ScreenOutCancer: promoting public health and health system partnerships in the value-based health care environment

Background:

CDC’s Division of Cancer Prevention and Control (DCPC) funded NACDD to develop communication and marketing strategies and tools to increase health system support and participation in the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP) and the Colorectal Control Program (CRCCP).

Program background:

State, tribal, and territorial public health agencies now receive support from DCPC to work with health systems to increase population-level cancer screening to underserved populations, an expansion to the direct screening work for which they are primarily and historically known. Awardees needed to promote these new priorities to build support for their programs and to develop partnerships to increase reach.

We embarked on series of assessments to: • Uncover challenges and opportunities • Assess current perceptions and key drivers for each audience • Develop a value proposition and core messages

Assessments included an on-line survey of grantees and in-depth interviews with program managers of cancer screening programs, health systems executives, and leadership of state health agencies. The initiative leveraged audience knowledge and audience-based communication to help public health agencies build a business case for using evidenced based interventions (EBI) in cancer screening, to develop their own reputation as thought leaders, and to create resources on cancer screening best practices. We balanced data with stories and testimonials and made all content easy to consume and share.

An array of developed tools included:

• A new brand -- ScreenOutCancer – and brand platform for the NBCCEDP and CRCCP • Several customizable print materials • Digital and social media materials developed in partnership with CBS HealthSolutions

Evaluation Methods and Results:

Methods included: • In-depth interviews with the grantees • Online survey of the grantees • Digital and social media metrics

The initial evaluation was diagnostic in nature and examined the project’s implementation and whether the communication materials provided to the agencies as part of the ScreenOutCancer initiative were helping them to communicate the value of their work to key stakeholders. Social media metrics offered insight into click through rates accross various platforms to the cdc.gov/screenoutcancer website.

Grantees reported being enthusiastic about the ScreenOutCancer initiative, they had positive feedback about the new brand identity and tools. An overwhelming majority of grantees said that the materials provided would be helpful to them in their work and most plan on using the materials in the future. Social media metrics showed that geo-fencing ads provided the best click through to the website.

Conclusions:

Upon evaluation the initiative was new to the grantees. Agencies reported needing more time to adopt the new brand and materials. Additionally, grantees wanted more time to apply location-specific data on cost burden of cancer and cost savings from cancer screening. Finally, some grantees requested professional development on EBI implementation.

Implications for research and/or practice:

Grantee readiness to adopt materials varied widely across agencies. For those already involved in this work, the materials provided a boost and enriched work. Training among newer staff was requested be help them better understand EBI implementation further, prior approaching health systems. In addition, NACDD continues to provide design technical assistance to grantees as they seek to co-brand with ScreenOutCancer.