In the Mix…AAAHC Annual Report Showcases Passionate Commitment to Quality Health Care

“Entering A New Era In Health Care” is the theme of the just-off-the-press 2013 annual report we designed and wrote for the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC), the leader in accrediting a wide variety of ambulatory health care organizations that include ambulatory surgery centers, urgent care facilities, college student health centers, health plans, medical homes and more.

In images and words, the report addresses how AAAHC is responding to the evolving health care landscape impacted by factors such as the Affordable Care Act, the continuing rapid shift of health care delivery from inpatient to outpatient settings, and consumers who are increasingly knowledgeable about medical issues.

Highlighted is the distinctive peer-driven AAAHC accreditation process that features surveyors who are experienced health care professionals. With this background, AAAHC surveyors are not just test givers, but educators who share personal insights and offer organizations suggestions on ways to meet and maintain rigorous standards.      

Resonating throughout the report is how the AAAHC team, member organizations and the accredited organizations themselves are passionate about ensuring patients receive the highest quality of health care.  

Favorite Finds

Spring shakeups are abound on late night television and the social sphere certainly is opinionated! In addition to the broadcast buzz, we found lots of interesting information to fill our week. Read on for our favorite finds.  

• Take Back the Night – This morning everyone was talking about France’s decision to ban work after 6 p.m. Some praise the decision and others call it unrealistic. What do you think? Could such a deadline possibly exist in the U.S. at any point?
• Word Play – As PR pros, we are masters of crafting copy so it makes sense that we would want to study the effect of every word choice and what that means for reach.  These words are said to help make a post go “viral.” 
•  Suit Yourself – Selfies continue to make headlines – both by themselves and even in conjunction with major news events. Will these techy self-portraits become the new norm?
•  Millennium – What was once the aspirational American Dream, is now very different for today’s millennial. We were very interested to read these insights, which highlight community as more important than homes for today’s young culture.

In the Mix...Electrolux Wows In the Big Apple

What’s the best way to bring to life the coolest new cleaning and cooking tools from Electrolux, Eureka and Frigidaire Professional? With an exclusive, hands-on New York City event, of course! LCWA hosted an editorial event at The London NYC to give influential media a first-hand experience with new home tools designed to save consumers precious time and hassle. The event, which featured six different “Chores to Cheers” challenge stations, encouraged media to put appliances to the test in real world scenarios. LCWA generated an impressive attendance list of over 45 media contacts representing more than 30 media outlets and blogs. The overall result was an event that engaged influential media contacts, strengthened brand awareness and generated story leads for the many brands under the Electrolux Small Appliances umbrella.

In the Mix...Contigo PR Team Seals the Deal at Housewares

Nobody does trade shows better than Chicago, and when an industry giant comes to town, the LCWA team has the home court advantage. Media relationships still matter, and our relationships paid off at the 2014 International Home + Housewares Show at McCormick Place in March. The Housewares show was a great opportunity to showcase our client Contigo, a leading producer of innovative travel mugs and water bottles. LCWA’s behind-the-scenes efforts to get the most out of our home town advantage included pre-show pitching to local media, culminating with interviews with more than 48 outlets during the show. Top local visitors included a reporter from the Chicago Tribune and a Contigo spotlight by Vince Gerasole of the CBS 2 Chicago “Morning News” show live from the floor. We look forward to seeing more coverage of Contigo's new products introduced throughout the year!

Favorite Finds

Two hot-button political issues had PR influence all over them this week, April Fools came and went and Starbucks had issues with Satan. Plus, you can swear in the New York Times and Wall Street Journal now.

• Obamacare: After the rollout. Despite a near-shipwreck during its rollout, the Affordable Care Act met its initial goal of enrolling seven million Americans in the program by the deadline. A big reason why? Good PR strategies, of course!
• That’s some hot coffee. Starbucks found themselves in a devilish situation when a Baton Rouge, La., schoolteacher claimed she was served two drinks with a pentagram and a "666" drawn on them.
• April Foolishness. Few things are more predictable than the onslaught of corny corporate April Fools’ stunts.
• Defending defense. Recently, editors all over the country received a media kit from the NSA. Here’s what it looks like. 
• About #**#&@^ time.  The New York Times and Wall Street Journal are easing up on policies surrounding publishing profanity – if the words serve a real purpose.

In the Mix…Revealing the Genie at Global Pet Expo

In March, the LCWA team introduced media who attended the pet industry’s largest trade show to a new pet training solution to help dogs stop barking, made by the most trusted name in home safety.  First Alert's new, effective and harmless Bark Genie Handheld and Automatic Bark Deterrents debuted at Global Pet Expo and wowed editors and bloggers who have dealt with their share of noise. Our team helped to secure booth appointments and draw attention to the products on site. As a result of our efforts, we caught the attention of several important pet outlets that reach hundreds of thousands of readers. We’re looking forward to fostering these relationships and seeing some coverage for the new pet products!