Christina Eldridge

HLTH 634 B01

BRIEF MARKETING PLAN OUTLINE

I.

Executive Overview
A. Alaska Native Medical Centers Sunset to Sunrise Sleep Health Program
1. The Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC) is a Tribal
Organization that owns and operates the Alaska Native Medical Center
(ANMC), an Indian Health Service facility that provides healthcare to
Alaska Native and American Indian people. Sleep health is one of the
Healthy People objectives for 2020 and the pharmacists at ANMC are
striving to increase the amount of sleep that adults get to the
recommended 7 to 9 hours each night. Pharmacists are knowledgeable
about good sleep health and readily available to patients, therefore this
program will educate participants on the benefits of adequate sleep and
potential risks of sleep deprivation.
2. The mission and vision of ANTHC is to provide the highest quality of
health services in partnership with their people and the Alaska Tribal
Health System so that Alaska Native people are the healthiest people in
the world. In order to fulfill this mission, spreading the word about sleep
health is necessary.
B. Why is getting an adequate amount of sleep so important in the Alaska Native
population?
1. The culture of the Alaska Native people is changing. The culture is
becoming more westernized and because of this, they are facing many
diseases. Obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and depression are
increasing in the Alaska Native population. Also, many people in this
population become caregivers to elders and face increasing demands
which may affect sleep health.
2. Inadequate sleep is linked to the development obesity, cardiovascular
disease, diabetes and depression. Sleep deprivation may also increase the
risk of unintentional injuries due to accidents in the workplace and on the
roadways. Due to the decreased daylight in the winter months, depression
is common in this population. Also, the weather in Alaska can make roads
dangerous to drive on, and require drivers to be alert and well-rested.
Good sleep health is important for reducing risk of comorbidities and
staying safe on the roads and in the workplace.
C. Pharmacy Sunset to Sunrise Program
1. Goals and objectives
a. Recognize how much sleep is recommended for Alaska Native
adults aged 18 years and older
b. Understand the risks associated with sleep deprivation
c. Identify undiagnosed sleep disorders and seek further evaluation of
sleep-related issues
d. Recognize medication-related problems associated with sleep
disturbances
e. Make sleep a priority and utilize good sleep hygiene

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Christina Eldridge
HLTH 634 B01

II.

f. Follow up about sleep study referrals, recommended medication

changes and sleep hygiene tips
2. Patients who come to the pharmacy for a new medication or a refill will be
encouraged to participate in the sleep health program. Participants who
complete the program will be given a $10 Fred Meyer gift card.
Participants will be screened by a pharmacist and then provided education
about recommended sleep duration, sleep hygiene and tips. Participants
who are identified as at risk of sleep-related disorders (insomnia, sleep
apnea, and restless leg syndrome) will be referred to their primary care
provider (PCP) for further evaluation. Participants will be instructed to
keep a sleep log (by hand or on an electronic device iPhone or Fitbit).
The participant will receive follow up from the pharmacist about sleep
duration and referrals, if applicable. Additional education about sleep
health will also be offered at follow-up.
3. At the end of the six-month program, participants will have a better
understanding about sleep health and will have increased their sleep
duration each night to at least 7 hours. Participants who were referred to
the PCP will have received a sleep evaluation and sleep study, if indicated.
These participants will also have started treatment. These parameters will
be collected from the Electronic Health Record (EHR) Cerner and all
encounters will be documented in this manner.
a. Short term goals sleep health education is received and 75% of
participants are sleeping at least 7 hours each night. Those who are
referred for follow up will have received further workup for sleeprelated disturbances.
b. Long term goals Participants will have fewer untreated sleep
disorders and will be knowledgeable about the recommended
amount of sleep for adults. This information will be shared with
friends and family and the health of this population will be
improved.
The Customers (Market Review)
A. Those at highest risk for sleep deficiencies include people who work more than
one job, caregivers, shift-workers, have mental illness or substance abuse
disorders, and those with medical conditions or who take medications that
interfere with sleep. Alaska Native/American Indian adults age 18 years and older
who are on multiple medications with multiple disease states, including their
caregivers, and also those with substance abuse disorders will be targeted
specifically. These individuals will be identified by an electronic health record at
the Alaska Native Medical Center. Patients who are willing to share their sleep
habits, medications and social history will be targeted specifically. The targeted
population will include those who are willing to accept sleep education and those
who are ready to complete a sleep study, if indicated.
B. Secondary audience children under the age of 18 years. By educating Alaska
Native adults about the important of good sleep health, this information will
hopefully be shared and impact other members of the household, including
children.
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Christina Eldridge
HLTH 634 B01

III.

IV.

The Product (Product Review)

A. Sleep Health Education
1. Participants will be educated about how much sleep is needed each night,
tips for creating a good sleeping environment and good sleep hygiene.
They will also be educated about sleeping disorders, symptoms and
treatment.
2. The program offers education, better health, increased productivity and
decreased risk of disease and unintentional injury. Program participants
will also receive a $10 gift card for completing the program.
3. Other program may charge a fee for sleep consultations. This program is
free of charge and healthcare at ANMC is also provided free of charge.
B. This program is unique in the fact that it is provided by the pharmacy. Participants
do not need to make an appointment or make an extra trip to the hospital. The
counseling can be completed in a relatively short amount of time while their
prescriptions are being filled. They are essentially receiving two services in one.
Strategies
A. Position
1. Imaging: The main image of the program will be calmness and serenity.
Participants will see Mt. Susitna (The Sleeping Lady) on program
advertisements and will sense the tranquility that the mountain displays.
Getting the recommended amount of sleep and the benefits that come
along with making it a priority will also be the image of the program.
2. Distinctiveness: Convenience and cost will be unique selling points for
participating in the sleep health intervention. Receiving sleep health
education and counseling, while getting a prescription filled, will also be
unique. Pharmacists will be able to screen patients by completing a
medication review and asking questions about sleep patterns. Participants
will be able to ask questions and receive valuable information regarding
sleep health.
B. Product
1. Features: One-on-one counseling with a pharmacist will be a key feature
of the program. Follow-up phone calls will also track progress and give
participants an opportunity to ask questions and receive more education.
Participants will receive ANMCs customer service excellence through the
AIDET technique. A- Acknowledge the participant with the friendly
smile, I Introduce yourself to the participant, D Discuss what the
program will entail, E Let the participant know what to Expect and how
long the intervention will take, T Thank the participant for their time and
information.
2. Necessity: Adequate sleep has multiple health benefits including better
mood, more energy and improved quality of life. The Alaska Native
population is struggling with an increase incidence of depression and
mental health illness, as well as obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular
disease. Also, unintentional injuries are also affecting this population and
can be prevented by making simple changes such as getting more sleep
each night.
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Christina Eldridge
HLTH 634 B01
C.

Price

The program will be offered free-of-charge to Alaska Native/American

Indian beneficiaries as all other health care services and prescriptions are
provided to this patient population at no charge.
2. The program will provide value that is evident by a better nights rest,
increase productivity and improved health. Because the program is
provided at no cost to the participant, time is the only thing required. Time
is valuable but adequate sleep is equally important.
D. Promotion
1. Selling points: The main selling point will be learning about better sleep
health by speaking to your pharmacist. Also, the program will provide
awareness about the detrimental effects of sleep deprivation, of which
many people are unaware. Sleep health awareness is key to identifying the
problem and making the behavioral change toward obtaining more sleep
each night. Pharmacists are readily available health care providers and are
knowledgeable resources for health promotion.
2. Promotional places (Channels): The program will be promoted at the
Primary Care Center and at the two Outpatient Pharmacies on the Alaska
Native Medical Center Campus. The advertisements will be played on the
television screens in the clinic waiting areas, brochures will be available at
both the pharmacy and the clinics, and posters will be placed on the walls
in the hospital. There will also be a booth in the hospital lobby promoting
the program. Information about the program will be placed in the Mukluk
Telegraph, a quarterly newspaper for the customer-owners of the Alaska
Native Tribal Health Consortium, and in the Anchorage Native News, a
newsletter about Alaska Native people shaping health care. It will also be
placed on the ANTHC (www.anthc.org) and Southcentral Foundation
(www.southcentralfounadation.com) websites.
Budget
A. Much of the advertising and promotion of the Sunset to Sunrise Program will be
covered by the Media Relations and Public Relations department, including
television advertisements, newsletters and newspapers, since these are already
established, and therefore will not result in additional costs. The only
promotion/advertising costs will be for printed items which are specific to the
sleep health program.
1. Posters
a. 10 posters @ $10 each
2. Brochures
a. 5,000 brochures @ $1.12 each
3. Fred Meyer gift cards
a. $10/participant (estimated 1,000 participants or ~40/week over a
25-week period)
4. Total Cost
a. Approximately $15,700
B. A large portion of the budget is associated with the incentive program completion
gift cards. This has been shown to be effective in engaging this population, as
1.

V.

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Christina Eldridge
HLTH 634 B01

demonstrated by a similar program to enroll patients into an online health

management tool, known as myANMC. Gift cards will only be distributed to
those who complete the program, including the follow-up. The brochure cost was
calculated on the higher end of the estimated print cost, but could be as low as
$0.60 each, lowering the budget to an estimated $13,000. The brochures will be
ordered in 1,000-count increments, therefore, the budgeted amount of 5,000 may
not be necessary and therefore could lower costs. Much of the advertisement for
this program will reach participants at no additional cost when they present to the
pharmacy for prescription services. Newspapers and publications that are already
in place for this population will not require any additional cost to the program.
The program will utilize the Media/Public Relations department to create clinic
television advertisements, resulting in no additional program costs.
The program will be staffed by pharmacists and pharmacy technicians and will be
overseen by the pharmacy manager. The program will require some volunteer
hours to compile and analyze data, however much of the counseling and
education will be done during the pharmacy encounter as patients present for
refills or new prescriptions. The program staff consists of current full-time paid
positions in the pharmacy.

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