HEALTH CARE QUALITY AND COST COUNCIL
Orchestrating the Development & Launch of a State-wide Website

In April, 2006, Chapter 58 -- “An Act Providing Access to Affordable, Quality, Accountable Health Care” --was signed into law. As part of the landmark legislation, a new “Health Care Quality and Cost Council” (HQCC) was established to issue quality standards and publicize provider performance and rates.

The HQCC’s mandate -- to create a consumer friendly website – a one-stop site – for comparative quality and cost information across providers. The goal: To help consumers make smarter decisions about their health care, control costs and improve health quality. Solomon McCown (SM&) was hired to lead the effort to educate consumers about the website and help drive people to it.

SM& began by undertaking extensive research including: a comparative review of quality and cost websites in other states; a communications audit of more than 25 opinion leaders; a statewide survey and focus groups.

Based on the research findings, SM& developed a clear messaging hierarchy for the Council’s key audiences. We also created the domain name for the site– My Health Care Options-- and produced a communications plan with strategies for driving traffic to the website through the Internet, media relations, and grassroots programs.

The consumer friendly look, feel and language that SM& created for the My Health Care Options website will help Massachusetts residents understand the full range of health care options that are available to them. The website was launched in December 2008.