For Western New Yorkers with questions about their health, Catholic Health’s Ask Us Anything offers an opportunity to connect with local doctors,
nurses, and other experts online.
Questions can be submitted anonymously using an online form on the Catholic Health website,
with email responses provided by a team of experts—physicians, nurses, registered dietitians, physical therapists, and more.
“It’s our version of a medical Ann Landers,” says Aimee Gomlak, vice president of women’s services at Catholic Health. “It’s not medical advice we provide
but information and guidance.”
The most commonly asked questions focus on pregnancy and nutrition. Catholic Health experts have addressed recovering from a Cesarean section, diagnosing
infertility, what to eat when you’re pregnant, and how much olive oil to have in your diet.
Each Monday, a new Q&A is published to the
Catholic Health blog.
Ask Us Anything
began in February 2011 and was conceived as a way to educate the public and address issues that are specific to their individual health. Because questions
are submitted anonymously, readers can ask personal questions that they may be hesitant to voice aloud.
For Catholic Health’s experts, Ask Us Anything helps to make people aware of their services, some of which may not be commonly known, such as
medical nutrition therapy.
Catholic Health Registered Dietitian Deborah Richter has seen several patients as a result of her participation.
“I have had outpatients who saw my information in the Ask Us Anything articles and on the Catholic Health website,” Richter says. “Some people say
when I first meet them in the waiting room that they know it is me from my photo online.”
Last year, a marketing campaign for Catholic Health’s Women’s Services line, WomenCare, included a microsite
that invited users to submit their questions. First-time visitors to the site saw a pop-up overlay that prompted for a question.
Since the launch of the campaign last summer, nearly 200 questions were submitted and responded to.
“Doctors note that many of the questions are similar, indicating a general lack of knowledge of information that our website is now addressing,” Gomlak
says.