What is it that attracts the media to the story of neurosurgery? The interesting fact that 70 percent of procedures AANS members perform are spine related. The fact that neurosurgeons have a role in treatment of disorders such as epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, low back pain, cervical spine, craniofacial abnormalities, sports-related head injuries, carpal tunnel syndrome, stroke and much more. Neurosurgeons indeed have a story to tell.
The AANS has positioned itself as the spokesorganization for neurosurgery and continues to pursue ongoing media coverage and recognition of the specialty from the public. As the spokesorganization for neurosurgery, the AANS is telling the story of neurosurgery and media nationwide have taken note. The AANS received extraordinary media coverage earlier this year during the AANS Annual Meeting in San Francisco. ABC’s Nightline taped and broadcast interviews with members and neurosurgery has been featured on CNN, Reuters, ABC radio, WebMD, drkoop.com and more.
The media coverage encompassed scientific research breakthroughs including neural stem cells for cancer treatment and spinal cord injuries, the risks of stroke from cocaine use, Glasgow Outcome scale as a predictor of long-term brain injury, robot-assisted microsurgery, pituitary tumors and brain tumor metastases in breast cancer patients. In addition, over 15 million listeners nationwide tuned in to 45 AANS members’ neurosurgery-focused radio interviews recorded during the AANS Annual Meeting.
AANS Forms Spokespersons Network to Assist Journalists
Reporters want to know what exactly is neurosurgery. How can a reporter get a neurosurgeon to comment on a story he or she is writing? Months ago, the AANS identified the need to develop a national spokespersons network to assist journalists across the country with these very questions. Within a few months, the AANS National Spokespersons Network was established and now comprises 46 AANS members from across the country who are prepared to assist reporters with stories on stroke, pain management, cerebrovascular surgery, pediatric neurosurgery, spine and much more.
Approximately 20 members of the AANS Network participated in media training held during the CNS meeting in San Antonio. Network members honed their skills on everything from how best to present themselves on camera to developing targeted talking points. Additional media training sessions will be offered in April 2001 during the AANS Annual Meeting in Toronto.
Other Media Initiatives
To keep the Spokespersons Network on its toes, AANS is actively involved in proactive media relations efforts concentrating on a number of initiatives including distributing camera-ready newspaper feature stories, pitches to national media and monthly mailings of press releases highlighting articles in the Journal of Neurosurgery.
Four camera-ready feature stories were distributed in early September to approximately 2,800 daily and weekly newspapers nationwide. They covered such topics as sports-related head injuries, low back pain, stroke prevention and Parkinson’s disease. The AANS will monitor media pickup of these releases over the next year.
The first scientific press release related to the Journal of Neurosurgery was on “Catheter Manipulation Within the Brain.” Distributed in August, the release was also posted on the AANS Web site. The press release has received ongoing media interest including an interview of study co-author AANS member Sean Grady, MD, on eYada.com’s The Doctor is In. Other media calls came from Medtech Insight, HealthScout, Clinical World Medical Device and Diagnostic News and Biophotonics International magazine.
AANS has also responded to recent high profile stories in the news through distribution of press releases that position AANS as an informational resource for the media. For example, AANS distributed a press release to medical/health reporters nationwide, outlining stroke symptoms after the misdiagnosis of former presiident Gerald Ford.
Media Awards
To generate increased public and media exposure for the field of neurosurgery, the AANS Public Relations Committee is developing a new media awards program. The project will recognize journalists for their reporting of neurosurgery stories in print, radio and television. The awards, which will become an annual event, will be first presented at the 2001 AANS Annual Meeting in Toronto. The event will include a panel discussion with reporters that should lead to additional coverage of neurosurgery.
“What better way to actively promote the field of neurosurgery than directly to the journalists,” said Ronald Warnick, MD, AANS Public Relations Committee Chair. “The media awards program gives AANS the opportunity to interact one-on-one with journalists, educating them about the broad scope of the specialty and the important ground-breaking work of a neurosurgeon.”
AANS members, reporters and the general public are encouraged to visit the Media Center section of the AANS Web site for the most up-to-date news from the AANS.
Heather Monroe is the AANS director of communications.