Executive Summary
Communications
The NBN must have the support of its constituents—patients/potential donors, researchers,
clinicians, academic institutions, hospitals, and commercial interests. This support will require a
National Biospecimen Network Blueprint
well-developed, comprehensive communications plan initiated at the earliest stage of the NBN
project and sustained from development through implementation. Through an extensive program
of education and training, outreach, and public relations, the NBN must publicize its purpose,
availability, and accomplishments. The information campaign will help to manage expectations
and provide information about NBN policies that will encourage widespread confidence and trust
in the new system.
Recommendation 6. Effective communications among stakeholders should be considered a
high priority for the NBN.
Communications planning should begin as early as possible and should be monitored at the
operations level (see also Governance and Business Models). Communications should be
broad and comprehensive to meet a variety of communications needs. It should be directed
toward diverse stakeholders, and should be structured to ensure consistency of the NBN message
throughout the planning, development, and implementation of the NBN program.
Recommendation 7. The NBN should employ an evidence-based model in planning NBN
communications.
Under this model, planners identify the various audiences and determine their particular needs.
Based on that information, the planners design a strategy to tailor messages to each specific
audience, using appropriate media and effective channels of delivery. The conduct of a broader
survey of the potential user population should be a priority to ascertain a more detailed and
accurate picture about potential research usage trends, need for additional services, cost
sensitivities for tissues and data, and advanced analysis services.
Recommendation 8. The NBN should design a communications strategy that clarifies the
NBN’s role, sets realistic expectations among its different constituencies, and encourages
participation by patients, clinicians, and researchers.
This communication strategy should develop ways to encourage participation by donors,
particularly from underrepresented groups, and to ensure long-term commitment by all groups
for the collection of high-quality longitudinal data. The NBN should develop model methods for
obtaining informed consent from patients, and model materials (including forms) explaining the
consent process. The NBN must also place a strong emphasis on encouraging clinicians to
participate in the system, and on encouraging researchers to use the resource as much as
possible.
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