The AANS took the story of neurosurgery to more than 5 million readers with the April 7 publication of its first-ever insert in USA Today, the national daily newspaper. The goal of the supplement, Neurosurgery Today, was to educate various target publics about the broad scope of neurosurgery. The eight-page, full-color, tabloid-size piece addressed the broad spectrum of neurosurgical practice, in particular, the role of the neurosurgeon and the surgical and non-surgical care he or she provides. The supplement covered spine and peripheral nerves, pediatric neurosurgery, pain, stroke and related cerebrovascular disorders, epilepsy, neurotrauma, tumors and Parkinson’s disease. It also addressed the importance of patient access to specialty care.
Member Support Made the Difference
Production and distribution costs of the insert were supported through a combination of advertising sales, corporate sponsorships and an assessment of individual members. More than 1,800 members each made $100 assessments payments. “That broad-based member support really brought this project into reality,” said Stan Pelofsky, MD, Chairman of the Editorial Board for the supplement.
Other sources of support included educational grants from the AANS/CNS Sections on Cerebrovascular Surgery, Neurotrauma, Pain, Pediatric Neurosurgery, Spine and Peripheral Nerves, and Tumors and Ethicon, Inc., a Johnson & Johnson Company. Companies providing advertising support were Zeiss, Bayer, Medtronic Sofamor Danek, GE Medical Systems and DePuy AcroMed Codman.
Supplement Impact
Neurosurgery Today had an impact on its intended target audiences. Some of the highlights:
- The AANS National Office received approximately 670 public online inquiries and 275 public written requests for information within three weeks of publication of the supplement. These inquires can be typified by a letter received from a Nevada City, Calif., man. “Low back pain and neck pain have long been persistent problems for me,” he wrote. “I could identify with every word in those articles. Access to medical specialists in our small town is severely limited, so I feel compelled to become my own healer. Every article on the front page of your supplement seemed addressed to me.”
- Several stories from the supplement were posted on two of the most visited health Web sites on the Internet-WebMD and drKoop.com. No other medical association has been able to accomplish this. Representatives of both sites reported that the AANS special sections each received thousands of hits.
- The supplement was put on the Association’s Web site and 13,341 hits were recorded to the Neurosurgery Today site within weeks. The five most-read articles, in order of popularity, were: “Low Back Pain: Getting to the Root of the Problem,” “The Shape of Your Baby’s Head,” “Neurosurgeons Treat Backs, Necks, Nerves and More,” “Neck Pain Is Nothing to Shrug About” and “A Day in the Life of a Neurosurgeon.”
- A special mailing of the supplement was sent to policy makers in Washington, including all 535 members of Congress and key Executive Branch officials. Along with copies of Neurosurgery Today, recipients got a rolodex card containing information about the Washington Office and a special attachment highlighting the different clinical areas of neurosurgery. A cover letter informed them their constituents have seen this publication and that the health issues covered were of significant concern to them.
Members Use Supplement to Educate
Neurosurgery Today is the perfect public education tool and many members have been using them as giveaways to patients, referring physicians, insurance companies, hospital groups and others. One member ordered 1,000 copies for distribution at a community health fair. Another put copies of the supplement with practice stickers attached in his waiting rooms and saw patients snap up 700 in less than a month.
In addition to the free copies distributed to members who paid the assessment, more than 13,000 extra copies of the supplement have been purchased by members for distribution in their communities. They are available through the AANS National Office in quantities of 100 and are priced on a sliding scale, depending on quantity. Prices range downward from $50 per 100 on orders up to 500 copies. Call 1-888-556-AANS to order.