Patients Like Me:
Building Online Communities for Healthcare
Kelli Matthews, Verve Northwest Communications
kelli@vervenorthwest.com

Why it matters Your audience is online

Social
Technographics
Li & Bernoff’s Groundswell

Li & Bernoff’s Groundswell

88% 88%
I usually turn to my I usually turn to
physician to other sources to
validate info I get validate info I get
online from my doctor
Edelman Health Engagement Barometer, October 2008

I am becoming more actively engaged in
health issues.
I am becoming more actively engaged
with Companies & Organizations involved
in health
It’s increasingly important that Companies
& Organizations involved in health engage
with me
Edelman Health Engagement Barometer, October 2008

Platform Examples
Wikis Wikipedia, FluWiki, WiserWiki
DiabetesMine, HealthMatters, WebMD, Paul Levy
Blogs
OrganizedWisdom, PatientsLikeMe, Daily Strength,
Sermo, ReliefInSite, NursesRecommendDoctors,
Social Networks
TheHealthCareScoop, MySpace, Facebook
ICYou, YouTube
Video-Sharing
Yahoo! Groups, Revolution Health Groups, Google
Health Groups, UCompareHealthCare, About Groups,
Online Forums
iVillage
Johns Hopkins Medical Podcasts, NIH Podcasts,
Podcasts CDC Traveler’s Health, dLife podcasts for diabetes

Do you
need to
listen?
Gaining New Insights From the Clues Your Customers Leave Online

What it means to you
• Find out what your brand stands
for
• Understand how buzz is shifting
• Increase research responsiveness
• Find sources of influence
• Manage a crisis
• Generate new marketing ideas

www.google.com/alerts

RSS in Plain English
Google Reader in Plain English
Social Media in Plain English
Three helpful videos - from Common Craft’s “in plain english” series.

Do you
need to
talk?
Not Screaming & Shouting at Your Customers, But Having
a Conversation

Blogging & Social
Networks
• Depth to complement reach
• Two-way communication
realized
• It’s a small world, join the
conversation
• Be human!
• SEO, baby
• Meet your objectives

The Value of Online
Communities
• Wisdom of Crowds
• Empowerment
• Positive feelings
• Increased Trust/Credibility

Make it Local
• Your patients are already
searching
• Build relationships online

Allow Patients to Seek Support & Connect
with Family & Friends
• CarePages
• CaringBridge

Mayo Clinic on Facebook
online community & social network
Palo Alto Health Foundation
education: podcasts & videos
Johns Hopkins Podcasts
education: podcasts

Medical University of S. Carolina
education: podcasts & videos
myMDAnderson
online community & interactive planner
University of Wisconsin Health
education: podcasts & videos
community: CarePages

Do you
need to
energize?
Create Word of Mouth Evangelists With Social Media

Give people the tools
• Create ambassadors

The New Patient Influentials:
• More likely to work in health
field
• More likely to have chronic or
severe health conditions
• More likely to be a caregiver
• More likely to take prescription
medications
Edelman Health Engagement Barometer, October 2008

How can
you
embrace?

Start With Baby Steps
Get Knowledgeable
Make Your Department Knowledgeable
Help Management be Knowledgeable
Then...
Find a product or service to test the
waters

Oregon Heart & Vascular Institute at
Riverbend
• A group blog written by: doctors, nurses,
dieticians, trainers, wellness managers
• Video sharing with cooking classes,
exercises, animations and explanations of
surgeries, interviews with doctors
• Networking to allow patients to connect
with providers and other heart patients;
share experiences and ask advice
• Online journal of food, exercise, recovery,
symptoms, etc. that could be shared with
other patients and their physicians.

If you don’t, others
will...
• Patients will share their
experiences on blogs, in
chatrooms, forums and social
networks.
• Employees will blog, chat and
connect.

• Privacy
• Misinformation
• Authenticity
• Commitment
The Risks of Participation

First Steps:
• Look at your budget
• Understand your audience
• Listen! & Monitor
• Create an internal blog or social
network

Kelli Matthews
kelli@vervenorthwest.com
(541) 579-5888