Attracting Curious, Connected Patients and Other Insights from Lori De Milto Writer for Rent LLC

Published: Wed, 09/14/16

Writing Right
Insights on engaging, informing, and motivating your target audiences
Fall 2016
 
Attracting Curious, Connected Patients
Patients and healthcare consumers are increasingly connected to digital channels. Yet, healthcare still lags far behind other industries in content marketing, social media, and other digital activities. With competition increasing, hospitals, health systems, and medical practices that use digital channels aggressively and well will attract today’s curious, connected patients.

Brands that Connect with Patients
Some healthcare organizations are already doing this.The Mayo Clinic was named 2016 Health Information Website Brand of the Year by Harris Poll and consistently wins awards for its website and social media program. Reasons for Mayo Clinic’s success include:
  • Embracing innovation
  • Developing a strong online presence
  • Making social media part of its mission
  • Having support from executive leadership.
Mayo Clinic’s social media includes blogging, podcasts, Twitter, a YouTube Channel, and Facebook.

United Healthcare’s “We Dare You” campaign encouraged followers to make healthy changes by using monthly “dares,” quizzes, and prizes. Followers documented their changes on social media. The website has ongoing interactive content like games, puzzles, and quizzes.

The Floating Hospital for Children at Tufts Medical Center created an online community called Circle of Moms to offer content (including a blog) and a community of support (a discussion forum) to its target market: mothers of patients.

Men are a tough healthcare audience to reach. To raise awareness for men’s health, Anne Arundel Medical Center ran a fun Stachie Facebook Contest, in which men posted photos of themselves with a real or fake mustache. The content drove traffic to the medical center’s Men’s Health webpage.

Key Statistics
  • 1 out of 20 Google searches is related to healthcare
  • 77% of all health inquiries begin at a search engine
  • 40% of online healthcare advice comes from social media
Sources: Becker Hospital Review, Pew Research Center, and IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics

Resources
 
Drive Success by Influencing Others
Why do people say "yes," and how can you influence more people so that they say “yes” to you (or your brand)? Robert B. Cialdini explores the 6 “weapons” of influence in Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion:
  1. Reciprocity: When you give people something, they feel inclined to return the favor.
  2. Consistency and commitment: Once people make a decision or take an action, they’re more likely to make other decisions that support prior decisions and actions.
  3. Social proof: People want to know what others think about you.
  4. Liking: If people like you they’re more likely to engage with you.
  5. Authority: People are influenced by people who are competent and have authority.
  6. Scarcity: People want more of what they can’t have. In marketing, this translates into actions like making an offer available for a limited amount of time, to a limited number of people, etc.  
 
Recent Projects
Some of my recent/current work: 
  • A story on how social media can lead to depression, anxiety, and isolation 
  • A blog post on hyaluronic acid for knee arthritis 
  • A story on how foot drop affects people with MS, and what they can do about it
  • Web content on pain management 
  • Nursing faculty profiles 
  • ​​​​​​​Clinical trial summaries for research participants
 
Professional Notes 
AMWA Medical Writing & Communication Conference
In October, I’ll be presenting in 2 sessions at the American Medical Writers Association conference (AMWA):
  • Make Your Freelance Business a Perpetual Feast, with my colleagues Cynthia L. Kryder and Brian Bass
  • Build Your Freelance Business with a Strong Online Presence, with my colleague Ciranna Bird
Webinar Based on Top 10 Session
This month, I presented a webinar for AMWA based on my Top 10 Session at last year’s conference: “Unlock the Secrets to Freelance Success.”
 
Get Targeted Medical Content
Lori De Milto writes targeted medical content to engage, inform, and motivate patients, consumers, healthcare professionals, and others.    

Contact me 
Lori De Milto Writer for Rent LLC 
WriterforRent.net 
[email protected]
856-232-6821


Writing Right is published several times a year.  
 
Lori De Milto Writer for Rent LLC | Sicklerville, NJ | 856-232-6821
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