How do you position an organization to influence an important patient conversation?
If you or a loved one has ever been treated for cancer, chances are that the oncologist has used guidelines developed by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), a consortium of the nation’s top centers. NCCN approached SteegeThomson to build awareness of their patient resources and raise their profile in the policy arena. We organize a livestreamed press panel at a conference in San Francisco to introduce “the NCCN Guidelines with Evidence Blocks: A View of the Patient-Empowered Cancer Conversation.” More than 35 reporters attended in person or via webcast, and stories were published in more than 100 outlets. We also promoted NCCN’s Guidelines for Patient Distress, with coverage in The Huffington Post, Coping with Cancer, ASCO Post, Conquer Magazine, CURE, and more.
In another key initiative, we developed a campaign called “Just Bag It!” to promote the safe handling of a chemotherapy drug that is lethal when administered incorrectly. We produced a video demonstration, press materials for web, and organized a news conference with an affected family. To extend buy-in and reach, we partnered with the Institute for Safe Medication Practices, Fox Chase Cancer Center, and NCCN’s 27 member centers. As a result of these efforts, NCCN met its goal of 100 institutions signing on to the safety protocols by year’s end.
