Media Spotlight

During February 2006, 118 media placements about The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston reached a potential audience of nearly 21 million people. The following is a sample of those media placements.

Dr. Guy L. Clifton explains the health care policy issues that result in critical care patients waiting for hours in the ER, KPRC-TV, Feb. 9.

With staff member Dustin Childers demonstrating, Dr. Rex Marco talks about exercises to strengthen your back and ease pain, KTRK-TV, Feb. 10.

On Valentine’s Day, Drs. Blair Justice and Rita Justice say chocolate offers true health benefits – the key is the proportion of cocoa and chocolate, KTRK-TV’s “Live at Five,” Feb. 14.

Dr. Joan M. C. Bull’s clinical trial uses heat to treat certain types of cancer, Houston Chronicle “Health/Medicine” Page, Feb. 16.

Dr. Thomas O. Clanton is working with Rice University on lab-grown cartilage for joint replacement surgeries, KTRK-TV’s “Live at Five,” Feb. 16.

In a much-watched Sunday report, Dr. Rosemary Kozar with surgical interns Drs. Christi L. Blakkolb, Nathan Daniel Allison and David Michael Sada critique the realism of the hit show, “Grey’s Anatomy,” KTRK-TV’s “Eyewitness News at Ten” and “Eyewitness News Close Up,” Feb. 19 and 21.

In a two-part report on Spanish-language news, Dr. Luis Ostrosky-Zeichner says in Spanish that the threat of an avian flu epidemic is real and, although a vaccination for the avian flu does not exist, the common flu vaccination could help to prevent the avian flu, KTMD-TV, Feb. 20-21.

In a “Health Check Answers” segment, Dr. Deepa Vasudevan offers a true/false test to see if viewers recognize weight loss myths, KTRK-TV, Feb. 21.

Broadcasting live from the UT Dental Branch, Dr. Joe Ontiveros demonstrates a new invention – the mouth cam – and a computerized mannequin used for training dental students, KHOU-TV’s “11 News This Morning,” Feb. 21.

A “Prescriptions for Health” item announces that the UT Medical School is seeking hyperactive youths for a new autism/ADHD study, Houston Chronicle “Health/Medicine” Page, Feb. 23.

Making the rounds at LBJ Hospital, Dr. Niraj N. Mehta shows how medical students like Zsuzsanna McMahan and Lindsey J. Todd are learning the health value of good bedside manner, KTRK-TV’s “Live at Five,” Feb. 24.

Dr. Ronald J. Peters talks about teens at Riverside Hospital who admit to choking each other to unconsciousness for thrills, KPRC-TV, Feb. 28.