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We were unable to process your request. Please try again later. If you continue to have this issue please contact customerservice@slackinc.com. Back to Healio Key takeaways: Emergency medicine physicians are uniquely positioned to make a difference in the media. An expert described his experiences and offered advice for messaging with integrity. LAS VEGAS \u2014 Sometimes trading in a stethoscope for a microphone can make a meaningful impact on patients that healthcare providers never even meet, according to a speaker here. Christopher M. Colbert, DO, LTC, FAAEM, FACOEP, FACEP, an emergency medicine physician and medical media contributor, discussed the unique opportunity that media presents and how to navigate that journey while maintaining integrity.
Healio spoke with Colbert to learn more about his experiences with media, his advice for providers who want to get involved and more. Healio: Why is this an important topic for healthcare providers to know about? How can various types of media affect the healthcare profession? Colbert: Patients no longer obtain their medical information exclusively from their physicians. They\u2019re learning about medicine through TikTok, podcasts, television, news outlets and shows like \u2018The Pitt.\u2019 And that\u2019s not necessarily a bad thing! Programs like \u201cThe Pitt\u201d provide a unique opportunity to introduce the public to the complexity, humanity and sometimes absolute chaos of emergency medicine. They can highlight overcrowding, physician burnout, nursing shortages, healthcare disparities and the difficult decisions we make every day. However, entertainment and journalism also shape patient expectations. What someone watches on television tonight may influence what they expect from their emergency physician tomorrow. My perspective: Media doesn\u2019t just report on medicine. It influences how patients perceive medicine, how they trust us and, ultimately, how they interact with our healthcare system. Healio: How can providers get involved in the media to ensure they have a role in how the general public sees and understands the system, its flaws, what it gets right, etc.? Colbert: First, recognize that you don\u2019t need to be Dr. Sanjay Gupta to make a difference. You need three things: credibility, communication and consistency. Start locally. Reach out to your hospital\u2019s communications department, local television stations, radio programs or community publications. Offer your expertise on topics relevant to the public. Seasonal illnesses, emergency preparedness, public health concerns or even correcting misinformation can be excellent starting points. My own transition began in early 2020, when I helped organize and moderate a national virtual emergency medicine conference. That experience helped me recognize that the communication skills we develop as educators and physicians can translate directly to the media. The same skills we use to explain a complicated diagnosis to a patient can help us explain a complicated healthcare issue to thousands of viewers. And remember, the goal isn\u2019t to become famous. The goal is to become useful. Healio: What can emergency medicine physicians uniquely contribute to the media? Colbert: I often describe emergency medicine physicians as the canaries in the coal mine of American healthcare. We see the consequences of healthcare policy, public health failures, misinformation, and gaps in access to care before many other specialties. We see patients who cannot afford their medications, patients without primary care, families struggling to navigate insurance, and people who waited too long to seek medical attention. And unlike many other specialties, we treat everyone, regardless of age, income, insurance or background. Emergency physicians also possess something particularly valuable in media: the ability to communicate complex information quickly, accurately and under pressure. Our unique contribution is perspective. We don\u2019t just understand the science of medicine; we witness the human consequences of healthcare decisions. Healio: What has your experience been like as someone who has had conversations like this on a big stage? Colbert: It\u2019s been an incredibly rewarding and sometimes humbling experience. I\u2019ve spent much of my career in academic emergency medicine, teaching residents, medical students, and physicians at national and international conferences. I\u2019ve also had the privilege of serving as a lieutenant colonel in the United States Army Reserve, practicing medicine across multiple countries and experiencing healthcare systems under very different circumstances. But transitioning from academic lectures and peer-reviewed publications to television, radio and publications such as GQ and Men\u2019s Health taught me something important: Being knowledgeable about medicine and being able to communicate about medicine are two very different skills. In academics, I may have 45 minutes and 40 PowerPoint slides to explain a concept. On television, I might have 45 seconds. What I\u2019ve enjoyed most is the opportunity to reach people who might never attend a medical conference or read a medical journal. I\u2019ve discussed topics ranging from infectious diseases and vaccination to healthcare access, military medicine, and public health. The audience may change, but the responsibility remains the same. Healio: What is your advice for anyone who wants to get involved in media as a healthcare professional? Colbert: Be yourself. Authenticity matters. Don\u2019t try to imitate another physician or media personality. Your experiences and personality are what make your perspective valuable. Know your audience. You\u2019re not presenting grand rounds. Avoid excessive medical terminology and explain concepts in language that patients can understand. Be accurate, not sensational. Credibility takes years to establish and seconds to lose. If you don\u2019t know something, say so. Stay within your expertise and distinguish evidence from opinion. Start small and remain consistent. A local radio interview, community podcast or short educational video can be just as meaningful as national television. Build relationships with journalists and producers. Remember your responsibility. You\u2019re representing more than yourself. You\u2019re representing your profession, your colleagues and the patients who trust us. And one additional piece of advice: learn to communicate in sound bites without sacrificing the science. 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