The communication plan as a strategic tool for a changing healthcare Experience of the AOU Federico II of Naples, Italy

Optimizing the management of information flows to facilitate the sharing of information and knowledge is now more vital than ever for healthcare organizations. The AOU Federico II of Naples has made all the operators of the Company aware of a series of projects, through activities planned and organized in a shared communication plan. The communication plan, validated in March 2009, has the following objectives:
• improve the level of participation of operators in the corporation’s objectives
• improve the corporate image, both inside and outside
• communicate the corporate strategy and actions taken
• inform, educate, motivate the use of new software designed to optimize the information flow
After identifying the communication objectives, we conducted an analysis of the scenario (SWOT analysis) to identify strengths and weaknesses, threats and opportunities of the AOU. The targets were then identified and the actions of communication and planning were translated into a series of information activities and involvement in implemented designs, including: regular meetings with the Departments Heads, and design projects of educational activity through “on the job training” for operators to use the intranet. Among the most significant undertaken activities, the conference "Communication, organization, technological innovation for a change in Healthcare - The launch of the Corporate Portal of the AOU Federico II" – was held on 11/06, in order to broaden the action of communication to the public, and was attended by the employees of the Company, the University, other Campania health care companies , regional institutions and the press
The communication plan has helped identify actions aimed at specific targets and to monitor the degree of awareness of activities by all the branches of the company; the sharing of information has made the work easier, reducing the "bureaucratic" processes. As far as the conference is concerned, the record attendance by the employees of the AO and ASL of Campania demonstrates the importance that the theme plays in the regional context. The media interest generated is testified by the presence of articles and reports published in leading newspaper of Campania, “Il Mattino”, “ Il Giornale di Napoli”, “ Il Denaro” that reported the event with a series of articles published both, before and after the synthesis of the subjects presented. The television channels of Campania also reported an interview with the DG and the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine. Strategic corporate directions cannot avoid re-engineering organizational processes to facilitate the sharing of information; this can happen only through a renewed internal communication pact and more fluid and direct communication processes. The Communication Plan is a valuable means to coordinate the activities and coordinate the process of internal communication, and to make a transparent and accessible external communication a reality for users.