What the heck, tech? Consumer campaign kicks off to educate rad patients
It’s 2015. Do you know where your radiologist is? Most patients don’t. Nor do they know what radiologists do, exactly, or why it should matter.
For those reasons and more, member groups of Strategic Radiology (SR), the collaborative of 20 or so practices and affiliates dotting the U.S. map from Spokane, Wash., to Miami, Fla., have launched My-Radiologist.com.
The website offers resources, tips and tools for choosing a radiologist, along with educational info to acquaint healthcare consumers with the specialty. The site also features firsthand testimonials from patients who are thankful for diagnostic and/or interventional radiology’s role in their successful care.
“I started having lung screenings four years ago,” reads a note attributed to a cancer survivor named Kathy D. “During my last screening, two lymph nodes did not look right according to Dr. Glenn Kerwin, the subspecialized radiologist who interpreted my exam. … My doctors commented on how amazing it was that Dr. Kerwin saw the cancer. He saved my life!”
According to SR, the website is just one part of a larger campaign to educate the public about radiology. Other elements include print and digital advertising, direct mail, posters, brochures, flyers and informational collaterals to be handed out at points of service.
SR member groups will draw from the campaign to encourage patient choice in both diagnostic and interventional radiology, as well as across various radiological subspecialties.
The campaign seems a savvy way to drive business into SR member practices in an increasingly patient-centric healthcare system, although the sell is notably soft. The website, for example, stresses not so much shopping around for radiologists as talking to primary care physicians about radiology options.
“Consumers will typically seek out other medical specialties like an orthopedic surgeon or OB/GYN, but they don’t think about the role their radiologist plays in interpreting their diagnostic medical imaging,” said Arl Van Moore Jr, MD, Strategic Radiology’s CEO. “This campaign is designed to build awareness that radiologists’ skills and their ability to effectively collaborate with their referring physician peers on behalf of patients can make all the difference.”
Meanwhile, the SR announcement states that the vision for My-Radiologist.com is to “create a platform for engaging other radiology industry organizations in advocacy for the profession and future success of the independent radiology group practice model.”
It’s an inviting and easily navigable consumer website. Check it out.
Dave P. has worked in journalism, marketing and public relations for more than 30 years, frequently concentrating on hospitals, healthcare technology and Catholic communications. He has also specialized in fundraising communications, ghostwriting for CEOs of local, national and global charities, nonprofits and foundations.