| Healthcare providers as content creators
Despite having more access to information than ever before through Google Search and other online resources, patients are more misinformed than ever, an issue that is sometimes made worse by medically questionable outputs driven by generative AI. Because of that, patients are turning to real humans, clinicians, and trusted voices — often referred to as healthcare provider (HCP) Influencers — on social media, ushering in a new generation of healthcare content creators. How should HCP Influencers show up?
One word comes to mind, and that’s “honestly”. When clinicians are given the freedom to share their expertise in a way that feels organic for them, everybody wins. Patients get access to the health information that they crave. Other clinicians get access to more open dialogue and medical knowledge sharing, and the platforms win with elevated content accuracy and quality on some of the most searched health topics. Guardrails needed
With the shadow cast from the flurry of FDA warning letters, physicians and communications leaders are asking for clear guardrails. Until the FDA and FTC issue creator-specific guidance, clinicians must default to the core principles and prior FTC/FDA advisements. Disclosure is a must, both legally and ethically, and partnerships, while often necessary to support the cost of content creation, should be clearly labeled and disclosed. The convergence is happening now – patients are searching in new, social-first landscapes for essential health information, and clinicians are meeting them where they are. What is left in the space between are clear guidelines and best practices for these clinicians, institutional support, and better tools to help patients discern accurate content from dangerous misinformation. — By MedCity Influencer Adam Goodcoff |
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