American Society for Surgery of the Hand Launches Public Awareness Campaign

Rosemont, IL—The American Society for Surgery of the Hand (ASSH) launched a new public awareness campaign this week to promote the practice of hand surgery and injury prevention to the general public. The campaign, titled "The Choice is in your Hands,' consists of one 60-second public service announcement, a pared-down 30-second version, and a logo to brand the campaign. The two PSAs are currently airing nationwide.

The PSAs show individuals in a variety of situations that may lead to required treatment to the hand: rollerblading; lawn mowing; tennis playing; failure to open a jar due to arthritic hands; and workplace injuries

"The public service announcements are the most ambitious program we have undertaken this past year in our effort to place hand surgery on the radar screen of public awareness,' says Dennis B. Phelps, MD, Immediate Past President of the ASSH. "In the PSAs, we depict a variety of conditions and age groups we treat and will hopefully strike a chord of familiarity with a broad audience.'

"We want our message to empower patients in the selection of their own doctors or specialists. Choosing the right hand care professional makes a difference in both the recovery and long-term function of the hand,' continues Phelps.

The theme "The Choice is in your Hands' and the three-handed logo will be used for a number of other promotional activities and will build a degree of brand awareness over time with both doctors and patients.

Both versions of the PSA are available for viewing and download at www.HandCare.org.

For more information about the American Society for Surgery of the Hand and its free "Find a Hand Surgeon' service offered to the general public, please visit: www.HandCare.org.

The mission of the American Society for Surgery of the Hand is to advance the science and practice of hand surgery through education, research and advocacy on behalf of patients and practitioners.

The field of hand surgery deals with both surgical and non-surgical treatment of conditions and problems that may take place in the hand or upper extremity (from the tip of the hand to the shoulder). Hand surgeons can set fractures, provide appropriate nerve care, treat common problems like carpal tunnel syndrome and tennis elbow, reattach amputated fingers, create fingers for children born with incompletely formed hands, and help people function better in their day-to-day lives through restoring use of their fingers, hands, and arms.
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