1. TB Mailing Case Study
Our client, a renowned, major hospital group must comply with county and state regulations in addition
to their own strong infection control program. Part of that program includes a requirement that all new
and current staff must have an Annual Tuberculosis (TB) screening and provide documentation as a
condition of (continued) employment. The testing requirement also includes volunteers.
Part of the program included the caveat that the hospital would provide written notification to alert and
remind staff of upcoming test dates. The notification would also provide basic information on where and
when testing could be completed if utilizing hospital resources, where to send documentation, and the
consequences of not completing the testing within the guidelines.
The notices were to be mailed on a monthly basis, in advance of the month the test would be due in
order to give the staff and volunteers plenty of time to comply with the program.
ISSUE:
In addition to a staff of over 10,000 employees in multiple hospital and clinics spread throughout the
Bay Area, the volunteers numbered in the hundreds as well. The department responsible for oversight
of the process did not have the staff available to assign a dedicated person to the project. Additionally,
the notices were being processed manually because they lacked the equipment needed to expedite the
volume of letters the project demanded—generally well over 1,000 per month.
As a result, many months the reminder notices were not being completed and the compliance rate
(employees and volunteers submitting documentation) was extremely low and deemed unacceptable.
APPROACH:
Another department within the hospital was already successfully working with Hartford Media, Inc.
(HMI) on other regular mailings and recommended them for this project as well.
HMI consulted with the department and were able to work with the team to set up a secured,
automated data file to be sent each month of all upcoming staff needing TB testing and template that
can be altered as needed for lab hours or policy changes. HMI was also able to store branded stationery
supplies needed to keep the project running smoothly.
CURRENT SITUATION:
The process worked almost too well. So many staff members were reporting for their tests that they
were overwhelming the labs. HMI provided an additional solution by performing customized sorts and
mailings by location. This gave the labs a bit of breathing room while still allowing staff time to complete
their test within the guidelines.
Even better, the compliance rate has dramatically improved, the department no longer has to stuff
envelopes, can focus on more important tasks, and the hospital community can maintain a healthier
environment for everyone.