What social media skills do you need to be an effective patient advocate?

To excel as a patient advocate on social media, one needs a mix of digital literacy, including understanding different platforms and their features, and the ability to communicate medical information clearly and empathetically. Skill in creating engaging content with multimedia aids in connecting with audiences. Building a network with healthcare professionals and patients enhances community support. Most crucial is sharing accurate and credible information to maintain trust and combat misinformation. These combined skills make social media a potent tool for healthcare advocacy.

I struggle with this question because 90% of my advocacy work is still direct working with people. I feel like social media advocacy has grown into a whole area unto itself ….

When leveraging social media, be certain that you have a dedicated resource to "listen" to feedback as well as engage with individuals that comment and/or request additional information. If this resource/process isn't in place, then you could quickly alienate those that you are trying to reach.

In my opinion, healthcare professionals everywhere are the voices of their patients and families; therefore, if one has access to an online platform, raising the voice against misinformation about healthcare treatments and norms to protect patients from unapproved medical treatments and drugs will be advocating for the general population who does not acquire "right" knowledge about health care. Disseminating accurate information and expertise through articles, videos, podcasts, and other means will enable us to effectively advocate for our patients.

One thing I've found helpful is to identify gaps that need strong advocacy voices. In my experience issues such as sexual abuse, gender violence, psychological trauma, pandemics such as COVID 19, HIV/AIDS and associated stigma and medical consequences are all key areas.

I agree but, knowing your goal and if it is realistic is also something that should be considered when determining what social media tools to use. For instance, if you target market of advocacy does not have direct access to a computer than you should consider using a tool that will let you tape for later playback and one that you can share your message with via mobile app. This will allow you the opportunity to have your message played back at anytime.

A defini??o do público ao qual se quer alcan?ar é t?o importante quanto o ter um objetivo tra?ado, pois é para essa pessoa que tudo é direcionado, sendo o consumidor do produto final. A constru??o de um perfil de pessoa facilita o direcionamento de seus conteúdos para atingir seus objetivos, audiência ou o engajamento das pessoas. Para criar esse perfil podemos responder algumas perguntas como: Essa pessoa tem acesso a internet? Ela lê? Entre outras perguntas, quanto mais completo for esse perfil maior será seu engajando, mas talvez n?o atinja novos públicos. Entretanto conteúdos de fácil entendimento, criados pensando em públicos diversos, utilizando de múltiplas plataformas tende a atingir um número maior de pessoas.

Secondary to defining ones goals is definitely the assessment of target audience. After defining what you want to achieve, you need to figure out where and how to reach the people with and for whom you want to carry out the intervention program. This is because, communities have distinct characteristics and nature that makes them unique; their age, peculiar challenges, language, and how they assimilate information are all you should look out for.

When taking your advocacy to social media, you’ll want to be firm in your positions and be prepared to examine them as your conversation opens into uncharted areas. I learned quickly to be ready for differing opinions, and to expect any kind of question. Both challenges had the same solution though - know your positions, drill down to the nuances, and be prepared to do some new learning. Entering social media, is entering into a very big conversation. Be open minded, befriend fellow advocates, and let people argue with you - it teaches you a lot.

You do not need to have any social media skills to be a better advocate for your patient. What you need is to actively listen and provide necessary feedback to confront barriers to progress in order to create a good rapport and good outcomes. Social media is great for broadcasting widespread knowledge regarding a specific subject matter and providing education as an intervention. You do not need any more than good writing skills and graphic representation to do so. :-)

Content strategizing is really important. One needs to know how to vary different types of content style. Know what proportion of each to use per time. It should not be all texts, or all pictures or just audios. Creating a unique blend if the different content patterns is important. Content should also be tailored to suit you audience need; it should not be what you want them to know but what they need to know. I also agree with prioritizing the right keywords and hashtags for greater reach.

Social media platforms have grown to be the world leading platforms for business in all fields. In addition to the Social Media tools used in Advocacy. The use of unambiguious words: while communicating on the social media platforms the use of clearly expressed/understood and precised statements/Languages are used to avoid being misunderstood even when the intentions are clear is a very important tool that can help you achieve your goals and objective Develop the needed patient advocate skills(Communication skills, customer service skills, Computer skills): These skills makes your work appealling and engaging, it also facilitates good patient feedback and compliance. In conclusion helps you gather more information/facts needed.

To make the advice more actionable, consider incorporating practical examples or tools individuals can use to set ground rules, ethics/behaviors, etc..

I don’t let what other people say about me define who I really am. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I also realize there are some people who are ignorant about many subjects and have no business involving themselves in conversations they know nothing about but opt to leave a comment aimed to hurt others. Nobody is entirely perfect so we must remind ourselves of that when responding to people like this, if they deserve a response.

One must understand the tools of the platform to successfully utilize the platform for advocacy. If you don’t understand the tools you won’t use them effectively.

In my experience, I have found that leveraging available data as much as possible is critical to driving any advocacy agenda. A shift from activism to a measurable and impactful advocacy conversation.

To be an effective patient advocate on social media, skills such as strategic communication, empathetic engagement, and the ability to distill complex medical information into accessible content are essential. Sharing your personal story can enhance your advocacy efforts. Crafting compelling stories helps connect with a broader audience, making the advocacy effort relatable and encouraging meaningful conversations around patient experiences.

In my experience crucial elements are : 1. Retaining your authenticity 2. Captivating the attention of your audience 3. Sense of humour especially when delivering serious messages 4. Multilinguality : The specific contexts determine the choice of languages 5. Adaptability

To excel in patient advocacy on social media, one must master storytelling, ensuring stories resonate while maintaining privacy. Content curation involves sharing accurate health information and dispelling myths. Digital literacy, especially understanding platform algorithms, is key to effective outreach. Networking with healthcare entities and advocacy groups broadens impact. Crisis management skills are essential for handling sensitive issues. Lastly, analytics play a crucial role in tailoring content and strategies to audience needs.

Telling your story, with authenticity. Take strength from the fact that it is your story: YOU are the expert in your lived experience. Be sure in the knowledge that you share a narrative with other who identify with your story. Include a call-to-action to build awareness and momentum. You will find support for your cause. Include key words and phrases. #stronger_together #collaboration #inclusion #patients #people #storytelling #edi