We frequently write about the value of community building, but in no industry is that potentially more rewarding than in healthcare.  Community, especially in the social media sphere, involves bringing like minded people together and encouraging dialogue. Patient communities abound now and today’s engaged patient wants to be involved in active dialogue with their healthcare providers.

As a large part of your organization’s voice, community managers in the healthcare field must possess some key qualities.

Intellectual Curiosity

Community engagement entails both joining and initiating health discussions of interest. We’re all listening for topics of interest within the industry and adding our voices to the discussion.  A good community manager doesn’t need to have all the answers, but must be willing to toss a question out there. Community managers should constantly seek to further their own understanding by spurring discussions.

Big Ears

We talk about the value of listening quite often but with regards to community management, this is absolutely imperative for a community made up of engaged patients. When people discuss their health issues, they need to know that their healthcare providers are listening.  As the face of your organization, a healthcare community manager has to be vigilante, ready to respond with personalized replies (versus blanket statements and scripted responses).  Community Managers need to show they are actively listening and replying thoughtfully to community members.

Passion

As the face of your organization, community managers need to show a passion for not only your brand, but your role, your industry and your community members.  The key to building a community of passionate advocates is to model that passion for your audience.  Be the brand ambassador your organization needs.  Tout its virtues, put your brand’s stamp of approval on others’ content and not just your own, and keep the chatter going when it begins to ebb. Your passion, whether you realize yet or not, will reflect the passion of your organization as a whole. When it comes to our health, we want to see everyday that the people in charge of our physical well being are passionate (and thus fully engaged) in what they do.  Set the example and model that passionate in your online activities.

Are you a Community Manager for a healthcare organization?  We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments section.  Happy #CMAD!

Throughout today, Radian6 is supporting Community Manager Appreciation Day (#CMAD). Check this blog post and Twitter (@radian6) for more content around this day.

Tags: #cmad, #CMGR, community manager appreciation day, social media strategy