Issue link: http://kusm-wichita.uberflip.com/i/1024595
3 Nearly four years ago, the 4-Wichita Advisory Board for KU School of Medicine- Wichita challenged itself with the question, "Who will help us grow when the time comes?" Answering that question meant understanding current perceptions about the school — what was already known about KUSM-W — and what wasn't. Research The board voted to raise the funds for the first of three phases: research. Board member Vera Bothner, of Bothner and Bradley, was hired, and contributed through in-kind time, to develop and execute a formal research listening process with identified key stakeholders. Through focus groups, individual interviews and a written survey, the firm gathered information from area and regional business leaders, elected and staff leadership, medical business leadership and physicians. What were the results? First, and most important, that the Wichita campus has a strong reputation as a high-quality medical campus within a high-quality medical school. Second, that its role is extremely important to the community and the state for a variety of reasons, including serving as a critical pipeline for primary care and specialist physicians. However, while there is a high level of awareness and belief in the school, there is a need to create more connections and be seen as a full partner within the community. KUSM-W also needs to more proactively communicate and share its vision for the campus. These findings and others then helped provide the foundation for a comprehensive strategic communication and community outreach effort — or phase two of the board's plan. Develop the message 4-Wichita Advisory Board leadership held an informative and engaging meeting with the Kansas Health Foundation. Attending from the 4-Wichita Advisory Board were Alex Ammar, KUSM-W Surgery Department chair and surgeon with Wichita Surgical Specialists; Jill Docking, senior vice president of The Docking Group; and Jeff Kennedy, former managing partner at Martin, Pringle, Oliver, Wallace & Bauer LLP. They met with Steve Coen, president and CEO of the Kansas Health Foundation, and Mike Lennen of Morris, Laing, Evans, Brock & Kennedy in Topeka, and KHF board chair. After that meeting, the foundation invited KUSM-W to submit a grant proposal for up to $50,000 with the goal to increase awareness of how important the four-year medical school in Wichita is in supplying physicians for Wichita and much of rural Kansas. "This is a perfect partnership between two entities who believe in promoting healthy lifestyles and increasing access to care across the state," said Coen. A combined team of members from the 4-Wichita Advisory Board, KUSM-W Public Affairs, KHF and community members specializing in creative strategies and media buying began solidifying a message that moved people from knowing there's a medical school to becoming its champions. Involved in this effort were Vera Bothner and Bonnie Bing Honeyman, retired reporter and fashion columnist for The Wichita Eagle and current VIP Wichita Magazine writer; KUSM-W Public Affairs members Belinda Venters, associate director, and Jennifer Eaton, senior communications coordinator; representatives from KHF, Kristi Zukovich, vice president for communication and policy, and Chase Willhite, associate vice president for communication; and community members Bob Hamrick, former Sullivan Higdon and Sink vice president, and Bonnie Tharp, owner of Copp Media. "We had the dream team to take the research and build the creative and media strategies to communicate the story of 'why' this campus is so critical to our state's future," said Bothner, "And also to help underscore that this is our school and it's made up of and supported by Wildcats, Shockers, Falcons and Jets, in addition to Jayhawks. This four-year medical school is Wichita's — it's ours." Do you know we're here? Yes. Do you believe we do good work? Yes. Can you name what all we do? … Do you know the reach of what we do? …