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Revolutionizing the Healthcare Delivery Model

PEDIATRIC HEALTH IMPROVEMENT COALITION

Proving What’s Possible With School-Based Healthcare

The Pediatric Health Improvement Coalition (PHIC) is leading a bold shift in how and where care is delivered. Instead of relying solely on traditional medical settings, PHIC is reimagining the healthcare experience by bringing care directly into schools. This model expands access by meeting people—especially children—where they are, creating an opportunity to deliver care more conveniently, equitably, and consistently.

To help bring this vision to life, PHIC partnered with LIFT to craft a compelling narrative and outreach strategy that would shift mindsets and build support for school-based clinics. Many stakeholders were unclear about how the model worked or unconvinced of its value. LIFT applied its strategic foundation—design thinking, ethnography, and human-centered tools—to create communications that would speak to the heart of the issue. The effort included an outreach toolkit and a short film to ground the story in lived experiences and elevate the human meaning behind the movement.

Objectives

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Design a scalable school-based healthcare model for urban and rural communities.
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Clarify consumer understanding and address skepticism around the model.
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Use ethnographic research to surface cultural and behavioral barriers to health access.
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Capture real family experiences to inform emotionally resonant messaging.
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Develop a branded communications toolkit to educate and align stakeholders.
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Produce a short documentary to humanize and visualize the model.
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Establish key partnerships to pilot the program (e.g., with local hospitals).

Goal

Support a regional shift toward school-based healthcare by addressing both systemic and cultural barriers to adoption. This includes equipping healthcare providers, school leaders, and community stakeholders with the tools, stories, and strategies needed to understand and embrace a new care delivery model. By centering lived experiences, elevating emotional truths, and aligning the model with the values and needs of local communities, the goal is to foster a mindset shift that positions school-based care as a viable, effective, and sustainable solution for improving access—particularly in underserved urban and rural areas.

Method

LIFT applied a human-centered, ethnographic approach rooted in cultural understanding and deep listening. We began with the families most impacted by limited access—those in urban and rural areas—conducting immersive field research across East Tennessee. Through in-home visits, observational research, and in-depth interviews, our team captured the beliefs, behaviors, and attitudes that shape community health decisions.

These insights formed the basis for strategic recommendations around school-based healthcare delivery, including care coordination models, on-site nursing, telemedicine integration, and full-scale school-based clinics. By grounding the recommendations on the lived experiences of consumers, we ensured the proposed solutions were not only functional but also culturally aligned and emotionally resonant.

Deliverables

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Immersive ethnographic research study across East Tennessee
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Strategic recommendations for integrating school-based care (nurses, telehealth, full clinics)
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Branded outreach and education toolkit for consumers and community partners
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Human-centered messaging framework grounded in emotional truths
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Short-form documentary film highlighting family stories and community needs
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Communication materials for leadership engagement and partnership building
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Model blueprints for school-based health implementation in other regions

Outcome

Insights from LIFT’s ethnographic research directly informed the creation of product branding and an integrated communications plan tailored to both community members and decision-makers. These tools helped clarify the value of school-based care and build trust with skeptical audiences. PHIC and LIFT used the materials to engage key community voices and local leadership, laying the groundwork for real partnership and local ownership of the model.

The effort led to meaningful traction. PHIC successfully partnered with Erlanger Children’s Hospital to launch telemedicine programs in five Hamilton County schools, providing on-demand access to care for students. The pilot demonstrated both the feasibility and the impact of school-based healthcare, helping to normalize the model and generate support for broader regional adoption. Since then, PHIC has continued to build on that momentum, expanding the conversation and laying the foundation for future growth across East Tennessee.

  • Ethnography Report
  • Messaging Framework
  • Documentary
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