Optimizing Interview Opportunities Conducting Interviews with Intelligence and Expedience

Who Am I? Keith D’Oria Managing Editor, Physician’s Weekly Hospital-based medical news service Hospital-based medical news service Medical news, technological advances, practice management, clinical updates, and CME Medical news, technological advances, practice management, clinical updates, and CME Meet the overwhelming demands of the busy clinician Meet the overwhelming demands of the busy clinician Managing Editor, Patient Education Center (Medical Group Management Association + Physician’s Weekly) Multimedia information service for medical group practices and their patients Multimedia information service for medical group practices and their patients Designed to improve physician-patient communications, medication compliance, and patient outcomes Designed to improve physician-patient communications, medication compliance, and patient outcomes

Preview of Discussion Before interview During interview After interview Troubleshooting

Have You Experienced This? You get the assignment, do the research, and chase down the interviewee In the interview, the interviewee becomes: Short-winded Short-winded Long-winded Long-winded Convoluted or wishy washy Convoluted or wishy washy Non-newsworthy Non-newsworthy

Before the Interview Preparation is the key! Learn all you can. Use your resources.

Before the Interview (Cont.) Know Before You Go: Outline how you want your story to go. Outline how you want your story to go. Collaborate with others. Collaborate with others. If you’re freelancing, make sure you know EXACTLY what’s expected of you. If you’re freelancing, make sure you know EXACTLY what’s expected of you. Get directions/instructions Get directions/instructions What do you want to eventually say in your story? What do you want to eventually say in your story?

Before the Interview (Cont.) Preparation Critical: Information gathering. Information gathering. Get the full studies relating to the topic. Get the full studies relating to the topic. Abstracts are only half the game. Abstracts are only half the game. Go to reliable resources. Go to reliable resources. Medical associations/societies. Beware of the Internet!

Before the Interview (Cont.) Make phone calls/ s to learn more. Make phone calls/ s to learn more. Take adequate time. Gives you a good idea on the overall scope of the topic – and direction. Use all of your resources: Use all of your resources: Previous acquaintances. Family friends. Former contacts.

During the Interview Stroke the ego. Be up front. Record the conversation. Pay attention. Questions that matter. Know your audience.

During the Interview (Cont.) Stroke the Ego Tell the interviewee you’ve seen his/her work Tell the interviewee you’ve seen his/her work Confirm titles, affiliations Confirm titles, affiliations Be Upfront/Explain Your Operating Procedure What will take place? What will take place? Explain timeframes. Explain timeframes. Explain your goals. Explain your goals. Tell the interviewee about word counts, if necessary. Tell the interviewee about word counts, if necessary.

During the Interview (Cont.) Tape Record the Conversation Take notes during the interview. Take notes during the interview. Dissect what was said. Dissect what was said. Take a fact-checking approach. Take a fact-checking approach. Pay Attention! Ask questions if you’re unsure. Ask questions if you’re unsure. Allow time for anecdotes/personal experiences. Allow time for anecdotes/personal experiences.

During the Interview (Cont.) Ask Questions that Matter “Scope” the problem. “Scope” the problem. Identify barriers to care. Identify barriers to care. Overcoming those barriers. Overcoming those barriers. Remember these goals: Remember these goals: Enact change in thinking, procedures, etc. Get to the point quickly – interviewees have limited time

During the Interview (Cont.) Know your audience: Potential “Home Run” Questions. When writing for physicians: When writing for physicians: Why is it important that physicians realize how big a problem this is? Why are physicians failing to recognize this problem? What can physicians do to best fix the problem? If you were teaching a course to physicians on this topic, what messages would you want conveyed to the class? What are some messages that physicians should take home from this article?

During the Interview (Cont.) If you’re writing for consumers: If you’re writing for consumers: What are the key points that consumers should recognize when considering this problem? How can consumers approach these problems proactively? Are there prevention methods that patients need to take? What are the key things that patients should ask their doctors? Where can patients find more information about topic ‘XYZ’?

During the Interview (Cont.) Interviewee Review Critical, but often overlooked. Critical, but often overlooked. You’ll generate a better story. You’ll generate a better story. Shows the interviewee: Shows the interviewee: You care about their input. You care about factual accuracy. Allow the interviewee to expand upon your work. Allow the interviewee to expand upon your work.

After the Interview Transcribe it yourself. The thank you note. Writing copy. Following your own lead.

After the Interview (Cont.) Transcribe the tape yourself: Cut out the extraneous stuff Cut out the extraneous stuff Obtain the real points that the interviewee may or may not articulate well Obtain the real points that the interviewee may or may not articulate well Meet deadlines faster (this can add money to your pockets!) Meet deadlines faster (this can add money to your pockets!)

Thank You Note Send a confirmation note to the interviewee – preferably Do it immediately after the interview (think job application) – shows the interviewee you care about their input. Do it immediately after the interview (think job application) – shows the interviewee you care about their input. Thank them for the time. Thank them for the time. Re-establish your timeframes, deadlines, etc. Re-establish your timeframes, deadlines, etc. Inform them when they can see it in print. Inform them when they can see it in print. Offer to send a copy of the finished product. Offer to send a copy of the finished product. Allows you to develop that resource for future writing opportunities. Allows you to develop that resource for future writing opportunities. Ask questions, if need be. Ask questions, if need be.

After the Interview Writing Copy: Involve the interviewee. Involve the interviewee. Get copy close to “perfect”. Get copy close to “perfect”. Offer a second or third review of the copy after you’ve input their changes. Offer a second or third review of the copy after you’ve input their changes. Use your pre-interview information. Use your pre-interview information. Keep word counts in mind, if necessary. Keep word counts in mind, if necessary.

Trouble-Shooting Too Little Information. Doctor Unresponsive.

Trouble-Shooting (Cont.) Too little information: Use your resources. Use your resources. Go back to the interviewee with questions. Go back to the interviewee with questions. During article review, note where you are unclear. During article review, note where you are unclear. Insert notes if some studies refute what the interviewee said. Insert notes if some studies refute what the interviewee said. Ask for backup information. Ask for backup information. Call/ expert groups (eg, societies & academic colleges) for backup information. Call/ expert groups (eg, societies & academic colleges) for backup information. A 2nd or 3rd interviewee may need to be interviewed. A 2nd or 3rd interviewee may need to be interviewed.

Trouble-Shooting (Cont.) Interviewee Unresponsiveness: You are awaiting the interviewee to review copy, but it hasn’t been returned (don’t worry – it happens). You are awaiting the interviewee to review copy, but it hasn’t been returned (don’t worry – it happens). Try calling – s often go unchecked, unanswered. Try calling – s often go unchecked, unanswered. Try working through media reps at the interviewee’s institutions. Try working through media reps at the interviewee’s institutions. Try working through the interviewee’s assistants/colleagues. Try working through the interviewee’s assistants/colleagues. Solicit another interviewee close to the subject matter to review the article. Solicit another interviewee close to the subject matter to review the article.

Conclusion Prepare, prepare, prepare! Get help before and after the interview. Ask the interviewee questions. Explore all avenues to NOT sacrifice integrity of the article. Hit a home run rather than fly out. Get the most out of your work. It’ll only make your efforts better.

Thanks for your time. Open Forum: Does anybody have any questions? Does anybody have any questions?