With research showing that consumers have a high level of trust in information they get from people like them online [1] , the search is on for people to share their health stories. Combined with the pervasive popularity of social media and 24/7 access via mobile devices, you don’t have to look far to find a wide array of real people talking about their health experiences via blogs, social media posts and videos.
User-generated content provides a way for biopharmaceutical and healthcare companies to make a connection with customers who are using their products, services or devices. Companies can dramatically expand the reach of these real-life stories by sharing them with others fighting the same conditions around the world.
But with regulations around privacy and promotion, how can biopharmaceutical and healthcare companies share patient-generated content compliantly?
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Have you ever come across a patient YouTube video and wanted to share it because of its authenticity and educational or inspirational message to other patients? What about the time you read a patient blog post and wanted to correct or comment with facts about the product? There are countless examples of how patient-generated content can inspire but also misinform.
Given the wide spectrum of types of user-generated content, it can be easy or very challenging to publish or share this content on behalf of a company. The goal is to find the sweet spot, where the patient stories are genuine and shared in an honest and compelling way, while also being fully compliant with applicable guidelines and laws.
Spectrum of Patient-Generated Content
We’ve mapped out a spectrum of patient-generated content defined by two important contrasting factors: compliance and authenticity.
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In the bottom right corner of the spectrum is independent patient-generated content, which is created by any health consumer on their own time, telling their story in whatever way suits them. This type of content is very authentic and impactful, because patients use their own words, including any and all elements, details and feelings they want to share.
Though it is possible for a company to find a person who has created content, connect with them through compliant channels and get permission to use their story, this type of content often does not meet compliance requirements, making its use a significant time investment with uneven results and possible compliance concerns.
Alternatively, in the top left corner of the spectrum is company-directed patient content. This content is developed by the company or an agency, working with patients. Scripted patient videos are one example. Scripted videos are very compliant, but because patients are not actors, sometimes their own stories can sound different and less genuine when they are reading from a script. As a result, this approach can water down the authenticity of the patient’s journey and message.
The sweet spot for healthcare companies who want to share patient stories is curated content – putting in place a system to assist patients in developing content that can be reviewed before it is shared. This creates authentic patient stories that are also compelling, accurate and compliant.
Video content lends itself to this approach. Short and relevant videos are exploding as a primary way for people to access content that interests them online. The number of short, shot-from-above recipe videos that pop up on social media daily compete for supreme popularity with cat and dog videos. They are concise, easy to follow, interesting, relevant, accessible and appeal to people with shared interests. Personal health is no different, so finding a way to share patient stories using video is important and necessary.
To capture compelling yet compliant video content, one new approach is to provide a customized video app to patients who have volunteered to share their health stories. First, companies must build a trusting relationship with patients, because you are asking them to share stories about personal, emotional and sometimes painful aspects of their lives. Without the investment in the trust and respect that come from an ongoing relationship, these types of partnerships are much more difficult to achieve.
After this key exchange has taken place, companies can provide tips and best practices through the app that help patients provide the best possible compliant user-generated content. Often, patients are inspired to tell their stories but may face roadblocks due to issues with technology, communication or fear of trying something new. Assistance and training can make the difference between patients not feeling comfortable in their ability to tell their story through video on their own, resulting in no content, or helping someone tell their story effectively, resulting in a great video that can be widely shared.
Patients use the tools in the app to record short videos that tell their story, on their own time and in their own words, within the guidelines. After patients create videos, the app securely sends them to internal teams, including legal and regulatory, for review before they are posted publicly. This results in personal, authentic patient videos that meet compliance requirements without being scripted.
This is one example of a proven approach, and there are many others. Patient-generated content can be difficult to navigate, but with the right strategy it can cultivate some of the most powerful and authentic voices out there. The key is to find the right patients, build strong relationships with them, and then provide knowledge and tools they can use to tell their health stories. By building a framework that makes it possible to review and curate those stories before they are published, companies can share patient-generated content that lands in the sweet spot – authentic and compliant.
About the Authors
Jean McCoy is SVP of Strategy and Innovation at Health Advocacy Strategies, a patient engagement and technology firm that helps companies include the authentic voice of real patients in all aspects of their business. Jean has 25 years of biopharmaceutical commercialization experience and entrepreneurial business background. For more info: follow Jean on Twitter @jeanmccoy101 or visit www.hastrategies.com.
Pam Garfield is Senior Vice President, Strategy & Innovation at Patient Health Perspectives, a specialized health communications firm that creates intelligent solutions for health consumer participation. Pam has more than 20 years of professional experience across a range of fields impacting patients. For more info: follow Pam on Twitter @pamgarfield1 or visit www.phperspectives.com.
[1] Neilson “Global Trust in Advertising” 2015
