Record a Hometown Radio segment at the 2013 AAOS Annual Meeting

Michael F. Schafer, MD

Although not every orthopaedic surgeon can match the media success of a Sanjay Gupta, MD, or a Dr. Oz, the 2013 Annual Meeting does present an opportunity for you, as an AAOS member, to be heard on radio—through Hometown Radio interviews arranged by the Academy’s public relations department.

It’s an opportunity for you to share your knowledge and insights on an orthopaedic topic directly from the 2013 Annual Meeting in Chicago.

You can discuss anything from bone conditions and joint replacement to safety and fitness tips, as long as it’s related to orthopaedic health and injury prevention. You specify the topic in advance, and a health reporter from Hometown Radio conducts the interview. The 5-minute interview will generate about 3 minutes of air time. The recording will be edited on the day of the interview and transmitted to radio stations in your hometown and state. Each interview is guaranteed to play on at least two different radio stations.

Interview topics
This is an opportunity for you to discuss any orthopaedic topic that your patients need to know more about. Potential topics for a good Hometown Radio interview include common conditions that you see in your regular practice. Do you have a high percentage of patients with osteoarthritis of the knee? Has there been an increase in the number of teenagers sustaining anterior cruciate ligament injuries? Are you presenting research results at the Annual Meeting that might be of interest to your patients?

Other interview ideas include the following:

• How to prepare for an upcoming joint replacement surgery
• Distracted driving in your community and trauma-related injuries
• How to prevent or ease the pain of carpal tunnel syndrome
• Starting an exercise program
• Preventing youth sports injuries
• Obesity and joint health
• Nutrition and its impact on the musculoskeletal system
• For more topic ideas, visit the OrthoInfo website at orthoinfo.org

During your radio interview, be sure to mention either ANationInMotion.org or OrthoInfo.org as websites where listeners can go to find more bone and joint health information.

When, where, how
Interviews will be conducted on Wednesday through Friday, March 20–22. The first interview is at 9 a.m.; the last interview begins at 5:45 p.m. Interview slots are limited and will be honored on a first-come, first-serve basis, so sign up as soon as possible.

Hometown Radio interviews will take place in the AAOS Resource Center at McCormick Place, Academy Row Booth AR1—right next to the AAOS “A Nation in Motion” interactive display.

If you find this an intriguing opportunity, email media@aaos.org and indicate your interest in signing up for a Hometown Radio interview. You will receive a list of times available so you can select a 15-minute slot (5 minutes for the actual interview; 10 minutes for preparation and set-up).

For more information on Hometown Radio at the AAOS 2013 Annual Meeting in Chicago, contact Kelly King, AAOS public and media relations coordinator, at 847-384-4033.

Michael F. Schafer, MD, chairs the AAOS Communications Cabinet.

Promote your Practice
As health care evolves and patients continue to use new technologies to research health and physician information, it’s more important than ever for AAOS members to promote their orthopaedic practices.

Leon S. Benson, MD, vice chair of the AAOS Communications Cabinet, will host “Marketing Your Practice with AAOS Public Relations Materials,” at the 2013 AAOS Annual Meeting at McCormick Place in Chicago. The presentation will be held at the AAOS Resource Center Theater, beginning at 2:45 p.m., on Friday, March 22. No registration is required.

Dr. Benson will highlight the many ways that orthopaedic surgeons and their staffs can market their practices. He’ll review the information, displays, handouts, social media postings, video, and other free materials available from the AAOS and show how they can be used to engage patients and potential patients throughout the community.

Among the proven public relations techniques he will discuss are the following:

• Linking to and providing a myriad of information on orthopaedic conditions and topics through Orthoinfo.org and ANationInMotion.org
• Engaging local media
• Enhancing your website and practice marketing materials
• Optimizing social media
• Using community and school events to promote orthopaedic topics and, ultimately, the practice

Don’t miss this opportunity to take advantage of the many free public relations resources AAOS offers to members.