A hospital tour can help you accomplish many things. We are a visual society. Having a lawmaker or candidate tour the hospital, and see what you and your co-workers do every day, is compelling and educational.
Schedule the tour at a time and place where multiple employees will have the ability to meet him/her. Include senior staff at the hospital and the Director of Public Affairs on the planning.
When setting up the tour make sure to leave yourself enough time to tour the hospital and enjoy informal discussion. You will want to map out the tour ahead of time. Choose areas that illustrate any points you want to make. Keep track of time, but do not rush it. Introduce the legislator or candidate to co-workers as you pass them.
It is important to show the guest the GGG and hospital can help him or her meet voters and constituents.
Information to know and speak about during the tour includes:
- The number of people employed at the hospital
- The facility’s annual payroll
- Dollars paid in property taxes for the facility
- The amount of indigent care the hospital does
- Dollars spent locally to purchase supplies, materials, and services
- Planned expansions or facility improvement
- Benefits provided to employees at the hospital
- Anything that sets the hospital apart from other hospitals
