Healthcare Collaborator
Over the years, the healthcare industry at large has recognized the importance of partnering with Health Leaders. In an industry riddled with trust issues, it’s a no-brainer for brands and companies to partner with the key opinion leaders of condition communities.
In the Social Health Network, a Health Leader is anyone who is a registered member of the Social Health Network. Health Leaders may be patients or caregivers – whom we refer to as Patient Leaders – or healthcare professionals (HCPs) who are professional experts or researchers. There are various ways to get involved as a Health Leader, including:
- Community awareness and education
- Legislative advocacy
- Digital creator
- Healthcare collaborator
When it comes to patient leadership, you can truly make it your own. In this article, we’ll explore what makes healthcare collaborators different and ways you can get started on your Health Leader journey today.
What is a healthcare collaborator?
As a healthcare collaborator, you’re there speaking up, speaking out, and making sure patients have a seat at the table when big conversations happen. You can be found in the boardrooms and insight groups from major healthcare companies. You can also have a digital presence too.
Many Health Leaders with backgrounds in business, academia, healthcare administration, and more make an impact in this space. Think about what skills and expertise you can bring to the table, and see how you can marry your story with them.
What impact can healthcare collaborators make?
Health Leaders who are focused on collaborating with key players in the healthcare industry can have an impact in many ways:
- Quality improvement – Getting patient feedback back to industry drivers like big pharma can drive quality improvement initiatives and enhance the patient experience.
- Building trust – When patients feel heard, respected, and actively engaged in their care, it fosters trust in the healthcare system. Trust is essential for patient satisfaction.
- Reduce healthcare disparities – Help address healthcare disparities by ensuring that underserved and marginalized populations receive equitable care. Raise awareness about disparities, advocate for policy changes, and support patients in navigating the healthcare system.
How to get involved as a healthcare collaborator
From landing contracts with companies and sitting on advisory boards to partnering with academic researchers and working on marketing companies with brands, there are many ways to make a splash by collaborating in the healthcare space.
The world is your oyster when it comes to being a healthcare collaborator! Here are a few examples of ways to get started:
- You stay on the lookout for insight opportunities to participate in. That means signing up for insight panels, filling out surveys, and connecting with patient engagement or advocacy contacts at different companies.
- You accept an invite from a pharmaceutical company to speak at its national sales meeting. There, you get a chance to help the entire company understand what life is like for the patients they work to help each day.
- You work with a brand team to create a marketing campaign showcasing the lived experience of patients and caregivers in the space.
Meet Ella Balasa
To learn more about this path, we’d like to introduce you to Ella Balasa. From attending conferences to working with brands, there’s much to learn from Ella’s experience.
You can make a difference
Healthcare collaborators help bridge the gap between companies, brands, and key players in the healthcare industry and the patients themselves. This type of role helps promote a patient-centered approach to healthcare and ensures that the healthcare system is responsive to the needs and preferences of individuals seeking care.