ASA February 2003 Newsletter

As anesthesiologists, we are aware of our importance in a patient’s care. But how does the public perceive anesthesiologists? Do we really leave the room during a patient’s surgery? Are we really doctors? These and other questions have come to the attention of the public.

Much of how “we” as anesthesiologists are viewed by the public is based on society’s brief glimpses into our profession as presented by the media. Often, the media portrays anesthesiologists in a favorable light, but sometimes we are showcased in a negative manner. When the media approaches representatives from our field for an interview or information, we need to be well-equipped to answer important questions in a way that best reflects our specialty’s interests and patient welfare. The same applies when dealing with politicians.

Leadership Spokesperson Training Program
ASA has acknowledged the importance of these communications issues and has established a training course that is usually held each spring just prior to the ASA Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C. The Leadership Spokesperson Training Program (LSTP) began in 1989. To date, 403 members of ASA in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia, have participated in this training.

With the guidance of ASA’s professional media consultants, LSTP trains individuals how to interact with broadcast and print media as well as legislators, how to answer questions effectively and how to convey important messages about our profession. Furthermore, LSTP teaches its participants how to conduct themselves in front of a video camera during a confrontational interview or in the office of an unsympathetic congressperson. This program has enjoyed tremendous success for ASA. Politicians and the press have often looked to anesthesiologists at the national level to answer questions and give guidance on issues germane to our specialty.

Each January, an announcement about the time and place of LSTP is sent to each state component society. Component societies are encouraged to nominate one of their “up-and-coming” leaders for this program. Registration is limited to 30 anesthesiologists, including two Resident Component members. Because of the importance of this program, registrants are expected to attend the entire all-day seminar. Since most state components send politically active members who are on the threshold of becoming presidents of their state anesthesiology societies, this event offers an opportunity for leaders of various states to interact. Registration, the logistics of LSTP and the preparation of training materials are handled through the ASA Communications Department in the Park Ridge, Illinois, office.

Regional Spokesperson Training Program
In the late 1990s, the Committee on Communications recognized that state anesthesiology societies as well as community anesthesiologists were often called upon to represent our profession at the local level. This realization was the impetus for the Committee on Communications to begin sponsoring the Regional Spokesperson Training Program (RSTP), which first began in 1999. In light of the change in the Medicare rule that still mandates the physician supervision of nurse anesthetists, but which as of November 2001 now allows state governors to “opt out” of this patient safety standard, RSTP has proved to be a timely and useful tool in preparing ASA members to advocate for retention of the supervision requirement in their states. To date, 171 ASA members have participated in RSTP training in California, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New York, Ohio, Tennessee and Texas.

Larger state components have held their own RSTP programs while some other states have combined their members for training sessions. Frequently, RSTP programs are scheduled to coincide with a state or regional meeting. Each RSTP training session can accommodate from 12 to 20 participants and is a full-day program. The program offers discussions including but not limited to 1) formulating messages for specific audiences, 2) what topics are important to our field today, 3) how to use positive body language and 4) how not to let the interviewer manipulate your message. When appropriate, local issues and topics are discussed.

RSTP participants engage in mock, on-camera interview sessions. The faculty and program participants provide feedback and critiques.

RSTP attendees are selected by their component society. Applicants may not have participated in a similar program during the last five years, must show an interest in being actively involved in legislative and/or public relations efforts of the component and should commit to serve as a future spokesperson for ASA and/or state component, assisting with media inquiries or other spokesperson activities when possible.

If your state component society, either by itself or in conjunction with adjacent states, wishes to set up an RSTP, please contact Director of Communications Philip S. Weintraub at the ASA Executive Office for further information by calling (847) 825-5586 or by e-mail at <communications@ ASAhq.org>.

Annual Meeting Workshop on Communications
The third prong of ASA’s media outreach is the Workshop on Communications held at the ASA Annual Meeting in October. This workshop provides members with the opportunity to improve their personal communications skills. The maximum occupancy of the workshop is 125.

In the first half of the workshop, attendees are taught tools and techniques for answering questions in a manner that provides information and also communicates their own messages. These techniques are helpful in a variety of situations, from communicating with peers to talking with media or legislators to communicating with patients and their families.

The second half of the workshop focuses on how to be an effective public speaker with tips and techniques to improve each individual’s manner of presentation, whether for a medical audience or the local Rotary Club. Part of the workshop consists of an active question-and-answer period, and ASA members have the added option of practicing a speech or media interview on videotape on a volunteer basis.

These three programs, LSTP, RSTP and the Communications Workshop, routinely generate such positive comments from participants on evaluation forms as: “a great educational experience,” “expose more of us to these sessions,” “truly excellent” and “it was magnificent, and others will appreciate it” — all clear indications of their value to those who attend.

ASA believes that as its members speak out publicly in their own communities on medical and health issues, the specialty will become better known and will be enhanced in the eyes of the public. This grassroots approach of having members be the “voice” of the specialty has resulted in numerous local and national stories being published and broadcast on the benefits and expertise that anesthesiologists bring to both surgical and pain patients. The ASA Committee on Communications welcomes your participation in these sessions.

Lawrence S. Berman, M.D., is Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology and Pediatrics, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida.

Jeffrey B. Glaser, M.D., is a private-practice anesthesiologist at Specialty Surgical Center, West Hills Hospital, Sherman Oaks Hospital, Encino, California.

Johnna H. Matthews, partner in Newell & Matthews, Lake Forest, Illinois, is a communications consultant to ASA and conducts the Leadership Spokesperson Training Program each year.

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