Upper Allegheny Health System

Situation

Bradford (Pa.) Regional Medical Center and Olean (N.Y.) General Hospital are two regional hospitals facing similar challenges and seeking common benefits. In October 2008, the two organizations announced plans to integrate their operations under a new parent company to be known as Upper Allegany Health System. Travers Collins & Company (TC&C) worked with the two hospitals to develop and execute an integrated communication plan that provided target publics with an understanding on how the affiliation would help ensure access to vital medical care and health services for more than 150,000 area residents.  

Execution

TC&C developed a message platform that showcased the positive aspects of the integration and how such an affiliation could lead to a stronger future and more stable employment for both hospitals. We worked with the two organizations to minimize or neutralize any criticism or opposition, adapting and refining our messaging for each public. We took great pains to ensure both hospitals were involved in all decision-making and planning. Extensive research was utilized to demonstrate that such integrations are increasingly common in the hospital industry, and to build support for the purposes, processes and potential success of the Olean-Bradford hospital affiliation.

Results

The integration announcement produced community-wide understanding and acceptance in both communities, among all target publics - internal and external.  Medical staffs and employees at both hospitals learned about the integration before details were announced to the media and public. Media coverage was extensive, accurate and positive. There were no efforts to launch a "save our hospital" group or any type of grassroots effort opposing the plan. The business community, elected officials and other key influencers applauded the plan. The CEOs and public relations directors at both hospitals credited TC&C for its efforts and our ability to instill confidence and shape consensus, agreeing that we helped achieve a level of success the organizations would not have accomplished on their own.