Doctor Recommended: Don’t Sleep On Social Media
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Gone are the days of ripping a perforated piece of paper off the back of a bathroom stall to learn more about participating in a clinical trial. We’re probably dating ourselves to say that this was ever the case, but as recently as the early 2000s, clinicians struggled to reach target audiences at scale for participation in leading research trials.
Privacy concerns and other perceived risks have long prevented healthcare providers from effectively accessing the 4 billion+ users of the internet for research purposes. This has changed so much in recent years as healthcare providers have grown more comfortable with digital marketing for patient recruitment.
“Health researchers are increasingly embracing various social media platforms in their research to recruit participants from various age groups and diverse backgrounds.”
— JMIR Publications; ”Social Media Use for Research Participant Recruitment”, 2022
KMG has been fortunate to leverage digital marketing tools to support the work of healthcare clients advancing medical research and can honestly say it is among the most fulfilling ways to use social media for good.
A prime example of this is our client, North American Prodromal Synucleinopathy (NAPS) Consortium, an NIH-funded sleep research study led by 9 leading research institutions.
Our goal was straightforward: educate and recruit prospective study participants representing a diverse population. Reaching a diverse patient set is critical to ensure study findings reflect a broad and accurate cross-section of the population, which is a growing concern in the medical community.
The solution was less straightforward, but we love a good challenge!
We knew that a compelling website and engaging social media could go a long way toward helping our client reach their goals. Our team successfully created a website and developed a strategic social media plan designed to educate and recruit patients with an eye toward patient diversity. And recruit, we did. Within the first year, we had exceeded the registration target and digital platforms accounted for more than half of the patient registrations.
Learnings and takeaways for healthcare providers considering using social media for clinical trial recruitment:
Establishing protocols early that ensure you are abiding by the rules established to protect the rights and welfare of human research subjects. The purpose of IRB review is to assure, both in advance and by periodic review, that appropriate steps are taken to protect the rights and welfare of humans participating as subjects in the research. To accomplish this purpose, IRBs use a group process to review research protocols and related materials (e.g., informed consent documents and investigator brochures) to ensure protection of the rights and welfare of human subjects of research.
Partner with a marketing firm with proven expertise in digital marketing for healthcare. Brand voice on social media varies across industry. Social media messaging for healthcare is distinctive from social media for other consumer-facing industries. Finding a marketing partner with a track record of working in healthcare is key. The right agency will be mindful of the sensitivity and complexity associated with healthcare marketing.
Be willing to refine your approach along the way. Your strategy will likely evolve along the way. Knowing when to invest dollars to achieve desired goals, adjust messaging and course correct… your learnings should inform your strategy. We do not recommend a “set it and forget it” approach.
One thing is certain: digital marketing – and specifically social media – as a means to reach clinical trial participants at scale is here to stay. Which we think is great news. Not just because it’s the business we are in. But because, afterall, isn’t that what social media was originally designed for? To connect humans, improve our well-being and drive innovation?
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