Early in the negotiations process, it became apparent that the NLMA
would have to prepare itself to communicate outside its traditional
mediums of postal mail and fax. In a split second, e-mail would
become the only medium of disseminating high-volume, time-sensitive
information to members detached from their clinics; and the Internet
would become the main source of detailed information for members,
media and patients.
In the spring and summer of 2002, the NLMA
revamped its web site, launched a secure site dedicated to
negotiations issues, and designed a broader membership database. The
revamped public site now featured a media section devoted to the
unique requirements of this audience (archived news releases, health
care backgrounders, speeches, bios, a medical glossary, member
statistics, and NLMA graphics and photos). The new negotiations site
contained the NLMA's submission to government, an online discussion
forum, and instructions on how to carry out job action without
endangering critical patient care. The new database permitted the
storage of comprehensive member contact information in an easily
filtered and exportable format.
With the start of job action on October 1,
the main web site logged 1,278 unique visits! In the following days,
hits averaged between 400 on weekends to over 800 hits on weekdays.
Two additional "spikes" were also recorded: one when the
media reported that negotiations had broken off following a weekend
marathon bargaining session; and, again when it was announced
binding arbitration had been accepted by both sides. The
negotiations site recorded similar traffic patterns, with October 1
logging 432 unique hits and daily totals ranging between 242 and
346.
Other provincial medical associations and
societies, along with the CMA, visited our site daily to monitor
events as they unfolded and to receive information not filtered
through media outlets. Media regularly visited the media section,
allowing NLMA communications staff to deal directly with the media
only on more important issues. And members visited the secure site
to get an update on negotiations and answers to their questions on
job action execution.
A major portion of traffic to the public
site was driven by national media attention. Online news services
including cbc.ca, ctvnews.ca, globeandmail.com, Yahoo! News, and
vocm.com all provided direct links to nlma.nf.ca as they ran
articles almost daily on our job action and its effects on the
provincial health care system.
Communicating directly with our membership
through postal mail and fax went out the window. Many physicians
were no longer in their offices. E-mail immediately became the
distribution method of choice. Following a drive to secure
addresses, our database grew from a mere 150 addresses to almost
600! The new membership database allowed us to easily mass e-mail
the majority on our practicing members.
While not an all-inclusive method, when
used in conjunction with our web sites, it allowed a small
contingent of NLMA staff to maintain timely communications during a
critical and unique time in the association's history. In fact, the
NLMA will continue to use e-mail as an effective and efficient
method of communications. If you're not yet receiving e-mail from
us, forward your address to nlma@nlma.nf.ca!
J. David
Mitchell is Manager of Operations and Infomatics with the NLMA.
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