Partners Research Management

Communications

McLean Research Administrators Group

November 20, 2008

Agenda

• Communications Assessment• Initial Communications Plan• Initial Accomplishments• Next Steps• Outreach to McLean• Questions/Comments

Communications Assessment

• Hired in March 2008 to enhance communication within Partners Research Management (RM) and between RM and the research community

• Given the size of that community, divided my assessment into four phases:

• RM employees and BWH and MGH department employees

• McLean and Spaulding department employees • BWH and MGH PIs• McLean and Spaulding PIs

Communications Assessment

• Launched a “meet and greet” tour during first six weeks to discuss communication

• Met with• 10 department employees from BWH • 9 department employees from MGH• 13 RM and Partners Clinical Research Office

(PCRO) employees

• Several themes resulted from these meetings: • Research Management is viewed as a “black hole” • Communications are seen as reactive mandates• Lack of reliable information and limited

communication about RM roles/responsibilities • Issue of relevant communication balanced between

over- and under-communicating• Limited opportunities for two-way communication

Communications Assessment

Initial Communications Plan

• Developed initial communications plan, which was reviewed by RM leadership and the RAMP committee

• Goals of the communication plan are to:• Enhance existing communication tools• Introduce additional communication tools• Improve awareness of processes/people• Target messages to specific audiences• Restore credibility of information• Increase opportunities for two-way

communication

Initial Accomplishments

• Goal 1: Enhance existing tools• Resumed production of RM Newsletter • Added new elements to department’s weekly

Internal News email• Conducted SWOT analysis of Partners Research

Intranet http://phsresearchintranet.partners.org/ • Launched Research Intranet revitalization project

– Reviewed and updated forms– Conducted focus groups

Initial Accomplishments• Goal 2: Introduce additional tools

• Created weekly “From the Office of the COO” email

• Communications topics are discussed at the weekly RM Operations Meeting

• Goal 3: Improve awareness of processes/people• Posted SOPs on Research Intranet • Added names/pictures to Who’s Who listing • Expanded contact lists; posted lists and RM

organizational chart on Research Intranet• Added select RM materials to Partners Internet

www.partners.org

Initial Accomplishments

• Goal 4: Restore credibility of information• Updated forms on Research Intranet • Added footers with “updated/revised” date to forms

and pages on the Research Intranet• Announced updates in COO email/RM Newsletter • Initiated review of checklists/information on

Research Intranet with subject experts

Initial Accomplishments

• Goal 5: Increase opportunities for two-way communication• Created Research Feedback mailbox

researchfeedback@partners.org • Attend BRISC/MGH RADG monthly meetings• Leverage feedback from RM trainings

• Goal 6: Target messages to specific audiences• Reviewed and consolidated distribution lists• Coordinated COO message distribution through

ECOR at MGH and BRI at BWH

Next Steps

• Off to a good start, but more to do:

• Move ahead with Intranet revitalization project

• Leverage department meetings

• Explore – Incorporating new media into communications mix – Establishing a Communications Advisory

Committee– Creating weekly Department Administrator “alert

emails”

• Begin outreach to McLean and Spaulding department employees

Outreach to McLean

How would you characterize communication between Partners Research Management and the McLean research community?

What do you need from Research Management?

Questions/Comments

Karen A. Mason

Senior Communications Consultant

Partners Research Management

kmason3@partners.org

617-954-9824