Masters Theses

Date of Award

6-1985

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Communication

Major Professor

Jerry L. Morrow

Committee Members

Herbert Howard, Ron Taylor

Abstract

This case study is an examination of the communication technniques and practices of the home health agencies in Region II, Tennessee Association for Home Health. Region II consists of 16 counties and is located in mid-eastern Tennessee--the greater Knoxville area--and the 15 surrounding counties.

The purpose of the study was to (1) identify the publics of the home health agencies, (2) examine the vehicles used in communication with these publics, and (3) seek the agency directors' opinions and attitudes concerning their publics and the communication efforts they are currently using. Because the home health care agencies sampled were diversely structured--hospital based, national chain branch offices and local proprietaries--it is believe that the findings of this study can be applied in all agencies of the Tennessee Association for Home Health. In addition, this study was intended as a benchmark for future, more comprehensive research in this area. Such an evaluative study might also be conducted of the communication efforts and/or effects from the agency to a specific public.

Information was gained through survey-interviews, of six agency directors. The agencies were selected to represent the categories noted above. Those selected represented the following: hospital based (3), national chain branches (2) and local proprietary (1). The directors indicated that they were concerned about the communication efforts (or lack of) being made to their publics.

This study was prompted by the observation that a lack of communication exists between various publics and the home health care agencies. In summary, the findings of this study are:

1. The publics of the agencies can be divided into two groups: internal and external publics.

2. Internal publics include: office staff, nursing services, mid-management and the advisory committee.

3. The external publics include: physicians, hospitals, consumers, government, public service agencies, answering services, pharmacists, nursing homes and other home health agencies and associations.

4. The communication vehicles that the agencies use with the skilled and Federally regulated areas, such as: nursing services, advisory committees, physicians (whose patients are under the agency's care) and the Medicare Intermediary are more developed than the ones in other areas.

5. There is a great lack of educational communication to the consumers and physicians who do not use the agency's services.

6. Little, if any, research is being done to define the agency's publics or to evaluate the agency's communications, or both.

7. Few, if any, agencies hire or employ staff members with professional communications training.

8. Few, if any, agencies employ full-time public relations or marketing staff.

This study suggests that the communication process needs to be addressed by both the home health care agency and the home health care association, either on the regional or state level. A different marketing and public relations effort may be appropriate for each.

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