choosing wisely communication toolkit
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Choosing Wisely GranteeCommunications Toolkit
REVISED - July 2013
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Table of Contents:
1. Welcome and Toolkit Overview ……………………………………….………………………… 3
2. Campaign Partners and Participants …………………………...………………………..……… 4a. Phase I, Phase II and Phase IIIb. Consumer Partnersc. Grantees
3. Campaign Messages and Talking Points …………………………..…………………………… 7a. General Messagesb. Key Messages for Physiciansc. Key Messages for Consumers
4. How to Describe Your Grants …………………………………………………………………… 14
5. Press releases………………………………………………………………………………………15
6. Digital Communications Tips and Guidelines ………………………………………………….. 16a. Twitter b. Facebook c. Blogging
7. Campaign Resources ……………………………………………………………………………. 28a. Campaign Website and Web Badge b. Online Resourcesc. Trademark, Logo and Branding
8. Call for Stories: Making Choosing Wisely “Real”……………………………………………… 30
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Dear Choosing Wisely® Grantees:
On behalf of the ABIM Foundation, welcome to the Choosing Wisely® campaign and family. We are proud to be working with you on this important effort to help physicians, patients and other health care stakeholders have conversations about how to improve care and avoid unnecessary interventions that may cause harm.
To help you communicate about your participation in the Choosing Wisely campaign and the work taking place in your community, we have developed this toolkit of communications resources. Its contents are meant to help us all speak together with a clear, consistent voice about the great work being done as well as provide you with easy-to-use resources that your staff and members can utilize as needed.
As you use this toolkit, please remember that any public communication about the campaign being disseminated to a wide audience should be shared with the ABIM Foundation for review. Examples of this include press releases, newsletter articles, website content and advertisements. Please allow 2 business days for this review. Shorter communications, or those going to a limited audience, typically don’t require review. Any material that has previously been approved can be repurposed for other needs without requiring a new round of review. Social media (Facebook messages and tweets) typically do not require review; however we suggest using key campaign messages or content from previously-approved documents for consistency.
We look forward to our continued collective work on this important effort. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Sincerely,
John HeldDirector of CommunicationsABIM [email protected]
Kelly Rand Program Manager, Choosing Wisely CampaignABIM [email protected]
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Campaign Partners and Participants:
To date, Choosing Wisely has brought together over 80 national and state medical specialty societies, regional health collaboratives and consumer partners to join and support the important conversations about appropriate care. A current list of all partners can be found at www.choosingwisely.org.
In April 2012, the first phase of campaign partners released lists, including: o American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunologyo American Academy of Family Physicians o American College of Cardiology o American College of Physicianso American College of Radiologyo American Gastroenterological Associationo American Society of Clinical Oncologyo American Society of Nephrologyo American Society of Nuclear Cardiology
In February 2013, a second phase of campaign partners released lists, including:o American Academy of Family Physicians*o American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicineo American Academy of Neurologyo American Academy of Ophthalmologyo American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgeryo American Academy of Pediatricso American College of Rheumatologyo American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologistso American Geriatrics Societyo American Society for Clinical Pathologyo American Society of Echocardiographyo American Urological Associationo Society for Vascular Medicineo Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomographyo Society of Hospital Medicineo Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imagingo Society of Thoracic Surgeons
*Released a second list.
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Societies releasing a third phase of lists later in 2013 or early in 2014 include:o American Academy of Clinical Toxicology o American Academy of Dermatology o American Academy of Family Physicians** o American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons o American Association of Clinical Endocrinologistso American Association of Neurological Surgeonso American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus o American College of Chest Physicians o American College of Colon and Rectal Surgeonso American College of Emergency Physicians o American College of Medical Toxicology o American College of Rheumatology* o American College of Surgeons o American Geriatrics Society* o American Headache Society o AMDA – Dedicated to Long Term Care Medicine o American Psychiatric Associationo American Society of Anesthesiologists o American Society of Clinical Oncology* o American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeonso American Society of Hematology o American Society for Radiation Oncology o American Thoracic Society o Commission on Cancer—a multidisciplinary program of the American College of
Surgeons o The Endocrine Society o Heart Rhythm Society o North American Spine Society o Society of Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonanceo Society of Critical Care Medicine o Society of General Internal Medicine o Society of Gynecologic Oncology
* Releasing a second list** Releasing a third list
Consumer partner organizations working with Consumer Reports and the ABIM Foundation to disseminate content to the communities they serve include:
o AARPo Alliance Health Networkso Midwest Business Group on Healtho Minnesota Health Action Groupo National Business Coalition on Health
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o National Business Group on Healtho National Center for Farmworker Healtho National Hospice and Palliative Care Organizationo National Partnership for Women & Familieso Pacific Business Group on Healtho SEIUo The Leapfrog Groupo Union Pluso Wikipedia
Organizations awarded Choosing Wisely grants from the ABIM Foundation include:o Regional Collaboratives:
Better Health Greater Cleveland HealthInsight Utah Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement and Minnesota Health Action Group Iowa Healthcare Collaborative Maine Quality Counts Massachusetts Health Quality Partners Michigan Health Information Alliance Puget Sound Health Alliance Wisconsin Collaborative for Healthcare Quality
o Societies/State Medical Associations: American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine American Academy of Ophthalmology American College of Physicians American Society for Clinical Pathology American Society of Echocardiography American Society of Nuclear Cardiology and Massachusetts Medical Society Minnesota Medical Association Oregon Medical Association Society of Hospital Medicine Tennessee Medical Association Texas Medical Association Washington State Medical Association
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Campaign Messages and Talking Points:
This is a slate of key campaign messages that simply and succinctly explain the Choosing Wisely® campaign, its goals, the society lists and your participation in it. These key messages should prove helpful in your communications with staff, members, stakeholders and media about the campaign. Please remember to share all external communications with Kelly Rand ([email protected]) prior to publication.
The Choosing Wisely campaign brings together national physician groups to identify specific tests, procedures or medications that are common – but often may not be necessary.
As part of the campaign, leading national medical specialty societies develop and release evidence-based lists of five tests and/or procedures that may be overused in their specific field.
The goal of the campaign is to promote conversations between physicians and patients about utilizing the most appropriate tests and treatments, and avoiding care whose harm may outweigh the benefits.
Since launching in April 2012, more than 80 national, regional and state medical specialty societies, health collaboratives and consumer groups have become Choosing Wisely partners.
The campaign has released 27 lists covering more than 130 tests and procedures that the specialty society partners say are overused or inappropriate, and that physicians and patients should discuss.
o In April 2012, nine leading specialty societies released evidence-based lists of tests and procedures that may be overused as a way to begin conversations between patients and physicians.
o In February 2013, 17 specialty societies (16 new, and one, AAFP, returning with a second list) released lists.
o At least 26 societies will release lists later in 2013.
Evidence shows that much of the care delivered in America is duplicative or unnecessary.
The current way health care is delivered in America often includes practices that may provide little, if any, benefit to patients.
o According to a report from the Institute of Medicine, up to 30 percent of health care spending is duplicative or unnecessary.1
o Evidence shows that certain tests, procedures, doctor visits, hospital stays and other services may not be necessary and could cause harm.
1 http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=13444
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When health care resources are wasted, it threatens our nation’s ability to deliver the highest quality of care possible to all patients.
Physicians play a leadership role in addressing these challenges.
Physicians play a critical leadership role in promoting and managing the delivery and use of health care resources—and beginning these conversations about appropriate care.
Some physicians say they struggle to have these difficult conversations about appropriate tests and treatments with their patients.
o Many physicians say they face difficult decisions about prescribing tests and treatments that may not be necessary, but they do it to “cover their bases.”
o Patients often request tests and treatments even though they might not be necessary – or could even harm them.
o Physicians need help and support responding to these patient requests, as they say they feel compelled to accommodate patients’ requests for interventions they know are unnecessary.2
Choosing Wisely is leading a national conversation about doing the right thing at the right time for the right patient, and avoiding unnecessary care.
When patients get care they don’t need, it can cause harm and adds waste to the health care system—making it less efficient and effective for everyone.
o There are times when the recommendations on the Choosing Wisely lists will be appropriate, but it’s up to physicians and patients to have conversations about identifying the best course of care for their individual situation.
A byproduct of fewer patients receiving unneeded care will be fewer dollars spent on health care, and rising health care costs are certainly an issue that bears attention.
More money is spent per capita on health care in the U.S. than in any other developed country and health care spending will account for 19.8 percent of the nation’s gross domestic product by 2020 if current spending trends remain unchanged. 3
o This spending threatens the sustainability of public health programs such as Medicare and Medicaid, strains the budgets of families and businesses who struggle to cover the increasing costs of health care, and undermines our ability to solve the ongoing economic challenges facing our country.
2 Campbell EG, et al. Professionalism in medicine: results of a national survey of physicians. Ann Intern Med. 2007; 147(11):795-802
3 https://www.cms.gov/NationalHealthExpendData/downloads/proj2010.pdf
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o While Choosing Wisely is aimed at reducing care that provides no benefit by encouraging physician and patient conversations, making these wise choices now may help mitigate more difficult decisions about how care is delivered in the future.
In spring 2013, the ABIM Foundation awarded 21 grants to help advance the campaign in regions, states and communities nationwide.
The grants will fund 21 projects being conducted by state medical societies, specialty societies and regional health collaboratives to help educate physicians about the recommendations from the Choosing Wisely lists and help build physician communication skills to have conversations with patients about the care they need.
The grants were made through the generous support of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) and are being administered by the ABIM Foundation.
The grants will run from April 1, 2013 to March 31, 2015. State medical societies and specialty societies will receive $50,000, and regional collaboratives will receive $70,000.
The grant from RWJF also provided support for the ABIM Foundation to share best practices through a Choosing Wisely learning network and additional funding for Consumer Reports’ efforts to educate consumers about the Choosing Wisely lists.
Consumer Reports is a Choosing Wisely partner leading efforts to help patients engage with their physicians in conversations about making wise choices regarding their health.
Consumer Reports is supporting physician-patient dialogue by explaining the scientific and expert basis for decisions, describing the options, and articulating the risks and benefits of tests, treatments, and procedures in a patient-friendly format.
Consumer Reports will continue to maximize the reach and impact of the Choosing Wisely campaign by engaging new and existing consumer communication partners to disseminate content and messages about appropriate use to the communities they serve.
A full list of the Choosing Wisely consumer communications partners can be found at www.ChoosingWisely.org
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About Consumer Reports Consumer Reports is the world’s largest independent product-testing organization. Using
its more than 50 labs, auto test center, and survey research center, the nonprofit rates thousands of products and services annually. Founded in 1936, Consumer Reports has more than 8 million subscribers to its magazine, website, and other publications. Its advocacy division, Consumers Union, works for health reform, food and product safety, financial reform, and other consumer issues in Washington, D.C., the states, and in the marketplace.
About Consumer Reports and Choosing Wisely Consumer Reports—the world’s largest independent product-testing organization—has
used its website and magazine to amplify the Choosing Wisely campaign’s key messages. Consumer Reports has also collaborated with specialty societies to publish over 40 free, easy-to-understand brochures and other online resources for dissemination to both English- and Spanish-speaking consumers.
Consumer Reports is supporting physician-patient dialogue by explaining the scientific and expert basis for decisions, describing the options, and articulating the risks and benefits of tests, treatments, and procedures in a patient-friendly format.
Consumer Reports is maximizing the reach and impact of the Choosing Wisely campaign by engaging consumer communication partners to disseminate content and messages about appropriate use to the communities they serve.
In a Consumer Reports survey of consumers who received Choosing Wisely information, 72 percent agreed that it had changed their opinion of the topic, taught them new information, or prompted them to ask more questions of their health provider. Eighty-one percent of consumers reporting interest in a Choosing Wisely topic said they were likely to have a conversation with their physician about what they had read. The survey was fielded in December 2012.
A full list of the Choosing Wisely consumer communications materials can be found at: http://consumerhealthchoices.org/campaigns/choosing-wisely/#materials. Consumer materials are available in English and in Spanish.
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Key Messages for Physicians:
We know that some physicians understandably struggle to talk about appropriate tests and treatments with their patients—and many patients demand care they might not need.
Many physicians say they face difficult decisions about prescribing tests and treatments that they know may not always be necessary. Sometimes they feel they have to do it “to cover their bases” even when the value is far from certain.
Patients often request tests and treatments that might not be necessary – or could even harm them—and it can be difficult to dissuade them. Some physicians say they feel they don’t have enough time with patients for these conversations.
Through the Choosing Wisely campaign we want to help physicians with information and communications skills to adequately respond to these patient requests, especially when they feel compelled to accommodate patients’ requests for interventions they know are unnecessary.4
Through the Choosing Wisely campaign, physicians in our community are taking a leadership role in addressing overuse of health care in America.
Physicians play a critical leadership role in promoting and managing the delivery and use of health care resources—and beginning these conversations about appropriate care.
The Choosing Wisely campaign is developing resources and tools to help physicians have these important conversations with their patients.
o These include things such as patient-friendly guides to specific tests and treatments being developed by Consumer Reports and interactive instructional modules being developed by Drexel University to enhance physician and patient communication.
4 Campbell EG, et al. Professionalism in medicine: results of a national survey of physicians. Ann Intern Med. 2007; 147(11):795-802
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Key Messages for Consumers:
There are many medical tests and procedures performed in America that may not be necessary, and this can be harmful.
Too much of health care delivered in the United States – some say up to 30 percent – is duplicative or unnecessary.5
When health care resources are wasted it threatens our nation’s ability to deliver the highest quality of care possible to all patients.
Doctors and patients need to have candid conversations about what care is appropriate and needed.
The Choosing Wisely campaign is leading a national conversation about doing the right thing at the right time for the right patient, and avoiding unnecessary care.
There are times when the recommendations on the Choosing Wisely lists will be appropriate, but it’s up to physicians and patients to have conversations about identifying the best course of care for their individual situation.
Choosing Wisely is not focused on avoiding tests or procedures as a way to lower health care costs, but instead is focused on improving quality, avoiding harm and eliminating waste.
A number of resources have been created for communicating with consumers, including patient-friendly brochures developed by Consumer Reports in partnership with specialty societies, an employer toolkit developed by the National Business Coalition on Health and Pacific Business Group on Health, and videos on www.choosingwisely.org.
5 http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=13444
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Quotes: John Santa, MD, MPH, Medical Director, Consumer Reports: “Consumer Reports is proud to be part of the Choosing Wisely campaign. Choosing
Wisely is an initiative of the ABIM Foundation to help physicians and patients engage in conversations about the overuse of tests and procedures and to support physician efforts to help patients make smart and effective care choices.”
“We are pleased and excited to have [INSERT YOUR ORGANIZATION’S NAME HERE] as a partner in this sustained effort. We are jointly committed to putting the brakes on over-testing and over-treatment, and we agree that consumers will benefit when either patients or doctors initiate conversations about these delicate issues.”
“We know many Americans believe that more health care is better, and all prevention must be good. But waste and overuse is a major issue — and it's frequent across all medical disciplines."
“Even when it comes to serious problems like cancer and kidney disease, there should be some limits to testing and treatment. Otherwise, you can confuse things rather than clarify, and you can harm people rather than treat them successfully.”
"If you're a healthy person having a straightforward surgery and you get a list of multiple tests you need to have before surgery, we want you to sit down and talk with your doctor about whether you need to do these things. Why do you need them? What will happen if they are positive?"
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How to Describe Your Grants:
Your grant was awarded by the ABIM Foundation, which received a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) to support this program. The grants are not directly from RWJF and should not be referred to as RWJF grants.
Therefore, it is appropriate to reference the grants as follows:
“[Organization name] recently received a grant from the ABIM Foundation to advance the Choosing Wisely® campaign. Support for this program comes from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.”
Please remember to share all external communications with Kelly Rand ([email protected]) prior to publication.
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Press Releases:
A press release is an easy way to announce your project to the community, provide updates on your work, or promote an event. While the primary audience of a press release is the media, they can also be used to provide content for your website, repurposed for newsletter articles or member communications, and help with search engine traffic to your site. The key messages from this toolkit can help you construct your release, and below are some ideas to help you get started. Remember to share all press releases with Kelly Rand ([email protected]) before distribution.
Format: Press releases are typically no more than two pages, and follow a standard format that includes the following:
Contact person for the media Date of release A short headline, which can be followed by a slightly longer subheadline The city and state the release is originating from At least one quote from an organizational leader (the ABIM Foundation is happy to
provide quotes or connections to national leaders) Your organization’s boilerplate, or mission statement at the end
Ideas:To help you get started with a press release, below are some ideas to help you get started.
Announcing your organization’s receipt of the grant Announcement of new partners or workgroup members Update on your project or upon completion of key deliverables Promotion of an upcoming event or meeting At the conclusion of your grant with a report on your work
Dissemination:An important part of any press release is your distribution strategy to ensure it reaches your target audiences. Key distribution channels include:
Your organization’s website Twitter and Facebook accounts, with links back to your release A press release distribution service, such as PRWeb or PRLeap Pitching to local reporters. A good way to get your release picked up is to identify
reporters who cover topics like your project, and reference a recent story they covered and how your release relates to it.
Digital Communications Tips and Guidelines:
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Highlighting your organization’s work through digital communications and social media channels is a simple and effective way to tell others about your involvement in the Choosing Wisely campaign.
To help you engage in this we have drafted introductions to three of the most prominent and valuable digital and social media communications channels – Twitter, Facebook and blogging. Many of you may be familiar with the ins and outs of these channels but this refresher can serve to bolster your work or give you the resources to start. Additionally, we have included sample language that can be edited to suit your needs for Facebook and Twitter.
Please be sure to try to follow the campaign social media formatting and guidelines (e.g. common hashtags) from the ABIM Foundation that are included below whenever possible. This will ensure that we are speaking with the same voice throughout the campaign.
About Twitter:Twitter (www.Twitter.com) is an online social media and networking platform that lets users send and read messages of up to 140 characters. The service is incredibly popular, with over 500 million registered users sending over 340 million tweets a day, as of 2012.
Twitter Glossary:These are just a few of the most commonly used terms on Twitter. For a complete list visit the official Twitter glossary (https://support.twitter.com/articles/166337-the-twitter-glossary#).
Follower/Following: A follower is another Twitter user who has followed you. Your following number reflects the quantity of other Twitter users you have chosen to follow.
Handle: A user's "Twitter handle" is the username they have selected and begins with the @ symbol. Thus the handle would be @username.
Hashtag: The # symbol is used to mark keywords or topics in a Tweet as part of a category. Hashtags are created organically by Twitter users.
Mention: Any Twitter update that contains mention of @username in the body of the tweet. These are collected for each user and listed in their account.
Reply: A Tweet posted in reply to another user's message, usually posted by clicking the "reply" button next to their Tweet in your timeline. Always begins with @username.
Tweet: A message posted via Twitter containing 140 characters or fewer. Verb: Tweet, Tweeting, Tweeted. The act of posting a message, often called a "Tweet", on Twitter.
Retweet: A Tweet by another user, forwarded to you by someone you follow. Often used to spread news or share valuable findings on Twitter. Verb: To retweet, retweeting, retweeted. The act of forwarding another user's Tweet to all of your followers.
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Composing Tweets:Tweets are limited to 140 characters, so are intentionally brief. Here are some tips on composing tweets: Single topic. If you have multiple items you want to address, put each in its own tweet. It’s
ok if you tweet them within a few minutes of each other! Leverage your relationships.
i. Retweet. If you see a tweet by someone you follow that is relevant and that you particularly like, retweet it. This strengthens your relationship with that person/organization, and relieves you of the need to come up with new content.
ii. Use mentions. When we refer to another organization in a tweet, we’ll use a “mention” so they’re notified that we’ve mentioned them to help build our relationships.
iii. Monitor your organization. Use search.twitter.com to see who has mentioned you. Retweet relevant tweets to your followers and include this in your planning.
iv. Twitter Trends. Piggyback on Twitter’s trending topics if they relate to your activities or Choosing Wisely.
v. Use different Twitter formats. Try different formats such as Twitter Chats, Twitterviews and Twitter Town Halls. Use hashtags to delineate conversation. Or organize a tweetup as an event on Facebook.
Use hashtags. Hashtags (#) are a way to categorize tweets. When you type “#ChoosingWisely” or “#health” in your tweet and you have a public account, anyone who does a search for Choosing Wisely or health topics may find your tweet. Although any keyword with a “#” in front could be considered a hashtag, there are many commonly used hashtags (see hashtag.org).
Shorten URLs. Links – especially for news articles – are typically very lengthy. In order to save enough space for the actual content of tweets try to utilize a URL shortener. Free URL shorteners include bit.ly (https://bitly.com/) and Google URL Shortener (http://goo.gl/) Making it Manageable. Because Twitter content is ideally updated several times a day,
it can seem like an overwhelming endeavor. We have found that it is helpful to have all of your staff contribute content with a single manager in charge of posting it. List the Twitter handles of the staff contributing to your organization’s feed.
Planning. Advance planning of your tweets can also be helpful in being strategic about your communication and managing the workload. Tweets can be written in advance and a program like HootSuite can be used to schedule them to post automatically.
Frequency. Optimally, you should tweet between several times (two to six) per day. A tweet has a lifespan of about an hour.
Choosing Wisely and Twitter:The ABIM Foundation has used Twitter to support the Choosing Wisely conversation since late 2011 and is continuing to do so throughout the campaign. Here are some ways to tie your Twitter communications to the campaign: If you have not already, follow the ABIM Foundation on Twitter (@ABIMFoundation). Also,
follow partners who have joined the campaign and are present on Twitter.
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Re-tweet (RT) the Foundation’s tweets on Choosing Wisely through your Twitter account(s). Use the hashtag #ChoosingWisely when tweeting about the campaign.
Sample Tweets (General):To help you get started with Twitter, below is a collection of sample template tweets your team can utilize to talk about your Choosing Wisely work. We’re working with @ABIMFoundation and #choosingwisely to talk about what tests &
treatments #patients and docs should talk about [LINK] Here in [City, State] we’re working with doctors & #patients to talk about what care is really
necessary [LINK] #choosingwisely Do I really need that test? We’re working with @ABIMFoundation to help patients and
doctors answer these questions #choosingwisely [LINK] Learn what we’re doing to help doctors & #patients talk about what tests & treatments are
really necessary [LINK] #choosingwisely
Follow us on Twitter: @TaraCRHealth@ConsumerDavid@CRHealthSample Tweets from Consumer Reports:Affiliation
general Anyone you know need printable, patient-friendly support for Choosing Wisely topics? Here's 30. Spanish too. bit.ly/WrFdkY
general Trying to reach Spanish-speaking patients with Choosing Wisely materials? Look here: bit.ly/XWP0A1 # choosingwisely
general Tuck this next to your health insurance card: 5 Questions to Ask Your Doctor: bit.ly/RFCJ3a #choosingwisely
general Choosing Wisely info and brochures are on this free Consumer Reports site: bit.ly/YIjy9s
Video3 Don't leave the clinic with questions unanswered. Watch this new Consumer Reports video youtu.be/8bAccWMfyHo
Video2 New video from Consumer Reports Health: Why More Care Isn't Necessarily Better! # ChoosingWisely youtu.be/J1o0rpggfIg
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Video2 How to convey that more medicine is not always better? Here's a video answer: youtu.be/J1o0rpggfIg # choosingwisely @ JAMAInternalMed
Video 1 A video view of the #ChoosingWisely campaign, promoting key conversations between you and your doctor. http://bit.ly/16L3EQo
AUA Ask Your Doctor About ... whether you really need extra testosterone.bit.ly/VxtxzP # choosingwisely @ AmerUrological
AUA Men: Having trouble staying erect? Testosterone levels rarely the cause or the fix. bit.ly/VxtxzP # choosingwisely @ AmerUrological
ACRheum Concerned about tick bite? 2 blood tests for Lyme, but usually you don't need either. bit.ly/Y9CqxJ # choosingwisely @ ACRheum
ACRheum I didn't know this: You don't usually need tests to see if you have Lyme disease. bit.ly/Y9CqxJ # choosingwisely @ ACRheum
AGS, AAHPM
Feeding tube for an Alzheimer's patient: When is the right time?bit.ly/10ajlMI # choosingwisely @ AAHPM @ AmerGeriatrics
AGS, AAHPM
Someone's family is deciding this today. When is right time for feeding tube? bit.ly/10ajlMI @ AAHPM @ AmerGeriatrics
AGS, AAHPM
When is the right time to say yes to a feeding tube for an Alzheimer's patient? bit.ly/10ajlMI # choosingwisely
AAAAI Spring -> pollen -> allergy test? Maybe. Allergists say think twice about tests you're offered. bit.ly/WrzH4H # choosingwisely
AAAAI Allergies kicked in? Is it time to get tested? Or not? bit.ly/WrzH4H# choosingwisely
AAAAI Allergists warn: Free allergy tests may cause false positives, extra costs.bit.ly/T94DGX # choosingwisely
AAAAI Plain language advice about allergy tests. bit.ly/THzOtk # choosingwisely
AAAAI Pass this on from Consumer Reports: For that sinus infection, you probably shouldn't get antibiotics. bit.ly/Wwnf0h # choosingwisely
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AAAAI Immunologists say don't get IgG replacement therapy if you don't really need it. http://bit.ly/UwpOBU #choosingwisely
AAAAI If it might be asthma, be sure to get this simple breathing test.
http://bit.ly/111ZcOk #choosingwisely
ASE Do you really need a heart echo test before an operation? Not usually.
http://bit.ly/12B5XFt #choosingwisely
ASCO Experts say: Get the right imaging and blood tests. for # breastcancer .bit.ly/11HJ9WT @ ASCO # choosingwisely
ASCO Cancer Treatments at the End of Life -- a new guide from Consumer Reports and oncologists. bit.ly/VAeGGS # choosingwisely
ASCO When is it OK to stop fighting cancer and focus instead on easing pain and boosting comfort? bit.ly/VAeGGS # choosingwisely
ASCO Doctors agree: Most patients should avoid these 5 cancer tests and treatments. bit.ly/R8yuLH # choosingwisely
ASCO In early prostate cancer, too many tests can be a bad idea.
http://bit.ly/16KWI5L #choosingwisely
ASCO Do you need these anti-infection drugs during chemo? Experts urge caution. http://bit.ly/12ibrlo #choosingwisely
SNMMI Now in Spanish: Experts say don't rush to get brain scan for Alzheimer's.bit.ly/UKiW5h @ SNM_MI # choosingwisely
SNMMI Afraid it might be Alzheimer's? Is it time for a PET scan? New advice from specialists: bit.ly/UKiW5h @ SNM_MI # choosingwisely
AAFP, ACOG Here's a patient-friendly brochure about risks of early deliveries, from# choosingwisely campaign: bit.ly/16g8lBV
AAFP, ACOG In plain English, don't schedule a birth for convenience. bit.ly/16g8lBV# choosingwisely @ aafp @ acognews
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AAFP, ACOG Pregnant? Important new birthing advice today from nation's OB/GYNs.bit.ly/12Rp7II # choosingwisely
SVM Simplify your care: You probably don't need a heart stress test before minor surgery. bit.ly/10l2Rau # choosingwisely @ SVM_tweets
SVM New today from the vascular surgeons: When do you need them to clear blocked leg arteries? bit.ly/15wJRER # choosingwisely
SVM If you’re having surgery, you probably don't need a heart stress test beforehand if you are healthy. http://bit.ly/10l2Rau #choosingwisely
AAFP Teen-age girls usually don't need a Pap test, even if sexually active. bit.ly/RQnSjX # hpv # choosingwisely
AAFP You probably don't need antibiotics for that sinus infection. bit.ly/WjolAs # choosingwisely
AAFP The experts agree: An MRI usually won't help with back pain. bit.ly/PAnlX0 # choosingwisely
AAFP No heart disease symptoms? Then why did the doctor order a stress test? bit.ly/TrnYhf # choosingwisely
AAFP What if doctors and patients talked candidly about EKGs and exercise stress tests? bit.ly/V5QWKz # choosingwisely @ aafp
AAFP Whoa: You might not need that bone density test. In plain English:bit.ly/RWhzOq In Spanish: bit.ly/RWhLx9
AAFP One of our most popular reports: Who needs a bone density test? In plain English bit.ly/RWhzOq and Spanish bit.ly/RWhLx9
AAFP What age was your first Pap test? Teen-age girls usually don't need one, you know. bit.ly/RQnSjX # choosingwisely
AAFP You might not need that bone-density test yet. How to tell: bit.ly/PAmV2I# choosingwisely
AGA Taking Nexium or Prilosec for # heartburn ? Hey, there are safer, cheaper choices. bit.ly/Wjo4O5 # choosingwisely
AGA News is out. Some doctors overdo colonoscopies. Here's a patient guide to
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what's appropriate. bit.ly/VJ8PeF # choosingwisely
ASN Hard Choices in Chronic Kidney Disease: Info for patients and family from Consumer Reports. bit.ly/VhWzQJ # choosingwisely
ASN Choosing Wisely in Spanish: Kidney disease bit.ly/VhWzQJ and pre-op heart tests bit.ly/113NZvX # choosingwisely
ASN Kidney disease? In plain terms, four tests and treatments you might want to think twice about. bit.ly/VhWzQJ # choosingwisely
ASN Avoid these painkillers if you have kidney or heart problems.
http://bit.ly/Yb1hC2 #choosingwisely
AAO Why would you need an EKG before cataract surgery? bit.ly/10X1xWr #choosingwisely
ASCP Lab doctors say: You usually don't need their services before low-risk surgery. bit.ly/10ttsg8 # choosingwisely @ ASCP_Chicago
AAN Migraine? Experts say to avoid two kinds of pain drugs. bit.ly/Y7MCs1 # choosingwisely @ AANPublic
AAP Parents: Should you seek antibiotics for a sniffle or cough? New advice from pediatricians. bit.ly/156ij88 # choosingwisely
AAP New today from the pediatricians: When do children need antibiotics for sore throat and cough? bit.ly/156ij88 # choosingwisely
ASNC Healthy heart? Then you probably don't need a heart test before an operation. Experts say so: bit.ly/XsjxKG
ASNC Heart stress tests often unneeded if you're healthy, with no chest pain.
http://bit.ly/113NxxE #choosingwisely
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ASNC Chest pains alone don't justify a stress test, if you're at low risk for heart trouble. http://bit.ly/111ZjJK #choosingwisely
ASNC After bypass or stent, you probably don't need a heart stress test for a few years. http://bit.ly/YyCj3u #choosingwisely
ACR How often do you need ultrasound to make sure cysts don't become ovarian cancer? bit.ly/RyCC6A #choosingwisely @RadiologyACR
ACR Do I really need MRI for this headache? bit.ly/TroaNA
ACR Imaging of ovary cysts? Even the drs who do this test think it's often wasteful. bit.ly/RyCC6A # choosingwisely @ RadiologyACR
ACR In plain English, sometimes you just don't need that X-ray: bit.ly/STqxwn. And in plain Spanish: bit.ly/US3Au9 # choosingwisely
ACR Even intense headaches don't usually merit a CT scan or MRI. bit.ly/TroaNA # choosingwisely
ACR An old hospital tradition you can usually skip: The pre-surgery chest X-ray. bit.ly/RyVths # choosingwisely
ACC Experts say: If you're healthy, maybe you shouldn't let us test your heart. bit.ly/VKSlof # choosingwisely
ACC After bypass or stent, you probably don't need all those imaging tests, the specialists say. http://bit.ly/15cDZAV #choosingwisely
ACC Think twice about heart stress tests if you are healthy and symptom-free.
http://bit.ly/SYkRCp #choosingwisely
ACC Heart valve disease? You might not need an annual echocardiogram, experts say. http://bit.ly/14nhcBw #choosingwisely
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About Facebook:Facebook (www.Facebook.com) is a popular online social networking service used by individuals and organizations to develop online profiles or common interest groups. As of March 2013 Facebook had over 1.11 billion active users.
Facebook Glossary:These are just a few of the most commonly used terms on Facebook. For a complete list visit the official Facebook glossary (https://www.facebook.com/help/219443701509174/). Profile: A profile is an individual’s personal Facebook page meant to share information and
connect with “friends.” Page: Pages are Facebook profiles for organizations, allowing them to communicate with a
broad audience. Pages are public and can only be created and managed by an official representative.
Group: A Facebook group allows an organizing entity to invite certain people to communicate in a more interactive setting. Groups can be public or private and can be created by anyone.
Timeline: The timeline is the space on a profile, page or group where statuses and updates are posted (Previously referred to as a “wall”).
Post: To share information, updates or other content (e.g. link or picture) with others within your profile.
Friend: Requesting to be somebody’s Facebook friend is called “friending.” After locating someone, a Facebook user can friend them, which will immediately add them to the news feed. You can always “unfriend” them.
News Feed: A customizable, personalized list of activities occurring within your friends list or groups. This information is sequenced chronologically and updated in real-time, giving an up-to-date summary of recent activities.
Tag: A tag links a person, page, or place to something you post.
Facebook Page vs. GroupFor most Choosing Wisely partners a Facebook Page is the best place for your organization to have a presence. By creating a Page for your organization not only can you highlight the great work you are doing as part of the Choosing Wisely campaign, but also anything else you participate in or publish, such as annual reports or hosting annual meetings.
Choosing Wisely and Facebook If you have not already, “friend” or “like” the ABIM Foundation fan page:
http://www.facebook.com/theabimfoundation . If you have not already, “friend” or “like” the Consumer Reports fan page:
https://www.facebook.com/ConsumerHealthChoices Tag ABIM Foundation in your posts about Choosing Wisely (by adding @ in front of “ABIM
Foundation” in posts). Share the short, template Facebook posts included below on your organization’s Facebook
page about your work on the campaign. Link back to www.choosingwisely.org for more information.
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Composing Facebook Posts:Facebook posts don’t have the same limits as Twitter, but that doesn’t mean you should go overboard. Here are some tips on composing Facebook posts: Stand out! Remember users are scrolling through a lot of content on Facebook and your
post needs to be clear, focused and stand out. Focus on a single topic. If you have multiple items you want to address on Facebook, put
each in its own post. That will help focus the content and give you more to post. Tag other like-minded groups or pages. Are there other organizations or individuals on
Facebook you can tag to posts? Doing so helps draw their attention to posts and bring them into the conversation.
Leverage visuals. Visuals such as pictures, videos, infographics and other visual content are great for Facebook posts. Leverage them into your posts and to keep regular content.
Making it manageable. Your Facebook feed shouldn’t be overwhelming. We suggest having all of your staff and affiliates contribute content to it, with a single point of contact in charge of administering the page.
Planning. You should plan your Facebook posts in advance, coordinating with your Tweets and regular external communications.
Frequency. Optimally, you should post two to three times a day. A Facebook post has a lifespan of about 90 minutes. Respond to questions and comments quickly. On social media 24 hours can be a lifetime. Develop a response template to help you address questions, comments and questionable posts.
Follow the 80/20 rule. 80% of your content should be helpful, educational or entertaining. 20% can be self-promotion.
Highlight activities. Consider promoting posts, starring stories or pinning posts to highlight or emphasize an important activity.
Keep it concise. Posts should be 250 characters or less to allow the post to be viewed in its entirety in the news feed.
Cross-promote. Add your blog feed to your Facebook page via the Notes application.
Sample Facebook posts:To help you get started with Facebook, below is a collection of sample template posts your team can utilize to talk about your Choosing Wisely work. [ORGANIZATION] is working with (tag) ABIM Foundation as a Choosing Wisely partner to
help patients and their doctors talk about what tests and treatments are really necessary. Here in [City, State] we’re [one sentence about intervention/focus.] Check out more: www.choosingwisely.org
We’re working with (tag) ABIM Foundation’s Choosing Wisely campaign to help doctors and their patients have conversations about their health care and what tests and procedures may not be necessary (and could even cause harm). Find out more at www.chooosingwisely.org
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Have you ever wondered if you really need that test the doctor ordered? Are there other options you should consider? Check out the work we’re doing to with the (tag) ABIM Foundation’s Choosing Wisely campaign to help you have these meaningful conversations with your doctors. (link)
Are there things you should be talking with your patients about? Check out what we’re doing with the (tag) ABIM Foundation’s Choosing Wisely campaign to help you talk with your patients about tests and procedures that may not be necessary. Learn more: www.choosingwisely.org
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BloggingBlogging, a blend of the term “web logging,” is an online journal intended for public consumption, which often includes interactive features, like comments. There are a number of places that blogs live, but most often they are on an organization’s own web page. The ABIM Foundation maintains a blog called “The Medical Professionalism Blog” at http://blog.abimfoundation.org/.
Key Blogging Considerations:When considering launching a blog here are five key considerations we think you should consider:1. What's the purpose of your blog? What do you want to share? The blog should help
personalize your web presence, updating readers on your work, achievements and even challenges.
2. Why your website alone isn’t a blog. You want to join (and drive) the conversation rather than depend solely on static content. A blog allows your organization to do that. As you likely handle a lot of work other than Choosing Wisely, not all of the posts will directly relate to the campaign or the topics at hand. That is ok, as a blog should be a reflection of what is important to your organization and its mission.
3. Who will write for the blog? Try to have a single editor or blog manager but rotate writing duties among key staff members to keep the content fresh and regular. Consider inviting guest blog posts from outside contributors to add new perspectives on specific topics.
4. How often should you post to the blog? At a minimum aim for a weekly blog post so that your blog does not grow stale. Not all content needs to be in-depth writing and commentary – sometimes you can just recap the latest news and links for readers to stay informed.
5. What happens if something controversial comes up? Blogs are public content and there is the chance that controversial or critical comments may become associated with them. You should think through and be prepared to handle this if it ever happens.
Don’t forget to connect the dots with your other social media!Connect the blog to your Twitter and Facebook accounts whenever possible. Cross referencing, repurposing and sharing content will help promote it and grow a following.
Sample Content Suggestions:There is no end to the topics that you can cover in blog posts. Here are a few ideas to get you started (but feel free to think outside the box – this list is not exhaustive): Choosing Wisely work
o Announcement of worko Milestones (e.g. midpoint of Choosing Wisely work)o Product releases (e.g. reports)o Highlighting Choosing Wisely list content
General health/healthcare topicso Health policy newso New data releasedo Commentary letters
Events and activitieso Annual meetingo Presentation to stakeholder organizations
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Campaign Website and Web Badge:
ChoosingWisely.org Website
The ABIM Foundation maintains an extensive website dedicated solely to the Choosing Wisely campaign at www.ChoosingWisely.org. It is regularly updated and maintained with the latest news, resources and information for the campaign. Information from Consumer Reports is available online at http://ConsumerHealthChoices.org/campaigns/choosing-wisely/.
On the websites you can find: Overview one-pager about the campaign All the “5 Things” lists from phase I and II partners Translated “5 Things” recommendations for consumers Full partners and participant lists, including statements of support Choosing Wisely videos, including a full recording of the phase II list release event
The Foundation has also created a page on the Choosing Wisely site dedicated to each grantee’s project. Grantees are encouraged to highlight results of their projects (videos, podcasts, collateral materials, etc) in this space and promote it to their constituents through social media, newsletters, and links from their websites. Please contact Kelly Rand ([email protected]) to add or update content to your page.
The grantee pages can be found at: http://www.choosingwisely.org/grantees/
Videos can additionally be found on the Consumer Reports YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/ConsumerHealthChoice
Choosing Wisely Web Badge
To help us continue to spread the word about Choosing Wisely, we have created a web badge for your organization’s website, blog, social media presence and any other digital outlets that you think are appropriate. This badge will link people directly to the Choosing Wisely website, where they can learn more about the campaign, your organization and the lists.
Using the badge is easy—just work with your web developer/team to copy and paste the HTML code below into the right place on your current website, newsletter, blog or anywhere that is HTML-ready.
<a href="http://choosingwisely.org" target="_blank" ><img
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src="http://choosingwisely.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/web-banner2.png" border="0" alt="Choosing Wisely" height="138" width="250"></a>
Campaign Logo Usage and Trademark:
As part of your agreement with the ABIM Foundation, your organization signed a logo license allowing you use of the Choosing Wisely® logo on printed and electronic materials. That use is governed by certain guidelines, including not using the logo for commercial purposes or granting use of it to another organization. The logo is for your organization’s use only.
General guidelines for the logo, color matching and registered trademark are included below. We encourage use of the logo on your materials and are happy to assist with any questions you may have, or to review materials if you are unsure. Please contact Kelly Rand ([email protected]) with any questions.
General Logo Guidelines
When using the Choosing Wisely logo, the identifier included (“An initiative of the ABIM Foundation”) should always be used.
Specific colors have been designated for the Choosing Wisely brand. These are the only approved colors for reproducing the logo in communications materials. Accuracy in color reproduction is important to the integrity and legal maintenance of the logo. The colors are:
The 4-color breakdowns: Gold: 0/15/100/28 Green: 45/0/100/24 Lt Blue: 100/0/31/23 Dk Blue: 100/0/20/40 Purple: 64/100/0/14 Tagline: 100/0/24/38
Web colors: Gold: #C2A303 Green: #78A22F Lt Blue: #008C99 Dk Blue: #006595 Purple: #6C207F
NOTE: High-resolution versions of both the Choosing Wisely and ABIM Foundation logos are available upon request in JPG and EPS formats by emailing Kelly Rand ([email protected]).
Registered Trademark
The Choosing Wisely registered trademark has been approved by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Please include the ® symbol following “Choosing Wisely” upon first mention.
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Call for Stories: Making Choosing Wisely® “Real”
Since the launch of the Choosing Wisely campaign there has been growing interest in its impact. Within your grant updates, we will be capturing your communications activities (e.g. quantitative outreach highlights, number of articles, presentations, etc.). In addition to your regular grant updates the ABIM Foundation is actively seeking anecdotes of its impact on your member practices or stories that we can include in materials and communications.
Stories of how members are putting Choosing Wisely in to practice should include a brief overview, along with geographic information, practice type, and who we can contact for more information. They can be told in a number of ways, including in writing, audio, video, imagery, or a combination of these formats. We can work with you to determine the best format, and can highlight your stories on the Choosing Wisely website.
General Narrative Guidelines Cognitive Psychologist Jerome Bruner explains narrative as a mode of thinking or a way of making sense of experience. As humans, our decisions are filtered through stories. We make sense of new ideas by likening them to ideas with which we are familiar and we seek ways to organize and simplify complex information. Through stories we are able to communicate our view of reality to others. We are even able to help reframe what facts mean to others. The most effective story is one the reader can fit into their own personal schemas, a story which essentially they can tell themselves. Narrative is a powerful tool in health care. Below are a few easy rules in creating a strong narrative.
1. Use the 5 W’s. As in any nonfiction piece, answer the five W’s who, what, when, where and why.
2. A hero’s journey. Medical narratives are stories about people. Help your readers care about the people in your narrative.
3. Include facts. Make use of your expertise including medical, scientific and professional information.
4. Carry a theme. The distinction of narrative in nonfiction writing is the opportunity to communicate a larger idea or meaning that moves the reader to emote, think or act.
5. Have a focus. While all of the 5W’s should be answered, stories can be broken into different focuses.
o Who Storieso Why Storieso Teaching Stories which combine a focus on what and howo Vision Stories which focus on what’s in it for the readero Values in Actiono I know what you’re thinking which are stories which reframe an
issue
Please share these updates and stories of how you are putting Choosing Wisely in to practice with Kelly Rand ([email protected]).
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