Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Pediatric Asthma Initiative
Services:
Integrated marketing plan, website, continuing medical education program, and print and e-mail campaigns
Challenge:
After years of research, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation knew some simple steps would reduce the impact of asthma on children. Now, how could the Foundation promote these practices among those on the front lines of care delivery?
Approach:
Our approach focused on reaching healthcare policymakers and emergency department physicians, who treat asthma among the country’s most disadvantaged children. A tailored print and e-mail campaign reached those who fund health care at the state and local levels, while a free, online continuing medical education program reached thousands of emergency department physicians and nurses with information about the best ways to provide key education to children with asthma and their families. A clearinghouse website, pediatricasthma.org, offers proven strategies and best practices in asthma care, along with a variety of regional and local resources.
Results:
Several thousand clinicians have completed the continuing medical education program, many commenting that the information it contains has helped to shape their current practice. Outreach to the media resulted in placements in key professional journals, including Children’s Hospitals Today. Major healthcare funders and decision-makers, including those from the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control, sought information from the Foundation following the campaign. Even several years post-launch, key investigators and program sites continue to be contacted through pediatricasthma.org by people and projects who wish to replicate their programs.
