The Role of Social Media in Healthcare
In 2022, social media – a key element of social health – is transforming at lightning speed right before our eyes. From sharing information to building community, billions of people take action on social media everyday—and from the perspective of the pharmaceutical industry, harnessing its power has never been more critical. Today, social media usage presents pharma with a unique opportunity to meet patients where they are across a variety of channels, through actions such as scrolling through a timeline, watching a video, or taking a leap of faith and joining an online support group, allowing users to feel more informed and less alone in their health condition.
While the opportunity to reach people where they are on social may be exponential, there are some challenges. Changing consumer behavior paired with evolving technology and privacy restrictions make it seem like reaching patients on social media is near impossible; however, these engaged, action-oriented audiences are seeking information through social, and are reachable with the right channel, content, and credible approach.
Social health drives patient interaction and support on social media platforms
Social health—the dynamic, real-time action people take to find meaningful connections and share information that impact the health journey—is paving the way forward for pharma to spark real change on digital platforms. A recent social health survey* of 2,346 respondents across a variety of conditions suggests that 95% of patients use social resources for health purposes, and these patients are engaging during critical situations that impact health decisions.
