The Global Communication Fix: MedDRA MSSO’s Transformation with Hurley Write
Outcomes
- Increased efficiency: Faster and more effective document composition.
- Improved clarity: Clearer, more concise written communication.
- Enhanced global communication: Improved communication with domestic and international subscribers.
- Standardized communication: Integrated clear and consistent writing styles.
“Pam’s name is mentioned almost daily in our office now, whether the writing has passed the ‘Pam Hurley Test.’ For our organization, she has built a legacy here, and we use the writing techniques she taught us all the time.”
– Patty Mozzicato,
Chief Medical Officer, MSSO
Introduction
In the intricate world of global healthcare and pharmaceuticals, precise communication is more than a necessity—it’s a lifeline. The MedDRA Maintenance and Support Services Organization (MSSO) stands at the forefront of this challenge, tasked with maintaining and distributing the Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities (MedDRA). MedDRA is a medically validated terminology used worldwide by regulatory authorities such as the FDA and numerous health and pharmaceutical organizations.
MSSO’s team—which includes IT experts, support staff, and internationally based physicians—relies heavily on written communication to engage with a global subscriber base. These communications include emails, expert papers, and technical documents that support and clarify complex medical terminology.
Background
MSSO’s primary reliance on written communication—through emails, expert papers, and technical documents—highlighted several key obstacles:
- Diverse Audience Needs
MedDRA’s global audience varied in language proficiency, cultural expectations, and professional expertise. This diversity made crafting universally clear and effective messages especially difficult. - Complexity of Content
The highly technical nature of medical terminology and regulatory documentation added another layer of complexity. Communications required extreme precision to avoid misunderstandings that could impact regulatory activities or clinical processes. - Inconsistent Writing Skills
MSSO staff had different professional backgrounds and varying levels of writing proficiency. This inconsistency led to communication challenges, with some documents and emails being misinterpreted by subscribers.
Faced with these hurdles, MSSO recognized that to meet their organizational goals, they needed to enhance their team’s writing skills and implement standardized processes for creating and delivering written content. After exploring several potential solutions, MSSO turned to Hurley Write.
Solutions Implemented by Hurley Write
To address their communication challenges, the MedDRA MSSO partnered with Hurley Write, a leader in customized writing training for businesses and organizations. Recognizing the complexity of MSSO’s needs, Hurley Write tailored its approach by providing:
1. A Tailored Training Approach
Pam Hurley, PhD, President of Hurley Write, began by analyzing samples of MSSO’s written communication, identifying common issues and areas for improvement. These insights informed the development of a series of customized writing workshops designed to equip MSSO staff with the skills and tools needed to address their unique challenges.
The training sessions focused on:
- Understanding reader diversity: Techniques to create messages that resonated with a global and multilingual audience.
- Simplifying complex concepts: Strategies to communicate highly technical medical terminology in a clear, concise, and accessible way.
- Building writing consistency: Tools to ensure uniformity in tone, style, and structure across all communications.
2. Engaging and Practical Workshops
Pam Hurley led the training sessions herself, delivering engaging and motivational workshops that encouraged active participation. The training incorporated real-world examples from MSSO’s own documents, allowing employees to immediately apply new strategies to their daily work.
“Pam was a great and motivational employee trainer, and we’ve been extremely pleased with the work she’s done. She made workshops fun and engaging, yet she still challenged us to really look at our writing and improve it.”
– Patrick Revelle, Project Director of MSSO.
3. Ongoing Support
After the initial training, MSSO invited Hurley Write back for refresher courses, ensuring that both new hires and existing employees could continue to benefit from the training. This ongoing support solidified Hurley Write’s role as a key partner in MSSO’s communication transformation.
By providing a tailored, hands-on training experience, Hurley Write gave MSSO the tools to overcome their communication challenges and create written content that met the diverse needs of their global readers.
Results
The partnership between MSSO and Hurley Write yielded transformative results, revolutionizing the organization’s approach to written communication. By equipping MSSO staff with the skills and strategies to communicate more effectively, Hurley Write helped address key challenges and drive meaningful improvements in efficiency and clarity.
A. Clearer, More Concise Communication
MSSO employees now consistently produce clear, concise, and professional written materials. Messages that were once prone to misinterpretation are now crafted to resonate with their diverse, global readers, ensuring that all subscribers, regardless of background, understand technical and complex concepts.
B. Increased Efficiency
The time required to compose, review, and finalize written documents has decreased significantly. MSSO staff, armed with new techniques and a standardized approach to communication, can now create high-quality materials more quickly, enabling the organization to respond to subscriber needs faster.
C. Cultural Shift in Writing Excellence
The impact of Hurley Write’s training extended beyond skill-building—it created a cultural shift within MSSO. Employees now approach writing with greater confidence and focus, using the principles and strategies they learned during training. The “Pam Hurley Test” has become a benchmark for excellence, with employees striving to meet the high standard set by their training.
D. Stronger Global Communication
With improved writing skills, MSSO is better equipped to serve its global readers. The organization can now communicate more effectively with both domestic and international subscribers, enhancing their reputation for professionalism and reliability.
E. Lasting Value
The skills and processes implemented through Hurley Write’s training continue to benefit MSSO long after the workshops concluded. By investing in their team’s communication abilities, MSSO has established a foundation for ongoing success in delivering critical information to their diverse audience.