Medical College of Wisconsin “Daily Briefing MKE Health and the Economy"
Medical College of Wisconsin
The Daily Briefing: MKE Health and the Economy, was a partnership among the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW), the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce, Aurora WDC and Milwaukee County that launched in March 2020 at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic in Wisconsin and provided a new channel for trusted science-based information and candid conversation on the intersection of health and the economy in southeast Wisconsin. Our goals were to help business leaders influencers and elected officials make informed and time-sensitive decisions using evidence-based, information on COVID-19 and economic trends; and provide leaders with an open channel for questions on everything from intensive care unit utilization and vaccines to employee rights to developing business-specific COVID safety plans. Our strategies were based on “meet people where they are” design thinking, presented in an easy-to-consume live virtual format with health, business and government experts. As a result, MCW and Milwaukee County built health indicators for the region, and the MMAC and Milwaukee County built a “Smart Restart Toolkit” for businesses to re-open safely and a complimentary service to businesses to offer customized safety guidance. The webinars reached more than 200,000 participants in the spring and summer 2020.
What was the most impactful part of your award-winning entry?
The most impactful outcomes of the Daily Briefing were the trust and collaboration built among our partners and the enhanced reputation of MCW as a valued and trusted thought leader in the region.
What is one thing you learned from this experience?
We learned the value of creating a broad-based partnership for people in the region, including members of the media, to learn about COVID-19 as a health concern, about business practices, innovative responses and economic impact from an evidence-based perspective.
What challenge did you overcome?
We had to create the partnership and roll out the Daily Briefing within days of COVID-19 being declared a pandemic. We needed to reach regional business leaders concerned about remote work, containing cases and responding to the economic crisis.
Contact
Sara Wilkins, swilkins@mcw.edu