Elevating Visibility, Strengthening Influence
Indigenous Pact
Situation
Indigenous Pact is a Native-owned healthcare organization dedicated to building equitable, community-owned healthcare systems in Indian Country.
These efforts are especially urgent given the stark health disparities that persist. American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/ANs) experience significantly higher mortality rates across a range of conditions, including chronic liver disease, diabetes and suicide. Today, AI/AN individuals are expected to live just 65.2 years on average—more than 13 years less than the U.S. all-races average of 78 years.
In recent years, the organization has rapidly matured, moving from innovation to scale—and with that, a growing need for a foundational communications program to elevate its leadership, vision, and model.
As Indigenous Pact enters a new phase of growth, the organization is focused on expanding its impact and influence in the national healthcare landscape. With a mission to build sustainable, community-owned healthcare systems in Tribal communities, Indigenous Pact aims to shift the narrative around Tribal health from one of disparity to one of innovation and resilience.
Opportunity
To support this vision, Indigenous Pact engaged Kane Communications Group to build a strategic communications plan that strengthens visibility, enhances credibility, and positions the organization—and its leaders—as trusted voices in healthcare transformation. A key part of this strategy includes identifying and pursuing national thought leadership and recognition opportunities that showcase the groundbreaking work being done by Indigenous Pact’s Care Leadership Team.
Approach
Intelligent Start in Action
Defined the client’s business objectives.
Conducted a Communications Audit to measure the current state.
Conducted comprehensive research to identify strategic award opportunities aligned with organizational goals.
Assessed key Indigenous Pact leaders to evaluate alignment with award criteria and leadership impact.
Matched key company leaders with appropriate awards based on expertise, accomplishments, and potential visibility.
Identified and interviewed Dr. Kurt Tamaru to capture outcomes and impacts tied to Guardiant Health, behavioral health expansion, and mobile unit innovation.
Identified measurable results: improved patient access, increased community trust, and localized care delivery models.
Researched previous Modern Healthcare Award winners to identify commonalities.
Informed Outreach in Action
Dr. Kurt Tamaru, Indigenous Pact’s Chief Medical Officer, was identified as a candidate for national recognition due to his groundbreaking work launching Guardiant Health—a mobile and remote care solution—expanding behavioral health services and investing in sustainable Tribal healthcare infrastructure.
Materials Development
Gathered and formatted materials (bio, headshot, initiative data)
Crafted four compelling nomination responses based on:
Addressing urgent health needs
Boosting access through technology
Building Tribal-owned healthcare systems
Demonstrating a culture of innovation
Developed and pitched a National Cancer Prevention Month story featuring Dr. Tamaru
Conducted interview with Dr. Tamaru
Secured interview opportunity with NBC26
Highlighted Indigenous Pact’s partnership with DELFI Diagnostics to bring a new blood-based lung cancer screening test to Tribal communities, helping overcome transportation barriers that often limit access to traditional CT scan screening.
Submission
Kane crafted and submitted the nomination on behalf of Indigenous Pact.
Amplification Plan
When Kane was notified that Dr. Tamaru received the award, Kane created and coordinated a promotional plan to amplify the coverage, which included:
Update Dr. Tamaru’s bio and LinkedIn profile to include reference to 2025 Innovator’s Award
Assess promotional opportunities and honoree package provided by Modern Healthcare and determine next steps
Develop and finalize content for the ImPACT page of the IP website
Create and finalize social media content for all platforms; schedule content; engage with comments
Prepare, finalize and distribute announcement press release
Publish content on Kane’s social channels
Smart Growth in Action
Kane monitors key performance indicators (KPIs) for each campaign. For Dr. Tamaru’s Modern Healthcare Award submission, these included:
Modern Healthcare print publication circulation
Modern Healthcare website traffic
Modern Healthcare social media reach and impressions
Indigenous Pact social media reach and impressions
Kane Communications Group social media reach and impressions
Results
Modern Healthcare Channels
Print magazine circulation: Approx. 69,547
Website Traffic: Approx. 1,220,831 monthly page views from 669,278 unique visitors
LinkedIn: 915,677 followers, 9 post impressions
X: 148k followers, 833 post views
Indigenous Pact Channels
LinkedIn: 1,663 followers, 60 post impressions
Kane Communications Group Channels
LinkedIn: 2,127 followers, 14 post impressions
Facebook: 684 followers, 4 post impressions
Instagram: 336 followers, 3 post likes
