Social Media, Digital and Healthcare

©WEBER SHANDWICK 2013 All rights reserved

Social and Healthcare


2014: The Year of the Quantified Self


IBS? There’s an app for that (myhealthapps.net)


Fragmented responses for a fragmented market

In previous years, people could be relied on to get the important medical information from the BBC, local and regional press but that is now gone as many abandon the traditional media Some still trust traditional media Others prefer websites Others would rather use more

social network style sites More elderly would like to pick up the

phone Some will only look at material on

a phone or tablet




So what should comms professionals consider in 2014?


The two main drivers of digital comms activity in 2014

Content – for public and press The public want quick and relevant information

which very often press may also useWhere is nearest open chemist?When can I get a doctor’s appointment?Are there any medical issues in my area?Can I get a quick response to my medical

queryBut equally, this is a response channel for

healthcare professionals to get across their side of debates/arguments without breaching confidentiality – expect to see a lot more attention paid to Online Engagement Guidelines in 2014


The two main drivers of digital comms activity in 2014

Advertising Facebook now insisting you

pay to reach more than 25% of your Page or Group

Google and Twitter pushing more on advertising to reach larger audiences

Clinics in Europe and US now using advertising to drive people to specific online pages to minimise actual clinic visits

Forums and websites now first port of call, not clinics or hospitals – patients being directed there by ads


The comms ROI

Face-to-face transaction can cost up to £11.28 while an equivalent contact centre episode expends £6.35 yet a similar transaction online incurs just 46 pence of cost.


Big data to be a big use

Content is not a challenge for healthcare comms professionals Reveal most popular searched for terms on

hospital or health websites. If medical, provide links to medical advice

Make sure the content is accessible across mobile and tablet devices

Share information from the local pharmacies – what are the most popular medicines, are they suggesting a trend or an illness that others could avoid catching?


Dangers and challenges of the coming year in social media health comms

Doctors and nurses to retaliate against criticism from patients online

Medical staff taking to darknets or private forums to talk work and about patients – PR disaster if revealed to world/Daily Mail

Reaching the audience that is the biggest spend on NHS resource but also least likely to be online (even on Facebook) – the over 65s

Those who do use online getting disgruntled over lack of responses or lack of speedy responses


Tips

Visual web has exploded online so go beyond text for sharing comms messaging Use Piktochart tp design

infographics around press releases

Use Instagram and Pinterest to drive awareness of campaigns around visuals

Use simple Vine videos to push six-second bursts of information

Make sure everyone can access your channels – avoid the problems NHS24 had with launch of Elaine C Smith video


Doing it well: PoliceScotland

More than 50 accounts across a number of social media platforms including Twitter, Facebook, Blipfoto

Updated on a daily basis with relevant news and information from each sector

Hub and spoke model of comms used for outreach – local offices trained to provide the information with support from comms

FAQ website regularly updated with new and relevant information


A step in the right direction: Living it up

Based in Scotland, £10million project: Connects people to events locally

Engaging on health beyond the clinic: Takes healthcare to community


Thank you

Craig McGillDigital Strategist, Scotland/Ireland0141 333 0557 07584 385 571@[email protected]/in/craigmcgill/[email protected]