ASA April 2003 Newsletter

Every year at the first session of the ASA House of Delegates, the chair of the Committee on Communications presents awards to deserving members of the media for outstanding articles or productions that have helped to educate the public about anesthesiology.

ASA believes that the media plays a significant and important role in informing the public about such subjects as pain medicine, labor epidurals, awareness under anesthesia, office-based anesthesia and a myriad of other anesthesia-related issues. We feel that it is important to recognize those deserving members of the press who focus on these and many other timely issues.

This year, the committee will be accepting submissions in the following categories: Television/Radio, Print and Web-based publications. The deadline for entries for presentations related to anesthesiology or pain medicine written or presented between June 1, 2002 and May 31, 2003, is June 1, 2003. The committee will present up to four awards, which include a plaque to the winning candidates and the opportunity to accept the award in person at the ASA Annual Meeting.

It is not unusual that more than one entry in any of the categories seems worthy of the award; these are frequently difficult decisions. Nonetheless, the committee has a very fair and consistent numeric award system to determine the winner in each category. The committee reserves the right to limit presentations and may choose not to give out awards in every category.

Eligible formats include articles from newspapers, consumer-interest periodicals or other magazines, Web-based news services and sites and television or radio broadcasts.

Anyone who is a member of ASA and/or members of the media, their editors or publishers may submit nominations. Nomination forms are available from and should be forwarded to the ASA Communications Department at <communications@ASAhq.org> or by contacting the Society at (847) 825-5586.

Where Do These Media Pieces Come From?
Not surprisingly, many members of ASA have been interviewed by the media (radio, television, newspaper, magazine or Web-based media), and someone they know or they themselves may submit their interview product for consideration. This is a grassroots effort to solicit contributions. If you are a media spokesperson for ASA (i.e., have attended the Leadership Spokesperson Training Program and/or Regional Spokesperson Training Program), the committee encourages you to review any interviews that you may have participated in this during the entry period dates and submit the piece in which you were involved. Awards are presented to the media representative and not the interviewee(s).

Without the media and its willingness to gain perspective on the many issues that have been in the lay press in the last few years, the public would not have the ability to gain an understanding of many subjects that are important to their care and safety. With the increased emphasis on pain medicine in particular, the press has done many pieces on this subject that have been educational to the lay public. Such activity gives ASA a higher profile in the press, particularly in the area of patient safety, which is our most important message.

Do not hesitate to submit any relevant piece in which you were involved. Such media contact may be invaluable the next time that a timely issue comes to the forefront. If your media contact wins this award, it only makes your job easier to contact that person again to get the story out, particularly one that may be time sensitive.

Additionally, if you have read or seen a particularly moving or educational piece relating to anesthesia or pain medicine, please do not hesitate to contact the ASA Communications Department for a submission form. Most of the entries each year come from the grassroots of ASA. Do your part, and make that telephone call!

Jessie A. Leak, M.D., is Associate Professor of Anesthesiology, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Division of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Houston, Texas.

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