The Primary Care Campaign
In 2022, working with my client the Vermont Medical Society, we crafted a comprehensive campaign advocating for increased investment in primary care. This multi-faceted campaign featured voices of family physicians from across Vermont. Sharing the struggle and the beauty of providing care, day in and day out, for friends and neighbors began to garner support. While we crafted testimony for Vermont lawmakers articulating the tidal wave of burnout facing our family care docs, we also kept a consistent flow of earned media; letters to the editor, interviews and two feature radio stories.
Getting coverage for this story took persistent pitching
Everyone can relate to the need for a primary care clinician, but start talking about why reimbursement for primary care is abysmal and eyes can begin to close.
Clear, articulate messaging is key
Each advocacy ask has a symbol and each ask was clearly articulated with the full explanation and then bullets to cut to the chase.
Emphasize Earned Media. Build trust & connection
Little Rivers Healthcare in northeastern Vermont serves a cluster of remote towns that exemplify the Vermont adage that “you can’t get there from here.” These are small, economically stressed towns that have been hit hard by the opiate crisis. People from more populated areas might be surprised at the scope of healthcare that is provided at Little Rivers: complete health care from birth to geriatrics, including complex chronic medical problems and mental health. Click to read more
The Power of Primary Care - Fay Homan, M.D., Little Rivers Health Care
Coalitions Amplify Your Voice
To amplify your voice you need to build a coalition. Working with partners expands your audience and puts power behind your message.