Public Communication Approaches & Best Practices

1. Public Communication Approaches & Best Practices • Update from Media/Public Relations Group • Public Outreach & Messaging Discussion Cindy McConnell Director NCRR Office of Communications April 2009

2. Public Communication Approaches& Best Practices Update from Media/Public Relations Group • More consortium members have designated a CTSA Media/PR Group contacts • Group members are encouraged to join the NIH PIO network as well

3. Public Communication Approaches& Best Practices Update from Media/Public Relations Group • Group members provide images and vignettes for ctsaweb.org, which help with select NCRR communications -- CTSA Progress Report -- NCRR Reporter and e-Reporter • Exhibiting -- The Ohio State University, Mayo Clinic and Emory University will incorporate CTSA messages into their exhibit booths at BIO

4. Public Communication Approaches& Best Practices Update from Media/Public Relations Group • Sampling of recent media outreach related to CTSAs: -- Emory University: new state-of-the-art pediatric research center -- Mayo Clinic: the relationship between anesthesia exposure and learning disabilities in children -- University of Pennsylvania: translational medicine and therapeutic symposium

5. Public Communication Approaches& Best Practices Update from Media/Public Relations Group NCRR’s sampling of recent media outreach related to CTSAs: -- how CTSAs affect/involve women in science -- announce the expansion of the CTSA Consortium in the next few weeks

6. Public Communication Approaches& Best Practices Want to learn more? Next call: April 27, 2009, 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. EDT

7. Public Communication Approaches& Best Practices Public Outreach • Keep in mind the four-step process: • Research: What are the challenges and opportunities? What are the facts? • Planning: Define target audiences and what we want them to do. • Communications: Develop messages and decide on tactics to reach target audiences. • Evaluation: Can be formal or informal; always ask “did it work?”

8. Public Communication Approaches& Best Practices • Messaging Ideas • CTSAs transform clinical and translational research from basic discovery to improved patient care by -- Reducing barriers and encouraging collaboration -- Increasing efficiency through the power of shared resources -- Enhancing training and career development of clinical and translational scientists -- Engaging communities in clinical research efforts

9. Public Communication Approaches& Best Practices • CTSAs help advance preventions, treatments and cures for disease • CTSAs help decrease the time from basic scientific discovery to patient care • CTSAs utilize federal tax dollars more effectively to combat disease