Many patients are delaying or avoiding medical care due to COVID-19 concerns, including delaying care for common, treatable sleep disorders, such as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). To help our client the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) drive awareness about the often-misunderstood signs, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment options for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), we coordinated a radio media tour (RMT) which took place on April 29, 2021. To promote the tour, we developed a high-impact media alert, social media posts and schedule of local market details for each station to ensure messaging aligned with each audience.
The tour featured expert insights from AASM board member and practicing sleep medicine physician, Dr. Fariha Abbasi-Feinberg. Over the course of a morning, Dr. Abbasi-Feinberg completed 14 total interviews which aired online and on radio stations across the nation. RMT coverage included a total of 447 radio segment airings with over 17 million impressions.
- Podcasts included Business Radio X – “The Mark Bishop Show” (Listen here!)
- Nationally Syndicated Airings included:
- Global American Broadcasting Network – “Bill Martinez Live”
- Transformation Talk Radio Network – “The Dr. Pat Show” (Listen here!)
- Wilkins Radio Network – “Let’s Just Talk”
- Radio America – “The Passport Mommy”
- Local Airings included radio stations in Bluefield, WV; La Crosse, WI; Roanoke, VA; Pittsburgh, PA; Tampa Bay, FL; Seattle, WA; New York, NY; Baltimore, MD; Charlotte, NC; and Providence, RI.
The RMT helped drive awareness to the symptoms and treatment options for OSA, and familiarized patients with what to expect when visiting a sleep center. With such a wide national reach, I feel confident that we were able to enact positive action in many listeners lives.
If you think you or a loved one may have sleep apnea, visit SleepEducation.org to find a board-certified sleep physician at an American Academy of Sleep Medicine Accredited Sleep Center near you.