition is speaking of its external publics, it involves those at the
participating hospitals who are largely responsible for the implementation of new
policies or procedures adopted by the coalition. With this being said, the process of
notifying the external publics needs to be laid out and specified to ensure cooperation
with the coalition and their goals. Without the cooperation of this external public, the
coalition’s plans will have great difficulty in progressing farther than just ideas.
Currently, the coalition has a rough draft of bylaws, policies and procedures. Several
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