Nothing resonates more than a personal story. In the ASA Public Relations Department, we constantly strategize ways to illustrate the life-changing role physician anesthesiologists play in patients’ lives and encourage ASA members to share their anecdotes and stories to help us educate the public about your crucial role in medicine. ASA past president Daniel J. Cole, M.D., saw this firsthand when his story about his father became the lead in national media coverage, motivating and touching people who could relate to his experience.
For Patient Safety Awareness Week in March, we developed and distributed a news release to the media addressing postoperative delirium and postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD), noting six tips older patients should keep in mind before undergoing surgery. The news release was covered in nearly 40 news outlets, including Doctor Radio and HealthLeaders, reaching an audience of more than 80 million people.
But the campaign became even...
