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FEBRuARY 2015 | O U T PAT I E N TS U R G E R Y. N E T
affordable options out there, including GoPro (gopro.com). In fact,
we've begun shooting videos on an iPhone 6 that has remarkable capa-
bilities. We recently shot patients meeting with local civic leaders, edit-
ed the video and posted it online. The final product looked fantastic.
• Recruit a surgeon. Work with a surgeon who has an interest in using
new technology and finding innovative ways to communicate with
patients. He might be a young doc with a heavy social media presence,
but don't discount the potential interest of a veteran surgeon who's all
about educating the masses.
• Plan ahead. Good footage is critical. You'll need 2 people to do the
videoing — one to operate the camera and one to keep a creative eye
on the procedure and what the camera person needs to focus on —
whether they're outside freelancers or in-house marketing profession-
als.
Map out a plan before the shoot. What's your ultimate objective?
Who's your audience? What do you want them to learn? What's the
take-home message? Outline or storyboard the procedure, so whoever
serves as creative director keeps the intended flow in mind and the
camera person focusing on what matters most during the surgery. The
planned narrative will be done from a marketing perspective, but see
if the surgeon and surgical administrator have vital or helpful informa-
tion they want included.
Inform the surgeon and surgical team well in advance of the pro-
cedure (about a month is sufficient). Get permission from the sur-
geon, staff and the patient. Everyone who will be in the OR must
sign a waiver, granting you permission to use their images in the
video. Meet with the patient before the day of surgery to inform
him of your plans to shoot the procedure. Assure them that the
camera will focus only on the surgical team and the surgical site,
and that you won't make them personally identifiable.
