Public relations (PR) is one of your many member benefits as an Academy member, yet the AAOS PR department also serves two other audiences: the media and the public.

Each day, PR staff members work with national and local media to tell the story and cutting-edge news of orthopaedics; communicate with reporters about new orthopaedic research, statistics, or the value that orthopaedic surgeons provide; develop image-enhancing tools and resources that you can use in your local communities, hospitals, or offices; and create and promote bone and joint health campaigns to help educate the public about who orthopaedic surgeons are and what they do.

In the past, both media and AAOS members were directed to an online News Bureau for more information. For the past 6 months, however, PR staff have been reorganizing the News Bureau by user type—media, AAOS members, and the public. The result is a new Academy Newsroom, which is available at newsroom.aaos.org

The new Newsroom is an enhanced destination where you—as well as members of the media and the public—can find exactly what you need. Simply click the appropriate category in the left-hand navigation bar to be connected with available tailored PR- and media-related materials. The look and feel of the site is both visual and inviting.

For AAOS members
As an AAOS member, you can get involved in the Academy’s communication initiatives by ordering the free resources, volunteering for upcoming events, or nominating a colleague for an AAOS award. Within this section of the Newsroom, you also can download toolkits and templates that you can use in local media relations or sign up to become an AAOS spokesperson.

For the media
Journalists can now easily find statistics, story ideas, press releases, images, or Academy spokespeople. This section also includes an online entry form for the Media Orthopaedic Reporting Excellence (MORE) Awards so reporters can electronically send in their entries. You might also find the media section of value, because that’s where you’ll find new Academy campaigns or story ideas that you might want to promote within your local community.

For the public
Visitors to the public section of the Newsroom will find several links to bone and joint health information websites developed by the AAOS. These include campaign websites such as A Nation in Motion, Decide to Drive, and Prevent Injuries America! Links to patient education websites such as OrthoInfo.org, Save Your Knees, the OrthoPortal, and Find an Orthopaedic Surgeon are also included.

Public service campaigns
The Academy’s public service campaigns are of value to all audiences. For 13 years, the AAOS has produced and distributed a multimedia public service campaign featuring radio, print, television, and airport ads. Each campaign includes four-color posters, desktop easel-back signs, and postcards that are available at no charge upon request (a small shipping and handling fee does apply).

These resources can be used in your practice or by your state or orthopaedic specialty society in a variety of ways. From the new Newsroom, you can easily download any print ad or radio or television spot for use in presentations, your office reception area, or your examining rooms.

Members of the AAOS Communications Cabinet and staff in the AAOS PR department encourage you to visit newsroom.aaos.org and share your opinions on the new website. Are you finding PR-related information easily? Can you navigate to the public service campaigns? Is the revamped website user-friendly? Did you find a PR-related resource that you didn’t know existed? Email your opinions and experiences with the website to media@aaos.org

Leon S. Benson, MD, is vice-chair of the AAOS Communications Cabinet. Lauren P. Riley is manager, media relations, in the AAOS public relations department.