Novel ways of improving communication with members of health professional associations
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FIGO LOGIC INITIATIVE Novel ways of improving communication with members of health professional associations Pushpa Chaudhary a, ⁎, Heera Tuladhar b a Paropakar Maternity and Women’s Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal b KIST Medical College Teaching Hospital, Lalitpur, Nepal abstract article info Keywords: Communication FIGO LOGIC initiative Health Professional Associations Media Members Nepal Obstetrics and Gynecology Societies The International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) supported the Nepal Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (NESOG) to help influence national health policy and practice through FIGO’s Leadership in Obstetrics and Gynecology for Impact and Change (LOGIC) Initiative in Maternal and Newborn Health. An Orga- nizational Capacity Improvement Framework, developed by the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada (SOGC), was used to evaluate NESOG’s initial baseline organizational capacity in 2010. Communication among NESOG members was rated as moderate (39%). Several initiatives, such as the use of high-speed internet access, group SMS texts and emails for information sharing, member profile updates, use of social media, and reg- ular updates to the NESOG website were examples of interventions that resulted in improved participation of members in NESOG’s activities. Members were impressively active in reciprocating via Facebook, and via partic- ipation in online voting in the NESOG elections (84%). © 2014 Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. on behalf of International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. 1. Introduction Health professional associations can effectively contribute to the health status of a population if they are empowered with better organi- zational capacity and leadership. However, its members are the strength of any organization. Better communication and linkage with members improves their “belongingness” to the organization and ultimately results in better performance of the organization. The Nepal Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (NESOG) was privileged to receive support from the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) to help influence national health policy and practice through its Leadership in Obstetrics and Gynecology for Impact and Change (LOGIC) Initiative in Maternal and Newborn Health. Prior to the FIGO LOGIC initiative, communication among NESOG members was primarily interpersonal and by telephone, with very limited use of electronic media, particularly emails, until 2001. Major decisions were taken during meetings, such as Continuing Medical Edu- cation (CME) workshops. The Society made limited use of short mes- sage service (SMS) texts to groups of individuals via personal mobile phones. Regular publication of the official journal of NESOG (the Nepal Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology) and Newsletters began in 2005. Among members who resided outside the Kathmandu Valley, participation in NESOG’s activities—including voting in elec- tions for the Executive Board—was limited by diverse geographical locations and limited use of electronic communication. An Organizational Capacity Improvement Framework (OCIF), devel- oped by the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada (SOGC), was used to evaluate NESOG’s baseline organizational capacity. During initial assessments in 2010, operational capacity was rated as moderate (39%). 2. Interventions Several initiatives were undertaken to improve communication with members and to keep them informed of NESOG’s activities. With sup- port from the LOGIC initiative, NESOG’s administrative functionality was improved by the addition of high-speed internet access. Group emails and text messages are now being used to disseminate informa- tion regarding CME, trainings, workshops and conferences, and to share opportunities and resources to benefit members. Members’ pro- files including their contact details have been updated and an updated members list is regularly published in the NESOG Newsletter. A Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/) account for NESOG was creat- ed and its photo gallery is regularly uploaded with recent activities. The NESOG website was improved by the addition of a new banner and updated information on the list of life members; details of affil- iations with FIGO, the Asia and Oceania Federation of Obstetrics and Gynecology (AOFOG), the South Asia Federation of Obstetrics and Gy- necology (SAFOG), and other collaborative partners; national and International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics 127 (2014) S15–S16 ⁎ Corresponding author at: Paropakar Maternity and Women’s Hospital, Prasuti Marg, Thapathali, Kathmandu, Nepal. Tel.: +977 4252315. E-mail address: [email protected] (P. Chaudhary). http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijgo.2014.06.005 0020-7292/© 2014 Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. on behalf of International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Contents lists available at ScienceDirect International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/ijgo
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International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics 127 (2014) S15–S16
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International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics
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FIGO LOGIC INITIATIVE
Novel ways of improving communication with members of healthprofessional associations
Pushpa Chaudhary a,⁎, Heera Tuladhar b
a Paropakar Maternity and Women’s Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepalb KIST Medical College Teaching Hospital, Lalitpur, Nepal
⁎ Corresponding author at: Paropakar Maternity and WThapathali, Kathmandu, Nepal. Tel.: +977 4252315.
E-mail address: [email protected] (P. Chaudhary
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijgo.2014.06.0050020-7292/© 2014 Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. on b
a b s t r a c t
a r t i c l e i n f oKeywords:
CommunicationFIGO LOGIC initiativeHealth Professional AssociationsMediaMembersNepalObstetrics and Gynecology SocietiesThe International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) supported the Nepal Society of Obstetriciansand Gynaecologists (NESOG) to help influence national health policy and practice through FIGO’s Leadership inObstetrics and Gynecology for Impact and Change (LOGIC) Initiative in Maternal and Newborn Health. An Orga-nizational Capacity Improvement Framework, developed by the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists ofCanada (SOGC), was used to evaluate NESOG’s initial baseline organizational capacity in 2010. Communicationamong NESOGmembers was rated as moderate (39%). Several initiatives, such as the use of high-speed internetaccess, group SMS texts and emails for information sharing,member profile updates, use of socialmedia, and reg-ular updates to the NESOG website were examples of interventions that resulted in improved participation ofmembers in NESOG’s activities. Members were impressively active in reciprocating via Facebook, and via partic-ipation in online voting in the NESOG elections (84%).
© 2014 Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. on behalf of International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics.
1. Introduction
Health professional associations can effectively contribute to thehealth status of a population if they are empoweredwith better organi-zational capacity and leadership. However, itsmembers are the strengthof any organization. Better communication and linkage with membersimproves their “belongingness” to the organization and ultimatelyresults in better performance of the organization. The Nepal Society ofObstetricians and Gynaecologists (NESOG) was privileged to receivesupport from the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics(FIGO) to help influence national health policy and practice through itsLeadership in Obstetrics and Gynecology for Impact and Change(LOGIC) Initiative in Maternal and Newborn Health.
Prior to the FIGO LOGIC initiative, communication among NESOGmembers was primarily interpersonal and by telephone, with verylimited use of electronic media, particularly emails, until 2001. Majordecisionswere taken duringmeetings, such as ContinuingMedical Edu-cation (CME) workshops. The Society made limited use of short mes-sage service (SMS) texts to groups of individuals via personal mobilephones. Regular publication of the official journal of NESOG (theNepal Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology) and Newsletters beganin 2005. Among members who resided outside the Kathmandu
omen’s Hospital, Prasuti Marg,
).
ehalf of International Federation of G
Valley, participation in NESOG’s activities—including voting in elec-tions for the Executive Board—was limited by diverse geographicallocations and limited use of electronic communication.
An Organizational Capacity Improvement Framework (OCIF), devel-oped by the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada(SOGC), was used to evaluate NESOG’s baseline organizational capacity.During initial assessments in 2010, operational capacity was rated asmoderate (39%).
2. Interventions
Several initiativeswere undertaken to improve communicationwithmembers and to keep them informed of NESOG’s activities. With sup-port from the LOGIC initiative, NESOG’s administrative functionalitywas improved by the addition of high-speed internet access. Groupemails and text messages are now being used to disseminate informa-tion regarding CME, trainings, workshops and conferences, and toshare opportunities and resources to benefit members. Members’ pro-files including their contact details have been updated and an updatedmembers list is regularly published in the NESOG Newsletter. AFacebook (https://www.facebook.com/) account for NESOG was creat-ed and its photo gallery is regularly uploaded with recent activities.The NESOG website was improved by the addition of a new bannerand updated information on the list of life members; details of affil-iations with FIGO, the Asia and Oceania Federation of Obstetrics andGynecology (AOFOG), the South Asia Federation of Obstetrics and Gy-necology (SAFOG), and other collaborative partners; national and
ynecology and Obstetrics.
S16 P. Chaudhary, H. Tuladhar / International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics 127 (2014) S15–S16
international events and conferences; and sharing the achievementsof NESOG members. Online voting was made possible for the firsttime in NESOG’s history for the election of Executive Board members.
Additional interventions to improve communication and network-ing among members included the formation of extended NESOG com-mittees and subcommittees. A members’ blog was added to thewebsite and use of social media was promoted. Efforts have beenmade to use influential NESOG members as role players for advocacyto promote maternal and neonatal health through various media chan-nels. Direct contact with the public via media channels will be effectivein promoting a positive image of NESOG and its members as influentialadvocates for maternal and neonatal health.
3. Discussion
The participation of NESOG members in the organization’s activitieshas improved, as shown by attendance levels at workshops such asgrant proposal writing, advocacy, constitution amendment, and near-miss reviews. A number of NESOG CME workshops and conferencesheld outside the Kathmandu Valley have been successfully organizedand well attended. Members were impressively active in reciprocatingvia Facebook, and participating in online voting during elections (84%).A remarkable increase was observed in the number of new members.
Some barriers still exist in managing effective communication,including “load shedding” (power cuts), and slow or interrupted internetconnections. Daytime telephonic communication with members is oftendifficult owing to busy schedules. Limited access to and reciprocation ofemails, particularly among members outside the Kathmandu Valley,and low response to text messages were also noted, and there is no evi-dence that the website is being regularly accessed by the majority ofmembers. However, it has beennoted thatmembers prefer textmessagesand phone calls as reliable and effective methods of communication.
In future,more effectivemethods of communication such as telecon-ferencing and Skype (Skype Communications, Luxemburg) will be im-plemented to actively involve members, which will be particularlyuseful in supporting those working in remote districts.
Acknowledgments
NESOG expresses gratitude to the FIGO LOGIC team for support,guidance, and mentoring throughout the implementation period ofthis project. In addition, all NESOG members deserve special thanksfor their enthusiasm and participation in NESOG activities.
Conflict of interest
The authors have no conflicts of interest.
