SPECIAL ISSUE |
Fall 2016
This isn’t our job It’s our calling And we answer it every day
Our brand story With passion to improve the health of children, Cincinnati Children’s has risen to the forefront of pediatric care, research and education. In the process, we’ve experienced tremendous growth. We now help more patients and families from more places around the world. And we’ve doubled the size of our employee base in the past 15 years. Together with our agency partners, we developed a positioning and a brand promise that represents the organization of today and tomorrow. We created a brand that can continually nourish and support our efforts from the inside out—speak to who we have been and where we are headed. Doing this will help us to reflect the thousands of people who collaborate here every day, to express our global reach, to communicate the importance of research and translation and unify the organization under a set of shared beliefs as we differentiate Cincinnati Children’s from other pediatric and adult hospitals. Along our journey, we talked to a lot of people—doctors, nurses, researchers, administrators, patient families, marketing staff, donors, and medical partners—all people who have a stake here and deserve a voice. We discovered some pretty amazing things. And we discovered opportunities to showcase what we do best: care for patients and families, work collaboratively, mentor colleagues, share knowledge and change the outcome together. We have energy, passion and purpose. A renewed brand helps us add clarity, focus, vision and inspiration.
Cincinnati Children’s changing the outcome together
FROM THE EDITOR There is much that is evolving and renewing at Cincinnati Children’s. But the passion and dedication of our employees is our foundation. This special issue of our employee magazine, 360º, tells the stories of four employees who are living our brand with passion every day. I hope you enjoy it and will be inspired to share your story with us. Thanks.
Cindy Duesing
What’s in a brand? Well…everything. By Julia Ward, senior director of Marketing at Cincinnati Children’s
Cincinnati Children’s refreshed brand embraces the past with arms outstretched to the future
Even though it was almost seven years
holding him as tenderly as I would
that this was where I was supposed to
ago, I remember my final job interview
myself, I fell in love with Cincinnati
be. I had a heart full of gratitude and an
at Cincinnati Children’s as though it
Children’s a little more.
up-close-and-personal experience of
happened yesterday. I’m guessing that
what makes Cincinnati Children’s special.
not many people can say they walked
After 22 years of working in the ad
directly from their son’s hospital room
agency world, I hoped to join the
Our son is now a healthy and fast-growing
into a job interview, but that was me
Marketing and Communications team.
11-year old. You could say the same
on day seven of what turned out to be
I had made it through the first two rounds
about Cincinnati Children’s—healthy and
a 10-day stay for our 4-year-old son.
of interviews and was a finalist when “it”
fast-growing! I didn’t fully appreciate until
happened. I had one of those moments
I worked here just how much Cincinnati
My first experience was strictly
in life that shakes you to your core.
Children’s has grown over the last 10
professional. In 2008 I was working
Smack dab in the middle of the interview
years. So much so, that our leadership
at an advertising agency charged with
process, our 4-year-old son became
decided it was time to evolve our brand
developing a campaign to open the new
suddenly and seriously ill. He had a
to more fully express who we are and
Liberty Campus. As a client, Cincinnati
very severe form of pneumonia, along
who we aspire to be.
Children’s had me at hello. What’s not
with a lung infection.
to love about creating advertising for a children’s hospital?
There are many definitions of “brand.” It was a potentially life-threatening
Some think of it as a name or logo, but
combination that landed him here for
it goes deeper than that. A brand is
10 days, in isolation. Everyone involved
everything you do and everything you
more personal when our son had an
in the interview process was wonderfully
say. So, we dug deep. It’s been nearly
outpatient procedure at 11 months old.
understanding and supportive.
two years of thoughtful re-examination,
My relationship with the brand got
It wasn’t serious or life-threatening,
including input and feedback from more
but nothing is routine when it involves
On that seventh day, he was finally on
than 500 employees, patient families,
your child. When we were called into
the mend, thanks to our wonderful care
community members and other
the recovery room, and I saw a nurse
team, and there was no doubt in my mind
stakeholders.
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What’s in a brand? Well…everything.
(continued)
I’ll put my marketing hat on and tell you
with the larger half-circle—the adult
that we did lots of research to validate
figure—lifting up and supporting the
that this new mark is communicating
smaller half circle—the child. Some
our brand attributes of collaboration,
people see caregiver and child, others
innovation, compassion, family inclusion
see parent and child. Some even see
and patient-centeredness.
mentor and mentee. There is no wrong answer here—our hope is that you
I’ll put my mom hat on and tell you that
embrace the new mark on your own terms.
for me it feels like a warm and caring hug. In fact, it is symbolic of two figures
Harris, now 11, is much like Cincinnati Children’s
moving toward each other in an embrace,
itself: healthy and growing fast.
“I think of this brand renewal as so much more than a logo change. It brings together the very essence of what Cincinnati Children’s stands for. It’s a powerful expression of who we are and should be a constant reminder of the promises we make to families every day.”
“Our new brand mark is a symbol that lives up to the purpose,
“This is definitely more innovative, more global, more cutting-edge, more 21st century. It matches what I experience when I come
Anne Boat, MD
talent and future of this organization. It represents us at our very best.”
here.” Tracy Glauser, MD
Cincinnati Children’s parent
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We believe... The beliefs that are at the core of our brand renewal are an articulation of a creed Cincinnati Children’s staffers have been living since we opened our doors in 1883. To illustrate this point, we talked with several of you to find out how you bring the brand to life every day.
…that
we are all caregivers
making children well is everyone’s business.
…that
science and compassion are equally important.
…that
small acts have tremendous impact.
…in each other—colleagues, patients and families. We have the power to saves lives
through collaboration.
…in sharing our ideas, our discoveries and our advancements so that
children in Cincinnati and around the world can thrive.
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we are all caregivers Emily Chesnut is a senior Epic analyst with Information Services.
“My passion is networking and connecting the dots to foster our mission.”
Here’s an experience you may have had: You tell a new acquaintance that you work at Cincinnati Children’s. The person asks if you’re a doctor or nurse.
Persistence paid off. In January 2014, Chesnut was hired as an Epic analyst for the Department of Anesthesia.
For someone who’s never worked at a hospital, the wide range of roles may come as a surprise. That was the case for Emily Chesnut.
Though she’s not a direct caregiver, she quickly volunteered for projects that impact patient families.
She first got to know Cincinnati Children’s as the mother of a newborn who needed heart surgery and also has Down syndrome. She was so impressed with the care her daughter received that she volunteered to be a Champion for Children’s. Even so, although she wanted to change jobs, it didn’t occur to her to apply to Cincinnati Children’s. After all, she had no clinical experience. It wasn’t until a colleague took a job in the Anderson Center that Chesnut understood there might be a role for someone with her computer and project management skills. From that moment on, she was determined. “Over two years, I applied for 94 positions,” she recalls. “I applied for anything in the right range.”
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“My passion is networking and connecting the dots to foster our mission,” Chesnut says. “If we don’t have an ongoing connection to patients, it’s just an office job.” As the mother of a patient, Chesnut brings her parent perspective to teams that are working to improve the patient and family experience. She has worked with the Anderson Center on the parking innovations and waiting room redesign teams. She also joined the Family Advisory Council for Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics. Reflecting on her enthusiasm for Cincinnati Children’s, Chesnut says, “I used to think it was cheesy when people told me to find a job I loved. I thought you just find something to do and tolerate it.” Not anymore. “Maybe I lucked out. I really do love my job!”
science & compassion are equally important Ashish Kumar specializes in the study and treatment of two rare diseases: HLH (hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis) and LCH (Langerhans cell histiocytosis).
“I ride to show my empathy and support,” he says. “On the ride, I’m just another human being on a bike, not the doctor.”
In September, Ashish Kumar, MD, PhD, associate professor, Bone Marrow Transplantation and Immune Deficiency, will set off on a seven-day, 700-mile bike ride from Mississippi to Cincinnati Children’s. What motivates a self-described couch potato to undertake this grueling ride? A commitment to his patients. His discovery of a gene mutation that causes LCH has resulted in a large-scale research program as well as effective new treatments. “As a physician scientist, I see first hand how our lack of knowledge affects patients and how research helps,” he says. So in 2014, when Justin Akin, father of two boys who died of HLH, launched the “700 Miles to Hope Bike Ride” and asked Kumar to participate, he said yes. Like the other bikers, he pledged to raise $5,000 to support the HLH Center of Excellence at Cincinnati Children’s. “I’m not an athlete,” Kumar says. “I bike to work, but that’s the only exercise I get. On day one, within 10 miles, I thought: This isn’t going to work.” But he persisted.
“I knew that whatever hard work I had to do was nothing compared with what patients go through,” he says. “I just needed to pedal one stroke at a time. Most days, I was the last to finish, but that was OK.” Kumar was exhilarated by the experience—and convinced that once was enough. But the next year, he learned that his presence inspired others to try. He joined the ride again. And now he’s preparing to do it a third time. The event will culminate in a day-long conference for physicians and families. “I learned that we underestimate what we’re capable of,” Kumar says. Beyond this life-lesson, biking alongside riders who have family members affected by HLH gives him the opportunity to get to know the families outside the hospital. “I ride to show my empathy and support,” he says. “On the ride, I’m just another human being on a bike, not the doctor.”
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small acts have tremendous impact Cynthia Stith is an access service representative II, working at the greeter’s desk, checking in patients as they arrive in Same Day Surgery.
“I did it because I felt she needed it. I wanted to make her happy and let her know that somebody cared.”
It started as an ordinary day and became an extraordinary one.
While they waited, “We talked to her and tried to reassure her that everything was going to be great.”
The elevator door opened, and a teenager got off. There was no parent with her. Her clothes and hair were wet.
Eventually the girl’s mother arrived. After she was registered and taken back for her pre-op checkup and the operation, Stith felt she had to do something to lift the girl’s spirits and make her feel special.
Talking with her, Cynthia Stith heard a story that touched her heart. The girl’s mother had not been home all night. She didn’t know where her mother was or when she would get there. She had walked to the hospital by herself, in the rain. She had read the eating and drinking guidelines and followed the instructions. She was ready for surgery, but she was alone, sad and scared—and to make matters worse, it was her birthday. “I just felt for this girl,” Stith recalls. “I wanted to cry. I wanted to help her.” Stith got the girl settled at colleague Dee Dee Calloway’s registration desk to wait for her mother.
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She went to the Gift Shop, got her a birthday card and balloon, and a small gift—a necklace with a charm with an encouraging word of hope. When the girl was recovering in the Post Anesthesia Care Unit, Stith went back to give her the gift in person. “I’ve never done that with anyone before. I did it because I felt she needed it. I wanted to make her happy and let her know that somebody cared.” The girl has called Stith several times since that day to let her know she’s doing well. And Stith has the satisfaction of knowing that her act of kindness made a difference.
we have the power to save lives through collaboration Stephen Waggoner is a researcher in the Center for Autoimmune Genomics and Etiology (CAGE), Division of Rheumatology.
“I want to use the position to help researchers benefit from each other’s expertise.”
For Stephen Waggoner, PhD, the collaborative environment at Cincinnati Children’s is a “powerful reason to be here.” A researcher and assistant professor, Waggoner joined Cincinnati Children’s in 2013. He feels there’s a “different personality” here, with less ego and competition among researchers and an institutional leadership team that fosters and rewards collaboration. As an example, he praises Cincinnati Children’s investment in core research services. “The cores are run with an eye toward what’s best for the whole institution, so everyone benefits,” he says. Beyond appreciating the work environment, Waggoner has found ways to actively contribute to the culture of collaboration he values. A year ago, he accepted the role of chair of the Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC). This NIH-mandated committee reviews all research that involves recombinant DNA and biohazardous materials to protect the safety of staff, patients and families.
Through the IBC, Waggoner is aware of research across the institution and often knows what investigators are planning to do before they even begin. That knowledge, he says, puts him in a unique position to link investigators with similar interests. “I don’t want my role just to be bureaucratic. I want to use the position to help researchers benefit from each other’s expertise.” Over the last year, Waggoner also has become active in the Junior Faculty Club, which provides opportunities for junior faculty to meet formally and informally and to learn from each other. “I’m interested in how we can use the club to enhance each other’s work. I hope to see more collaboration among junior faculty, perhaps even writing grants together.” This year, Waggoner is one of 19 junior faculty in the Emerging Leaders Program. He sees this program as another vehicle for promoting collaboration. “Not everyone in the group will become a division director,” he acknowledges, “but we’re establishing relationships with people we otherwise would not meet. Through the program, we’re building a faculty that has ties that will allow us to network in the future.”
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sharing our ideas, discoveries & advancements Joan Morris developed our patient and family education program which makes sure health information is understandable.
“It seemed natural to make education the primary focus of my work.”
Joan Morris, MSHA, MBA, RN (formerly Morgan), spent a chunk of her career as a dialysis nurse. In fact, when she started at Cincinnati Children’s in 2005, she managed the dialysis unit and the Nephrology and Urology Clinics. But 18 months into that role, she seized the opportunity to develop the medical center’s first patient and family education program. “Patients on dialysis require a significant amount of healthcare education,” says Morris, “so it was already a large part of my practice. It seemed natural to make education the primary focus of my work.” The need for a formalized education program is great. Despite being a rich nation, the US has widespread health literacy issues. “Health literacy is most often defined as being able to read, understand and use healthcare information to make treatment decisions,” says Morris. “Nine out of 10 adults in the US struggle with this. At a broader level, it’s not just about families’ comprehension skills, it’s about how well care providers communicate.” When miscommunication occurs, the consequences can be serious. Morris collaborates with clinical staff and families hospital-wide to produce healthcare topics, which
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are posted on our website and used by people around the world. Many smaller healthcare organizations download our information to give to families. “All of the education materials created internally are reviewed by our parent education advisors. They voluntarily review the information from the parent perspective to see if they can easily read and pick out the key points,” says Morris. For materials distributed inside the medical center, she created Knowing Notes, which are also reviewed by families. “When developing this template, we held focus groups with families,” she explains. “We asked, ‘What are the barriers for taking care of your child, what are the gaps? How do you want to receive the information and when?’” Morris serves on the board of directors of the national HealthCare Education Association. She is also part of a national 16-member Health Literacy Taskforce, which hopes to assemble a shared body of knowledge and create a national certification program for health literacy experts. “There is no best way to communicate with families,” says Morris. “You need to have a lot of communication strategies in your toolbox and be able to pull out the most appropriate one for the situation.”
3333 Burnet Avenue, MLC 9012 Cincinnati, OH 45229-3026
PURPOSE STATEMENT
Care drives us Science moves us Discovery inspires us We are touched by humanity And propelled by compassion This isn’t our job It’s our calling And we answer it every day For every family And every child And every future We are Cincinnati Children’s changing the outcome together To watch the brief purpose statement video, visit Brand Central on CenterLink.
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