Communication and Issue Management Strategies in Advocating the Single Standard Health System Policy

Abstract

The objectives of this research are (1) to study evolution of communication process development in harmonizing health policy advocacy in Thailand, and (2) to analyze the communication strategies policy advocacies for harmonizing health policy in Thailand. Qualitative methods including in-depth interview of 21 related key informants and document analysis were applied to this research. Research results: 1. Evolution of communication process development in harmonizing health policy advocacy in Thailand can be classified into three stages, i.e., (1) Policy Advocacy Plan, during 2003 – 2009, (2) Policy Advocacy to public agenda, during 2010 – 2011, and (3) Policy endorsement with unclear implementation plan, from 2012 to present. 2. Communication strategies applied by policy advocacies in harmonizing health policies in Thailand include: 2.1 Message Strategies which classified into (1) proactive message strategies, i.e., providing evidence-based information to highlight the issue, giving opinions to support the issue, and providing international information to support the issue; and (2) passive message strategies, i.e., using alternative messages related to the issue. 2.2 Media Strategies which classified into proactive media strategies and passive media strategies. Proactive media strategies include the following strategies: (1) Personal communication, (2) Event communications, (3) Mass media; and (4) New media. Passive Media strategies, i.e.,using media from reference groups to present related information in order to reduce pressure from opposite groups. 3. Issue management strategies applied by policy advocacies for harmonizing health policy in Thailand include the following three issues: (1) Dynamic strategies, (2) Passive strategy; and (3) Adaptive strategy by revising keywords of the policy in order to reduce pressure from opposite groups.