February 24, 2017|Theresa Jacobellis
American Heart Month is almost over
Did you wear red? Offer your patients education or screenings? Make a donation to a charity funding cardiac research? None of the above?
Health awareness months have become ubiquitous. Part of the problem is simple supply and demand. So few months, so many worthwhile causes.
As February draws to a close, we bid farewell not only to Heart Month, but also to AMD/Low Vision Awareness Month, International Prenatal Infection Prevention Month, National Children’s Dental Health Month, and Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month. If you didn’t take a few moments to recognize these important health observances, take heart. March brings the opportunity to pause and acknowledge National Cheerleader Safety Month, National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, National Endometriosis Awareness Month, National Kidney Month, National Nutrition Month, National Problem Gambling Awareness Month, Save Your Vision Month, Trisomy Awareness Month, and Workplace Eye Wellness Month.
As a healthcare provider, how do you choose which observances to embrace and which to ignore? And having made a decision to participate, what types of activities will yield the most fruit?
Here are a few ideas for strategically leveraging the promotional value of health observances for your practice:
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Look for alignment
Limit your participation to only those observances that align with issues that affect the majority of your patients. This may seem obvious, but if you have an internal medicine practice, it means taking a look at your patient population and honing in on the health concerns that affect a significant number of those who regularly visit your office.
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Make it meaningful
Wearing red for Heart Month or distributing pink ribbons for Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October are nice gestures, but do they truly increase your patients’ knowledge or influence their behaviors? Instead, consider reaching out to your at-risk patients with opportunities to learn about risk factors, offer screenings, or provide helpful information for managing conditions.
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Encourage engagement
This works for both patients and staff. Involve your staff in brainstorming ways to highlight your activities. Let them decorate the waiting room or design outreach activities. Encourage patients to participate with you. If you decide to join a local fundraising walk, for example, form a team that includes both staff and patients.
While it is unlikely that jumping on board with monthly health observances will have a significant, measurable impact on the health behaviors of your patients, participating in a meaningful way in a selected number of these activities can help foster stronger, more positive relationships with your patients and staff, while underscoring your commitment to bettering their well-being.
The Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion provides links to a calendar of health observances as well as contact information for organizers.
Click here for help designing vehicles to engage your patients and grow your practice.
