3. ยฉWEBER SHANDWICK 2013 All rights reserved
IBS? Thereโs an app for that (myhealthapps.net)
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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
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So what should comms professionals consider in 2014?
8. ยฉWEBER SHANDWICK 2013 All rights reserved
The two main drivers of digital comms activity in 2014
๏ Content โ for public and press
๏ The public want quick and relevant information which very
often press may also use
๏Where is nearest open chemist?
๏When can I get a doctorโs appointment?
๏Are there any medical issues in my area?
๏Can I get a quick response to my medical query
๏But equally, this is a response channel for healthcare
professionals to get across their side of
debates/arguments without breaching confidentiality โ
expect to see a lot more attention paid to Online
Engagement Guidelines in 2014
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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 โ
patients being directed there by ads
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The comms ROI
Face-to-face transaction can cost up to ยฃ11.28
while an equivalent contact centre episode
expends ยฃ6.35 yet a similar transaction online
incurs just 46 pence of cost.
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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 โ what
are the most popular medicines, are they suggesting
a trend or an illness that others could avoid catching?
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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 โ 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) โ the over 65s
๏ Those who do use online getting
disgruntled over lack of responses or
lack of speedy responses
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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 โ avoid the
problems NHS24 had with launch of
Elaine C Smith video
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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 โ local offices trained to
provide the information with support
from comms
๏ FAQ website regularly updated with
new and relevant information
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A step in the right direction: Living it up
๏ Based in Scotland, ยฃ10million project: Connects people to events locally
๏ Engaging on health beyond the clinic: Takes healthcare to community
16. ยฉWEBER SHANDWICK 2013 All rights reserved
Thank you
Craig McGill
Digital Strategist, Scotland/Ireland
0141 333 0557
07584 385 571
@craigmcgill
@wsscotland
uk.linkedin.com/in/craigmcgill/
cmcgill@webershandwick.com
Editor's Notes
Health and online going to explode in 2014 as we see even more people driven towards whatโs called The Quantified Self โ using the likes of Nike Fuel bands, Fitbit (as well as mobile phone apps) to measure their fitness and health. There are now even some devices for measuring quality of sleep. If you thought it was annoying when people posted their running details to Facebook, you ainโt seen nothing yet! The point being people are taking more and more interest in their health โ and at some point will want to start sharing that info with doctors
The Quantified Self movement isnโt going to go away as sites like this show. The point is that from a healthcare comms professional point of view, thereโs going to be more information and data available at points for stories and engagement.
Also for consideration: http://www.getqardio.com/ - London based start up, shown at CES
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A running/cardio device that gives medical grade ECG monitoring.
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Can be downloaded and shared with doctors, chemists and family/friends.
The challenge for the healthcare comms professional has never been greater due to the number of platforms, channels and differing attitudes. The next few slides show us different generations and how they prefer to engage and communicate โ some will pick up a phone, others would rather go and find a solution online themselves. The challenge for comms is working out how to reach as many people as possible because you can no longer rely on traditional media to do it for you
How people use online and engage 1
Pitney Bowes survey on how people go online and how they prefer to solve issues โ considerable trend towards online solutions
As already mentioned, thereโs never been more options to look at or consider in the comms toolbox
But for the coming year, there will be two main issues to look at. One is that the information needs to be good for press and public alike and it needs to be quick and timely. KLM now tell you on Twitter how long you can expect to wait for a response โ been seen as a great communication tool
The other big trend in comms across sectors for this year is Paid Media and Healthcare comms is no different with organisations having to pay to make sure that people see their information before false or inaccurate information. Expect to see more and more comms budgets allocated for online advertising to combat spoof or false info sites
This isnโt advocating getting rid of people and putting everything online. Instead, this Scottish Government ICT stat from November 2011 points out that if information can be shared online, it can reach more people quickly than a doctor can. Hundreds of people can visit a website in one minute but a doctor can only see one or two people in the same timeframe. If online is used โ and promoted more often โ for generic or topical illnesses, it frees up the medical team for more urgent queries. Equally if people โ including press โ can get info online, it saves them calling the comms team
Content shouldnโt be a challenge for most healthcare providers but there does need to be a bigger willingness to share the big data โ but this needs to be planned as some of the data may present certain Trusts in a negative light, therefore there still needs to be strategic and practical comms advice
As more and more staff who are comfortable with the idea of being online and on social, using Google Alerts and the likes of Mention.net to check for mentions of themselves, there is always going to be the risk of a doctor retaliating โ or even insisting on befriending on the likes of Facebook to make sure there is no criticism made of them. Equally, there are reports of private networks now where medical staff meet to discuss issues โ some not always relevant to healthcare or wellbeing (basically bitching sites) โ if these are made public it could be a comms nightmare
Simple tips for 2014 โ think more visually for reaching press and public. These work from the GP level to the most senior level.
Allegedly NHS24 staff couldnโt access YouTube when the Elaine C Smith video about breasts went out.
A look at who does it well
https://portal.livingitup.org.uk/page/about-us
Living it up - http://news.scotland.gov.uk/News/Digital-health-care-628.aspx
ย
รย Based in Scotland, ยฃ10million project
รย Connects people to events locally
รย Way of engaging with them on their health, beyond a clinic
รย Takes healthcare into the community
ย