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Session #10: Be the Best Advocate
for Your Hospital and Health System
Kristen McHenry
Saturday, Jan. 11 1:15 – 2:15 p.m.
Elm Creek
Kristen McHenry
Kristen McHenry is the director of state government relations at the Minnesota Hospital
Association. Her primary roles are lobbying on behalf of Minnesota’s hospitals and health
systems at the Minnesota state capitol, building grassroots advocacy among MHA members,
working with MHA members individually and through the MHA committee process to create,
analyze and advance health care policy issues that impacts members and managing the MHA
political action committee. Kristen has 14 years of professional experience in local, state and
federal government affairs. Prior to joining MHA, Kristen was a member of the government
affairs team at Allina Health, managing their grassroots advocacy program as well as a diverse
portfolio of legislative issues.
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Effective Advocacy
2019 Winter Trustee Conference
Kristen McHenryDirector, State Government RelationsMN Hospital Association
Advocacy defined
• Process by which a group or individual aims to influence policies or practices.
• Ultimate goal is to raise awareness, enact change and improve outcomes.
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Advocacy comes in
many forms
• Phone
• Advocacy Alerts
• Social Media
• At your health care facility
• Face to face meetings
• As a group
• At your city hall/state capitol/Washington DC
What is in and out of your comfort zone?
Know your audience
MN House Of Representatives MN Senate
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Focus #1:Focus #1:Focus #1:Focus #1:
In person In person In person In person
meetingsmeetingsmeetingsmeetings
• Know your elevator speech
• Be prepared
Manners matter
• Legislator is due respect
• Avoid making demands, threats
• Issues should go beyond partisanship
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Say who you are(even if you think they know)
• First and last name
• If you live in the legislator’s district
• Work in the district
• Have family in the district
• Organization you represent
• That you are a board member
• Volunteer or elected
• Number of years of service
Honesty counts
Even if it seems boastful
Avoid exaggeration
Use personal experience
Use independent, third-party assessments
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What do you want remembered?
• Begin with most important statement/message
• State what you want/need
• Explain why it is important
• Make it personal if you can (not just numbers)
• Repeat what you want/need
BeSuccinct
• Priority message
• Secondary message(s)
• Arrange flexible order of messages
Clarity of message
Hurrying loses impact
Ending early is not bad
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“Thank you” for . . .
TIME TO MEET AND TALK FUTURE SUPPORT OF ISSUE, OR EXPLAINING OPPOSITION BUT KEEPING AN OPEN MIND
SERVICE TO COMMUNITY
Continued engagement
• Thank you note or card
• After meeting
• After legislator’s votes
• Invite elected officials to your events
• Thank legislator for his/her support at community events (especially in front of audience)
• Volunteer for or contribute to campaign
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Focus #2:Focus #2:Focus #2:Focus #2:
For the toolbox…For the toolbox…For the toolbox…For the toolbox…
Questions:Listen . . . pause . . . respond
Questions are opportunities to
Address potential concerns or misgivings
Elaborate, repeat, clarify or amplify message
Correct misinformation or misunderstanding
Demonstrate knowledge
Being responsive builds credibility
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Not knowing is acceptable
• “I don’t know” is a legitimate response;
“ . . . and I will find out for you” is even better;
. . . and actually find out is best.
• Guessing, speculating are counterproductive• Lose follow-up opportunity
• Lose credibility
Acknowledge real concerns
• You may be part of a difficult conversation. Appearing to evade a hard truth is worse than admitting it.
• Try to anticipate concerns
• Work counterarguments into your statement.
• Prepare responses…this is what we did to address the issue.
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Back Pocket Stories
• Why are you on a hospital board?
• What is the best part of being on the board?
• What makes your hospital special?
• How does your hospital benefit the community (especially the legislator’s district)?
• Number of patients admitted, ER visits, babies, etc.
• Number of employees
Focus #3Try it Out
• Pick a topic of interest to you/your hospital• Examples: mental health, safe work environments,
workforce
• Elevator speech• Name
• Where you live and what hospital you represent
• The ask (I want you to know more about/support/oppose X issue)
• Why is this important to you
• Thank you for your consideration
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Focus #4: Keys to Success
Learn what environments you are comfortable in.
Know your audience
Develop your elevator speech
Continued engagement builds relationships
Questions and Discussion
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Thank you!
Kristen McHenry
Director, State Government Relations
MN Hospital Association
