Media and medicine
-
Upload
dfoxmd -
Category
Health & Medicine
-
view
919 -
download
3
description
Transcript of Media and medicine
How to Use the Media To Your Advantage: Practical Tips for Family Physicians
April 27, 2007
National STFM, Chicago
Lee Radosh, MD, FAAFP
Associate Director, Family Medicine Residency
Reading Hospital and Medical Center, Reading, PA
Jodi Radosh, PhD
Associate Professor of Communications
Alvernia College, Reading, PA
How many saw this last winter?
Yet, how many read this?
Who We AreLee Radosh, MD Associate Director, Family
Medicine Residency, The Reading Hospital and Medical Center
Host/Producer, “Medicine in the News”, BCTV (Reading)
Former Health Reporter, Channel 5 Berks County News (Reading)
Jodi Radosh, PhD Associate Professor of
Communications, Alvernia College Healthcare MBA Program/PA
Medical Society Former Weekend Reporter,
WGAL-TV (Lancaster) Former
Anchor/Reporter/Producer/ Founder, CNN Headline News Local Edition – Blue Ridge Cable (Lititz), Greater Media Cable (Philadelphia)
Experience with PR, newspaper reporting, etc.
Why Are You Here?
Hot TopicIncrease business Improve revenue
Improved Public Relations Show your importance in a competitive market Impress your hospital/administration
Do the right thing Educate the public “Get in the game”!
Have fun! Shine; be a ham
Objectives
By the end of this seminar, you should be able to:List methods of getting the “message” to
the mediaDefine a news/press releaseRecognize organizational or personal
endeavors worthy of “the press”Convey your message in an interview
Examples: What To PromoteNew staff/physician Acupuncture, etc.
New facility/equipment/procedures Unique, new to the area, etc.
Volunteer event Charity/fundraising Health screening fair
Event/educationAccomplishments (individuals, programs)Comment on something already “out there”You! Be available to be an expert
Ways To Promote
Traditional advertising (paid) TV & radio commercials Newspaper ads
Public relations (free promotion) Make your “product” a news story Credibility
Cable TV & radio shows
Pitching The Story
Story angles
Localize a bigger story
Know your mediumTV: visuals!Newspaper: quotesRadio: soundbites
How To Convey The Message
Wait for “them” to call youGet on list of potential interviewees
Hospital PR departmentLocal papers, TV/radio stations
You call themPress releaseMedical/health reporter/editor
Whom To Contact?When?
TV: assignment desk
Radio: show producers
Newspaper: beat editor/writer/ assignment desk
Doing a TV Interview
TV Reporter Schedules
Hectic (like yours)
DeadlinesCourtesy: respond promptly to requests
Your story may/may not airHow are decisions made?
Before The Interview - Logistics
Where?Hopefully, at your officeClean your desk!
When?Hopefully, at your convenienceBut:
Be flexibleBe punctual
Before The Interview – Background Info
ContentWhat’s the story about?Why are YOU being interviewed
AudienceWhere/when will this air/be printed?For adults? Kids? Etc.
It’s YOUR Interview
Insure the right messageAsk the reporter: “What’s your understanding of what I
said?” (or) “What do you plan to print/use?”
Clarify/correctEspecially important if videographer – not the reporter – is thereCall the reporter!
Interviews: Think First
Speak secondCollect your thoughtsWhat are the main points?Would you feel bad if something was not
conveyed?Convey it!
Is the reporter’s agenda different than yours?
How To TalkThink soundbites Long diatribes - not included in newscasts
Full answers Avoid simple, one word answers
They do not make good soundbites Not “Yes”, but:
“Yes – everyone should be offered colon cancer screening at age 50”
EnunciateConversational, normal voiceWatch sarcasm: it may not transfer well!
Think Audience
Lay language “Heart Attack”, not “Myocardial Infarction” “Commonly used cholesterol medicine”, not Statin
8th grade level
Statistics – they help 1 in 3, not 33% Round: “About half”, not 49% Not too many numbers
How To Look
Professional Consider white coat
Colors Solids (grays,
browns, blues) Avoid:
Prints, patterns Herringbone White shirts Plaid
Well-groomed Represent yourself
well Fix your hair Get the broccoli out
of the teeth Straighten the tie Etc.
Avoid swivel chairs
Where To Look
Look at the reporterLook into the camera? May portray
dominance
News/Press Releases: How You Can Notify The Media
MEDIA ADVISORY For Immediate Use October 27, 2005
For more information contact: Jodi Radosh, PhD (610) 796-8419 VOICE (610) 796-8216 FAX [email protected]
Always have a good headline
(READING, PA) – Alvernia faculty and students go to the courts next Wednesday to raise money for ALS,
also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease.
Students from Alvernia’s College Success Skills classes face Alvernia faculty in a charity
basketball challenge Wednesday evening. The games begin at 6:30p.m. in the College’s Physical
Education Center. A $1 admission fee and proceeds from refreshment sales will support the ALS
Association Greater Philadelphia Chapter.
The students were moved to issue the challenge after reading Mitch Albom’s Tuesdays with
Morrie as part of their curriculum. Inspired by the story of life lessons taught through the struggles of a
former college professor living with ALS, the students were determined to make an impact towards finding
a cure.
Five student teams will compete for the task of facing a faculty team. While there is no trophy for
the winner, their will certainly be some bragging on campus on Thursday.
ALS, or Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, gets it's nickname, "Lou Gehrig's Disease," from the
former New York Yankee, whose career was cut short from ALS. The disease attacks the body’s nervous
system, leading to muscle weakness and deterioration. Eventually, all muscle control is lost. According to
the ALS Foundation, half of all ALS patients die within two to five years of diagnosis.
News/Press Release - Overview
What is a press release?Why? Win-win
You tell the story you want to tell The media get a story without much work
How sent Fax Email Mail When? 3-4 days ahead (if not breaking news)
How To Write a Press Release - 1
Get help Hospital PR department
Identify most important thing about the story
Lead Use the most interesting angle in the first sentence
Different leads for different media
Timing - important for the various media
How To Write a Press Release - 2
Quotations Use direct quotes from employees, patients, residents,
etc.
Length – one page Keep it brief
Form and Style Write clearly Write like a journalist AP Stylebook Correct spelling and grammar
Ask: WHO CARES?
Press Release - Pointers
Common rejection reasons: Not newsworthy Poor writing Not complete Inaccurate Poor timing
Common news values: Conflict Consequence Progress and disaster Prominence Timeliness Novelty Human interest Sex Miscellaneous
Ex: animals, babies
Contact: Michelle Canfield FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 570-621-4206
GOOD SAMARITAN REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER TO OFFER OPEN MRI POTTSVILLE (November 1)—Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center patients now have a
choice of High Definition MRI or Open MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) for their imaging needs.
Through a partnership with the owners of Pottsville Open MRI, Good Samaritan has assumed operation of
the site, renaming it Good Samaritan Open MRI. The site, which is accredited by the American College
of Radiologists, is located on Route 61 South, Pottsville, in Rockwood Center.
“We are pleased to form this partnership that will allow Good Samaritan to offer Open MRI to our
patients,” said Bernard G. Koval, President/CEO of Good Samaritan. “Patients who may feel
claustrophobic or who are larger than average will find Open MRI a good alternative to traditional MRI.”
Good Samaritan Open MRI compliments the hospital’s existing radiology services including
High-Definition MRI, Computerized Tomography (CT Scan), Position Emission Tomography (PET
Scan), interventional radiology, nuclear medicine, mammography, ultrasound, and x-ray.
“Good Samaritan Open MRI will be linked to the main hospital through our digital Picture
Archiving and Communication System (PACS),” said Stephen Whitmoyer, MD, medical director of Good
Samaritan’s Radiology Department. “This means that physicians will be able to view Open MRI images
on computers in their offices or in the hospital thanks to the internet. Patients can expect the same high
quality service and turn-around they currently receive from the Medical Center.”
Patients wishing to make an appointment at Good Samaritan Open MRI, should call 570-385-
5119. Appointment, offered Monday through Friday, can usually be made for the same day or the
following day.
MRI uses computers and magnetic fields, rather than X-rays, to capture images of the human body.
It is superior for showing soft-tissues like organs, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and cartilage in addition to
bone.
Crisis Management
What would you do: Massive infection
outbreak in your office?
Bad employee? Etc.
Have a plan!
Let’s Review . . .
General Tips
Journalists are not trained in statistics or medicine!Take charge of the interview Guide the interviewer
Responses “short and sweet” – think soundbites (20-40 seconds)
Don’t guess
Nothing is off the record
Prepare, if possible
Plain English
Choose the Angle
You’re called by the reporter
HPV Vaccine (Gardasil)
Comments
Choose the Angle: Where is the Story Heading?
Efficacy?
Safety?
Controversy?
Reimbursement, costs?
Too many vaccines lately (Zoster, Rota)?
Cautions
“Off the record”? Anything can (and will) be used (against you)
Patient confidentiality No:
“I’m caring for a 27 year old with HIV; I always tell her the importance of paps . . “
Yes: “Routine pap smears are critical for patients with
HIV”Do not lie/assume/invent ideas Ok to say “I don’t know”
Caution - 2
Controversial story? Family planning Politics Healthcare distribution, new technologies Etc.
Notify those who need to know! Department chairs Partners
Clarify your role Private physician vs. representative
Homework
1. List three things about you and/or your program/practice you would like others (administration, the public) to know
2. List two upcoming events/office changes (equipment/personnel) you would like others to know
3. List two contacts you will make (ex: health reporter of local paper, PR at your hospital, etc.)
Practice
Pairs
One is reporter, one doctor
Reporter asks:
“A famous actor was just diagnosed with a polyp during a “routine” colonoscopy. Can you explain/comment on this?”
Reporter: be sure to critique the answers!
Same idea
Reporter asks:
“Doctor – Medicare said they plan to cut E&M code reimbursement by 50%, but raise the reimbursement of certain inpatient CPT codes by 70%. How will this impact patients?”
Practice 2
References“The Two Minute Media Trainer”, PAFP, 6/93“Helping Journalists Get It Right”, JGIM 2003;18:138-145“Preparing Physicians for Media Interviews Helps Them Communicate More Comfortably and Effectively”, Jim Gersbach, Kaiser Permanente (on-line)Fenton communications“Media Interview Tips” Wanda Filer, MD William Rudolph
THANK YOU!
The Media with their press passes . . .