HealthScout.com
120 Post Road West
Westport CT 06880
203/341-7000
HealthScout.com offers its readers a remedy for their health information ailments. The online news wire provides the latest health news in a consumer-friendly format. Its
syndicated content reaches more than 6 million consumers at 3,000 Web sites and portals each month. And, in a forward-thinking deal with the New York Times Syndicate, HealthScout
is now providing its services in print, as well, offering an added dimension of coverage through a variety of media.
Content/Contacts
Barry Hoffman
Executive Editor
[email protected]
203/NUMBER
Shirley Mathews
Managing Editor
[email protected]
Email is the first choice for reaching Mathews, who is the editorial gatekeeper. All press releases go through her - and they'd better be good. "She is really tough," warns
Executive Editor Barry Hoffman.
Follow-up phone calls are taboo, except in extreme circumstances such as inaccurate information in the release or a major change to the original submission.
Pitch Tips
HealthScout doesn't cover business, so don't send a release on the latest hires at your pharmaceutical firm. And don't pitch HealthScout on health politics, unless the story
has massive consumer implications - i.e. Medicare and Medicaid cutbacks. "We also aren't interested in fractional improvements in a drug," Hoffman says. "We'll look at product
launches, but they have to be really unique."
What the editors will cover is news a consumer can use, so be sure your pitch offers plenty of consumer relevance. A recent press release that met Mathews' high
standards: a prediction that a shortage of pharmacists could mean serious problems in dispensing proper medication.
One final note - get to the point. "Don't be cutesy with your lede," Hoffman recommends. "Just tell us what the headline is: e.g., 'New device allows you to take your blood
pressure with a thermometer.'"
Comments
"We want to bring to our readers the latest and most important information that helps them make intelligent decisions about their health and medical needs," Hoffman says.
Recent stories on HealthScout include toy recalls at Pier 1 and must-haves for a top-notch First Aid kit.
"We also do features, series and thought-provoking articles that add insight into diseases and conditions that affect most people," Hoffman adds. For example, the editors
offer symptoms of a possible stroke and information on how marijuana can slow men's sperm.