Any time a new engagement or social media platform enters the scene, one can’t help but think: Will it last? In Clubhouse’s case, the answer among the healthcare community seems to be a resounding “Yes!”
“Clubhouse is a strategic tool that if used effectively offers the opportunity to not only listen to patients, but to connect personally and professionally with peers. It's time for the Clubhouse,” states Dr. Katherine Y. Brown, Assistant Professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine and the Director of the Communities of Practice and Dissemination for the National Center for Medical Education Development and Research.
However, it’s important that marketing and communications professionals be clear about how their program will benefit when posting on new social media platforms, Clubhouse included. Professionals will have an opportunity to learn more about Clubhouse during a breakout session on June 8—part of the two-day virtual conference sponsored by the Mayo Clinic Social Media Network and Society for Healthcare Strategy & Market Development (SHSMD).
Real-Time Conversations Provide a New Way to Build Community
Social media platforms are largely in the “read or watch” category (e.g. Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube). The primary way people engage in listening is via podcasts. What sets Clubhouse apart from the podcast channel is that it allows for engagement among users in real time.
“What you get are these live discussions with opportunities to participate through both speaking and listening,” notes Dan Hinmon, President at Hive Strategies and former Community Director for the Mayo Clinic Social Media Network. “You’re actually hearing people's voices with all the enthusiasm or passion or sometimes even anger. It brings a whole new dimension to conversations; brings people together around a common subject. There are no geographical boundaries. It can really be an amazing tool to build community in a new way.”
The 3 Ps: Patient, Personal, Professional
Brown describes the benefits of Clubhouse as a reflection of the “3 Ps”:
1) Patients. Candid conversations on how to deal with patient issues, or listening to patients’ thoughts on certain concerns—such as topics like immunization disparities, vaccine education, or how to comfort patients who are communicating with loved ones over FaceTime about their healthcare issues.
2) Personal Support. Opportunity for providers to connect if they are experiencing isolation or stress during the pandemic. Or, the topic might be related to the challenges women in medicine face.
3) Professional Growth. From clinical issues and test examination prep to understanding current professional issues, Brown says the possibilities are almost endless. “If you are curious about a topic, you can create a conversation to address it while building community with people who are passionate about the same issue. The app is even being used by national and international thought leaders who we otherwise might not be able to interact with in a conversation.”
First Things First: Defining Clubhouse’s Mission within Your Organization
Before incorporating Clubhouse as part of a marketing plan, Kristine Austin, former advisory board member for the Mayo Clinic Social Media Network, advises communicators really define how the app will be used—particularly in regard to patient interactions.
“There are lots of different ways to attract patients to your hospital, to your healthcare practice, with these real-time conversations. Let the patients know you have patient support groups. Perhaps your docs could do a talk on heart disease—reaching a much broader audience than just the local community,” she shares. “I think because it's so new, we're still exploring. But, that means the options right now are endless.”
Ready to Learn More? Join the Experts on June 8
With any new platform comes a learning curve—which is exactly what Brown, Hinmon, and Austin aim to address at the June 8 breakout session. The panel will cover practical, actionable tips and tricks for new or existing Clubhouse participants. For example, how to get an invitation to join, ways to optimize one’s profile, and Clubhouse-specific etiquette.
The trio will also share examples of how healthcare organizations are currently using this format and how they're able to benefit from it in terms of learning, growing the market, and discovering how patients feel/think about both personal and community health issues.
A Q&A portion will conclude the session, and attendees will also have the chance to attend a follow-up networking event on Thursday, June 10—which Hinmon notes will actually take place on Clubhouse.
“When we give our presentation, we'll show you how you can get joined up by Thursday. Then, at noon [CST] we can get on Clubhouse together. That can be your first opportunity to really experience it in a safe environment with other ‘newbies’ you might say, but also experts who will show you how it's done. And, it's just going to be a lot of fun.”
Learning More
Learn more about #Mayo-SHSMD On-Demand - sessions from the Advanced Health Care Social Media and Digital Marketing Virtual Conference hosted by SHSMD and the Mayo Clinic Social Media Network (MCSMN) on June 8-10, 2021. Expert presenters shared best practices, new trends and key strategies in health care social media and digital marketing.
Check out the recent SHSMD Rapid Insights podcast, “Clubhouse: How Clubhouse Conversations are Connecting Healthcare Researchers, Practitioners, Patients, and More... Join the Club”
Lights, Camera, Action! Going Live with Facebook. Learn from the social media team at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Health in Richmond how to transform the conversation with your community.
To download the Clubhouse app, visit this link.
To continue to conversation, join the discussion in the MySHSMD online community.