The impact of the empowered health consumer on communication touchpoints: PRmoment Health Communications Review

 1st March 2023    Health Comms Review 
 Paarul Chand

PRmoment's weekly 'Healthcare Communications Review' column looks at the biggest healthcare trends every week and analyses the communications implications. In partnership with SPAG, A Finn Partners Company.

Long ago, 'Reader's Digest' carried this science article by J D Ratcliff, giving the human heart a voice by titling it 'I am John's Heart' and using that hook to talk about heart health.

This was great communication, introducing science and health in a simple manner. 

Today the health consumer has come a long way, with information available at their fingertips. This makes the role of the health communicator extremely crucial in ensuring credible, accurate, and accessible health information.

Let's take a look at the various touch points where health communicators need to be present today:

1) Health booking apps, notifications as content: With online OPDs on the rise, consumers are visiting apps to book an appointment with a doctor or for home tests. There is tremendous potential here to look at short, interactive content to educate and inform the consumer. The Zomato app is a great example of how to grab the attention of the consumer with one-line interactive notifications.

2) Medtech Devices: As wearable devices are on the rise, they also provide a great platform for imparting information. The apple watch ECG option and health app is a great example of this.

3) Social media channels: I remember this great Alzheimer's awareness campaign with Facebook that wiped out people's timelines to convey a sense of what it feels like to lose your memories. Of late I haven't noticed any truly creative health campaign that moved beyond marking international days. Options such as Reels, Spaces, and podcasts are ripe for leveraging.

4) Phygital interaction: While digital has greatly expanded in health, people still want the offline experience. Therefore, communication has to move seamlessly between online and offline to better engage the health consumer.

News of the week

1) DGCA asks airlines to take steps for the mental health of its staff. Recent incidents of air passenger rage have brought mental health into focus.

2) You may soon be able to measure your blood sugar via Apple Watch. No prick glucose test is the holy grail for the MedTech sector.

Call out of the week

A month left before the early bird deadline for PRmoment Health Comms Awards 2023. Do apply here.

That's it for this week. Special thanks to SPAG, a FINN Partner company for their ongoing support for this weekly column.