Optimizing Interview Opportunities

1
Optimizing Interview Opportunities

• Conducting Interviews with Intelligence and
  Expedience

2
Who Am I? Keith DOria

• Managing Editor, Physicians Weekly
• Hospital-based medical news service
• Medical news, technological advances, practice
  management, clinical updates, and CME
• Meet the overwhelming demands of the busy
  clinician
• Managing Editor, Patient Education Center
  (Medical Group Management Association
  Physicians Weekly)
• Multimedia information service for medical group
  practices and their patients
• Designed to improve physician-patient
  communications, medication compliance, and
  patient outcomes

3
Preview of Discussion

• Before interview
• During interview
• After interview
• Troubleshooting

4
Have You Experienced This?

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

5
Before the Interview

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

6
Before the Interview (Cont.)

• Know Before You Go
• Outline how you want your story to go.
• Collaborate with others.
• If youre freelancing, make sure you know EXACTLY
  whats expected of you.
• Get directions/instructions
• What do you want to eventually say in your story?

7
Before the Interview (Cont.)

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

8
Before the Interview (Cont.)

• Make phone calls/e-mails 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
• Previous acquaintances.
• Family friends.
• Former contacts.

9
During the Interview

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

10
During the Interview (Cont.)

• Stroke the Ego
• Tell the interviewee youve seen his/her work
• Confirm titles, affiliations
• Be Upfront/Explain Your Operating Procedure
• What will take place?
• Explain timeframes.
• Explain your goals.
• Tell the interviewee about word counts, if
  necessary .

11
During the Interview (Cont.)

• Tape Record the Conversation
• Take notes during the interview.
• Dissect what was said.
• Take a fact-checking approach.
• Pay Attention!
• Ask questions if youre unsure.
• Allow time for anecdotes/personal experiences.

12
During the Interview (Cont.)

• Ask Questions that Matter
• Scope the problem.
• Identify barriers to care.
• Overcoming those barriers.
• Remember these goals
• Enact change in thinking, procedures, etc.
• Get to the point quickly interviewees have
  limited time

13
During the Interview (Cont.)

• Know your audience
• Potential Home Run Questions.
• 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?

14
During the Interview (Cont.)

• If youre 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?

15
During the Interview (Cont.)

• Interviewee Review
• Critical, but often overlooked.
• Youll generate a better story.
• Shows the interviewee
• You care about their input.
• You care about factual accuracy.
• Allow the interviewee to expand upon your work.

16
After the Interview

• Transcribe it yourself.
• The thank you note.
• Writing copy.
• Following your own lead.

17
After the Interview (Cont.)

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

18
Thank You Note

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

19
After the Interview

• Writing Copy
• Involve the interviewee.
• Get copy close to perfect.
• Offer a second or third review of the copy after
  youve input their changes.
• Use your pre-interview information.
• Keep word counts in mind, if necessary.

20
Trouble-Shooting

• Too Little Information.
• Doctor Unresponsive.

21
Trouble-Shooting (Cont.)

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

22
Trouble-Shooting (Cont.)

• Interviewee Unresponsiveness
• You are awaiting the interviewee to review copy,
  but it hasnt been returned (dont worry it
  happens).
• Try calling emails often go unchecked,
  unanswered.
• Try working through media reps at the
  interviewees institutions.
• Try working through the interviewees
  assistants/colleagues.
• Solicit another interviewee close to the subject
  matter to review the article.

23
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. Itll only make
  your efforts better.

24
Thanks for your time.

• Open Forum
• Does anybody have any questions?