Medical Journal Using QR Codes to Link Print and Digital Video

Atlanta, GA, March 15, 2011 --(PR.com)-- Readers of NEUROSURGERY® can now access supplemental digital content, including video and illustrations, directly from their smartphones. Beginning with the April 2011 issue, NEUROSURGERY® is using QR codes to link print content and supplemental digital content to enhance the experience for readers of traditional hard copy.

“The problem facing many publishers has been reconciling the existing print product with digital content being distributed online,” states NEUROSURGERY® Managing Editor, Duncan A. MacRae. “Using QR codes in our print product links the two worlds together in a fairly seamless manner. A reader can now watch a surgical video on a smartphone without necessarily interrupting the print experience.”

Articles with available supplemental digital content are clearly identified by a QR code on the article’s title page. With a QR code reader application installed on a compatible mobile device, a reader can now view supplemental digital content, such as surgical demonstrations or additional illustrations, improving and expanding the accessibility of related digital content. A number of free QR code reader applications are available for Android devices at Android Market, Blackberry devices at App World and Apple iOS devices via the App Store.

As part of its industry-recognized social media strategy, NEUROSURGERY® has been using a dedicated YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/neurosurgerycns) to serve author-submitted digital content for the past year, and those videos can now be linked physically to their print counterparts.

“The YouTube channel has been a part of our social media success story, and it is a logical evolution to utilize QR codes to connect readers directly to content that would have otherwise required them to log-in via a desktop or laptop computer,” MacRae explains. “Since YouTube provides detailed feedback on video viewership, including whether or not a mobile device has been used to access content, the success of the QR code initiative should be easy to measure.”

To publicize the initiative and educate readers, the April 2011 issue of NEUROSURGERY® features a QR code on the cover of the April 2011 issue, linking to a video tutorial illustrating the process by which readers can access digital content using QR codes. NEUROSURGERY® has also been employing QR codes for several months in advertising and inserts, preparing readers for their eventual use alongside editorial content.

About NEUROSURGERY®
NEUROSURGERY® is the official journal of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS). Members of the Congress and non-member subscribers receive 3000 pages per year packed with the very latest science, technology, and medicine. The Congress of Neurological Surgeons exists to enhance health and improve lives worldwide through the advancement of education and scientific exchange. A leader in education and innovation, the CNS provides members with a host of educational and career development resources, including the online CNS University of Neurosurgery, subspecialty webinars, the CNS NeuroWiki, SANS (Self Assessment in Neurosurgery) and the CNS Job Placement Service. For more information about the CNS and its member services, visit http://www.cns.org.

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