The Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement (ICSI) has developed a series of communications to encourage powerful partnerships between clinicians and communities. Funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the materials are designed to inform health care audiences about the benefits of clinicians connecting with the rich resources available in communities.

A novel video called “Hats Matter” serves as a conversation starter for the Going Beyond Clinical Walls series. It uses the analogy of hats to represent the many factors that influence patients’ health, often more than medicine or other clinical interventions. The video can be used with both clinical and non-clinical audiences.

The series also includes a white paper, real life examples, and a guide for how to start a conversation about going beyond the clinical walls. All materials are available on the ICSI website.

Two more packages are in the works. One will focus on sharing knowledge and using data to solve problems identified by health care and the community. In the other, interviews with board members and CEOs will provide a “view from the top,” including a look at the business case for going beyond clinical walls.

The Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement is a non-profit health care improvement organization that unites diverse stakeholders to bring innovation and urgency to improve health, the patient experience and the cost of care. It is comprised of more than 45 medical group and hospital members representing 8,000 physicians in Minnesota and Wisconsin.