I commented here earlier about how important it was for official sources to establish themselves as credible, trustworthy sources of information. This is all the more important given the now well established pattern of media fear mongering. Please understand, I am not really blaming the media. Their agenda is about gathering eyes and it is clear that FUDO (Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt and Outrage) is the proven method.
The question is: How should local, regional, state and national health and government organizations deal with this? My conviction is that they need to openly communicate using all available channels. They also need to challenge media reports when they are clearly false, misleading or overreaching.
I was gratified to receive an email from one reader of this blog on this topic. Dr. Donald Stern is head of the Richmond (Va.) City Health District. Richmond experienced a mini-panic with a possible infected victim. Some local media responded by resorting to FUDO. With Dr. Stern's permission, I am sharing with you the letter to the editor he sent to the Richmond Times-Dispatch on the reporting of the paper in contrast to other reports. I admire the non-emotional tone while still calling out those who contributed irresponsibly to public fears.
LETTER TO EDITOR
Richmond Times-Dispatch – Reporting on Richmond patient with possible Ebola infection
Compliments to the Richmond Times-Dispatch and reporters Bill McKelway, Tammie Smith and Michael Martz for the professional and high quality reporting last week related to the evaluation, care and testing of a person in the City of Richmond whose recently arrived from West Africa and had a low grade fever. This group of RTD reporters summarized a factual portrayal of the situation without adding hype such as one media outlet that labeled this incident “Ebola Crisis in Richmond.” One must raise the question, what Ebola and what crisis?
There was no crisis, but this was a good example of sound clinical practice and effective collaboration between private and public partners to rule out a specific communicable disease. The staff at Crossover Healthcare Ministries applied a reasonable clinical protocol to address the health of their patient; then, working with the Richmond City Health District and the VCU Health Systems, steps were taken by the Richmond City Health District, the Virginia Department of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Virginia Department of Consolidated Laboratory Services to support our clinical partners to rule out a serious disease. Although far down the list of possible disease conditions, out of a preponderance of caution, the CDC agreed to test for Ebola.
As Public Health Director for Richmond, my expectation is that those entities that communicate news and information to the public will follow this example in the future, and not contribute to community anxiety and fear in a highly sensitive public, already concerned and confused about this disease. It is my desire that all of us who have a community information responsibility will consider the well-being of our community and considerate of individuals involved while responsibly providing news that informs our residents. The Richmond City Health District takes the responsibility of working together for a healthier community very serious. We hope that news professionals in our community will partner with us to help ensure that information impacting the health of our community is provided in a considerate as well as truthful manner.
Donald R. Stern, M.D., M.P.H.
Director, Richmond City Health District
Virginia Department of Health
