Developing Effective Messaging for IPECP Advocacy and Engagement

The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) is implementing multi-year efforts to advance IPECP among its members (i.e., audiologists and speech-language pathologists), including defining what it is and how to implement it and elucidating their role on teams. The following common barriers to IPECP implementation have been noted in ASHA member perspectives: not understanding IPECP and a lack of perceived value (Lawlis et. al., 2014; O’Reilly et. al., 2017).

To address these barriers, ASHA engaged a communication consulting firm to assist with developing effective messaging (Evans, et. al., 2009) that enhances understanding of the IPECP construct across stakeholders and practice settings. IPECP leadership and mentorship efforts that include obtaining buy-in and activation of agency among health professionals is critical to advancing education, practice, and research in IPECP. In collaboration with a communication consulting firm, extant data and materials were evaluated to assess the effectiveness of IPECP messaging, positioning, and branding. Comparable materials from related health professions supporting IPECP were also examined. Messaging was developed to include overarching messages about what IPECP is and why it is important using messaging types to activate agency including

a) Why Now?,

b) Consequences of action or inaction,

c) a Call to Action, and

d) the Benefits of IPECP.

Additional tailored messages were developed for audiologists and speech-language pathologists in the following practice settings: health care, education (K-12), and college/university (includes clinical and academic faculty). Messaging was evaluated through a qualitative interview process with ASHA members and members of related professions. Information gained from stakeholder interviews and review of educational materials about IPECP revealed differing stakeholder perspectives about IPECP, its applicability, and motivation for engagement or lack of engagement.

Those findings and other data collected by ASHA measuring IPECP engagement will be presented along with how the information is being applied to more effective communication and education strategies. Almost all health professions and their respective organizations are striving to advance IPECP. This presentation will highlight identified stakeholder challenges in understanding what constitutes IPECP, it’s perceived value, and how it is implemented across care settings. Strategies for mitigating informational gaps with effective messaging will be addressed. Participants will construct IPECP messages applicable to their setting.

Interactive Learning Strategies/Assessment:

1. Participants will share and evaluate examples of IPECP message types currently used in public narratives in their setting to address a) Why Now?, b) Consequences of action or inaction, c) a Call to Action, and d) the Benefits of IPECP.

2. Prior to the end of the session, all participants will be asked to use the chat feature to share the most important point they gained from the session.

Seminar Outline:

• Welcome and Introductions (5 min)

• Overview of barriers and methods undertaken to develop effective messaging for audiologists and speech language pathologists in health care, school (K-12), and academic settings. (10 min)

• Follow a framework to develop effective IPECP messaging (10 min)

• Online discussion and activity to evaluate and construct IPECP messaging (30 min)

• Chat Summary of reported learning outcomes (5 min)