Your institution's public relations department can be a valuable resource.  Set up a meeting with director or events coordinator to brainstorm activities that are best suited to your practice setting. Your expertise can be a valuable addition to the system's communications with patients and the community at large.  Here are some ideas:

• Offer to be an "expert resource" to answer media questions on medication-related issues. Remind the public relations staff to suggest your availability on appropriate issues even if the reporter did not think to ask to speak to a pharmacist.
• Contribute to the health-system's community newsletter. Many hospitals, HMOs and other health systems have periodic newsletters that go out to the community as part of their marketing efforts. You might propose doing a "guest feature" on health-system pharmacists or contribute to a regular column on medication issues.
• Contribute to the health-system's internal employee newsletter. If the newsletter has a monthly "Meet the X Department" feature, you could give the editor a "Meet the Pharmacy Department" feature for the publication.
• Participate in a "brown bag" event at a health fair. During health fair promotions, many health-systems encourage community members to bring in their prescription medicines in a brown paper bag so that a pharmacist can discuss the medications with the patient.
• Volunteer to speak about medication issues. Many health systems sponsor monthly forums, workshops, or support groups. These gatherings are excellent venues for discussions on safe medication use.