University of Colorado Hospital

Challenge

Our client, the largest academic medical center in the Rocky Mountain region, had planned to shut down one of its inpatient wards, potentially detrimentally affecting not only its patients but also the staff. The closure would ultimately jeopardize the hospital’s reputation not only in the Metro Denver community and the Rocky Mountain area, but also nationally.

Despite the closure, the center wanted to continue to position itself as an enduring partner within the community. dovetail solutions was hired to aid in the announcement of the closure as well as to maintain and protect the client’s rapport within the community.

Strategy

Crisis Communications Plan: After meeting with our client and assessing the desired outcome, dovetail solutions created a Crisis Communications Plan, a Continuity of Care Plan and Staff Transition Plan surrounding the closure.

Elements of the brand plan included the following:

Media relations

Stakeholder analysis

Stakeholder engagement

Internal and external FAQs with appropriate answers

Internal and external speaking points

Continuity of care

Staff transition

Results

Through the use of dovetail solutions’ customized Crisis Communications Plan, the announcement was highly successful. The use of the suggested elements provided the desired outcome, and the announcement was received positively, with minimal backlash from the media and the public.