North Simcoe Muskoka LHIN starts news program

The North Simcoe Muskoka Local Health Integration Network (LHIN) has just initiated a online news program, highlighting the achievements of their stakeholders.

News will appear on the site Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

The stories will be provided by Axiom News, a generative journalism newsroom based in Peterborough, Ont.

North Simcoe Muskoka is the second LHIN using Axiom News’ services. The Central LHIN signed on with Axiom News last September.

Jill Tettmann, the North Simcoe Muskoka LHIN’s senior director of planning, integration and community engagement, says for the past year, the LHIN’s staff has struggled to write timely news stories about the organization.

In the past, she says, the LHIN has had important news stories to publish but because staff members are engaged in other matters, these stories sometimes got put on the back burner.

This, she says, is where Axiom News can help.

“We’re looking for (timely) success stories showcasing all of the great things that are happening in our LHIN,” says Tettmann. “It’s really important that when something happens we get it out and we’re talking about it.”

Tettmann hopes that by utilizing Axiom News’ services, the North Simcoe Muskoka LHIN’s stakeholders will get a “bigger picture” of what’s going on with other health care providers in the LHIN. By seeing what other providers are doing will also give each stakeholder a better understanding of how they fit into the LHIN.

“(Stakeholders) are going to start to see that the work they’re doing is really part of the LHIN, says Tettmann.

“I want people to understand that the LHIN is a community, geographic area of stakeholders, it’s not this organization of 20 people.”

North Simcoe Muskoka LHIN CEO Jean Trimnell echoes Tettmann’s sentiments.

“What I’d like people to hear about is all the great work that is going on out in the LHIN, and how our providers and other people in the LHIN are getting involved with bringing the Integrated Health Service Plan to life to change health care and how it’s delivered.”

Peter Pula, executive editor of Axiom News, says the company’s style of “generative journalism” can greatly benefit the LHIN.

“This LHIN has a lot of committed and engaged community members working with them to build a better local health system,” says Pula. “By sharing these stories we can fan the flames of these successes. The contribution we really want to make is to help people share, celebrate and accelerate success.”

Tettmann adds she is “excited” to be working with Axiom News and says the move will help her meet her goals as the LHIN’s senior director of planning, integration and community engagement.

 “It’s taking a huge pressure off me and it’s meeting my objectives, which are in my work plan in terms of having a communications strategy and presenting what our local stakeholders are doing,” she says.

“It’s a great opportunity to be working with Axiom to meet my objectives.”

To view the NSM LHIN news page, click here.