COMMUNICATION MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES POLICY MEMORANDUM 2003-20
COMMUNICATION PLAN
How are you planning to communicate?
What are you going to communicate?
With whom are you planning to communicate?
When do you plan to communicate?
• Do you need to modify contracts with your business associates and trading
partners?
• Do you need to coordinate/share interpretation of regulations or law?
• Do you need to communicate with your staff members regarding the
availability of the privacy policies and procedures manual?
• Do you have a fact sheet or newsletter?
• Do you have a web site?
• Are you required to provide privacy training?
• Are you required to provide your customers with a Notice of Privacy
Practices?
Open, ongoing communication between HIPAA stakeholders is paramount to the
success of implementing HIPAA. A Communication Plan provides a framework
for planning for and documenting the exchange of information both within and
outside your project team. The tools offered provide generic templates for the
development of your HIPAA Communication Plan.
CalOHI Policy Memoranda 2002-08, 2002-09 and 2002-11 require HIPAA
impacted departments to develop a communication plan in order to ensure that
communications are clear, timely and consistent, both internally and externally.
Although it is recognized that there are both formal and informal communications,
the scope of a plan should be to address the formal communication channels.
Communication plans should be living documents and therefore should be
reviewed and revised at least quarterly.
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A Communication plan should address the following four categories:
1. Identification of Stakeholders—The identification of all your stakeholders
impacted by HIPAA including your internal department counterparts should be
maintained and updated as necessary.
Appendix A will facilitate your accomplishing:
• Task 5A of the Privacy Implementation Schedule, which requires the
identification of Business Associates.
• Task 3A of the Transaction and Code Set Implementation Schedule, which
requires the identification of Trading Partners.
2. Internal Communication—A process for internal communications with impacted
programs and functions and executive sponsors should be established as well as
a standing weekly or monthly meeting for all team members scheduled. A formal
procedure for review of documents or other work products should be agreed
upon.
3. External Communication—Methods for external communications should be
determined and an internal review process to ensure message consistency
should be well documented.
4. Other Communications—A procedure for outside communications with the
news and print media, as well as the public, should be documented. What
process will be used to ensure that your project speaks with one voice? CalOHI
Policy Memorandum 2002-09 further defines department’s and CalOHI’s role in
different forums. CalOHI should be included in all communication with the
federal government and control agencies.
Tracking of both internal and external communications is key to a
successful plan.
The attached templates provide tools for planning and tracking both internal and
external communications.
Appendix A – Identify your stakeholders, as well as what, when, where
and how you will communicate with them.
Appendix B - Your department’s organization chart documents internal
programs and functions that must be communicated with.
Appendix C - The Stakeholder Communication Matrix provides an
overview of the department’s stakeholders and a method for tracking what
information is communicated and the method of communication.
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COMMUNICATION MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES POLICY MEMORANDUM 2003-20
Appendix A
Identification Of Stakeholders
Stakeholder Program
Name & Phone Email Contact Phone Frequency
Organization Person of Contact
Example Example Example Example Example Example
Jane Doe (916)555-1212 Jdoe@yolo. Ken McKin (916) 555- Weekly
Yolo County co DMH/IT 1313
Internal Communication
Who Frequency Responsible Purpose Method of
party communication
Example Example Example Example Example
Project Weekly/ Director Communicate project Oral presentation
Manager/Sr. Tuesdays specific information, questions and
Manager completed milestones, answer.
new effort starting, or
All Staff Monthly Director other important issues,
Meeting (Date) etc.
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COMMUNICATION MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES POLICY MEMORANDUM 2003-20
External Communication
Who Frequency Responsible Purpose Method of
Party communication
Example Example Example Example Example
Department As needed Senior Discuss project progress Oral presentations,
of Finance (Date) Manager and issues. discussion.
(DOF)
Briefings
Other Communications
Who Frequency Responsible Purpose Method of
(Date) party communication
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Appendix B - Organization Chart
Intentionally Blank
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Appendix C – Matrix of Stakeholders
Name stakeholders across the top and the event on the left column.
Stakeholders:
Weekly:
Example: Exec Staff
Briefing
Bi-Weekly:
Monthly:
Bi-Monthly:
Quarterly:
Semi-Annual:
Annual:
As Needed:
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