Picture source: Pixabay
The online space opened up a lot of opportunities for writers. You no longer need to publish a book to share your love of writing with the world.
That could explain the rising popularity of blogging in these modern times. Do you know that as of 2021, there were upwards of 600 million blogs? Content marketers are some of the biggest consumers, with up to 92% using blogs as a marketing strategy.
The beauty of blogs is that there is no limit as to topics. And, all are valuable sources of information. They range from pure entertainment to more serious topics like healthcare and politics. But, you may find that healthcare content generation rules will be a bit different.
Our article explores some salient points healthcare bloggers need to be aware of.
1. Confidentiality of Information
Medical students have to take the Hippocratic Oath. It is a set of ethical codes or rules they must follow in the profession. The physician has the task of providing the best care to patients as per their ability. Further, they must preserve the privacy of their clients.
Now, it is true that healthcare bloggers do not have to swear by the Hippocratic Oath. But, they must adhere to the same privacy or confidentiality rules. Indeed, healthcare bloggers may be physicians or those working in the medical field.
Professional medical bloggers are very much aware of the consequences of HIPAA violations. It is, for instance, a violation to disclose any patient information. This includes their diagnosis or treatment. The same applies to the individual’s past, present, or future information. The physician cannot also share information about the services to the client.
Please note that HIPAA covers two main parties. The first is the Covered Entity. These are people who may create, collect or send Protected Health Information (PHI).
The second is Business Associates who work for or with the Covered Entity. Say, a medical doctor hires you as a freelance writer for her medical blog. You become a business associate to a Covered Entity. Thus, you need to follow the same confidentiality requirements.
2. Ensure Accuracy of Information
Source: Pexels
Never forget the information you put in the healthcare blog can impact lives. As a professional, it is up to you to ensure the greatest accuracy of information. There is no guesswork when writing content. Do proper research. That will entail talking to professionals and verifying information.
A 2019 report shows that up to 11% of health care blogs provide misinformation. 37% had unfounded or false health claims. Inaccurate information may include marijuana as a proven cancer cure.
Others may push medical products. Yet, such have not undergone the relevant testing or approval. The violation is that they are not making a commercial disclosure. Anyone reading such articles should do so knowing they are reading sponsored posts. Failure to provide such information could place the lives of millions in jeopardy.
Another report shows that 90% of the time, social media influencers give out false advice. This happens a lot in nutritional and weight-loss matters. The problem is that they are presenting opinions as factual information.
Other issues were failure to provide disclaimers and dispensing advice without relevant qualifications. The harmful impact of such misinformation is significant. This is due to the wide reach of social media influencers. As a health blogger, the onus is always on you to provide accurate information.
3. Disclosure of Expertise or Perspective
When writing on healthcare topics, it is vital for readers to know your level of expertise. As a freelance writer, you may not have a medical background. It should be clear that you are writing from the perspective of a patient or consumer.
A medical professional should do the same. It is misleading for an unprofessional to give authoritative insights without medical training.
4. Communicate In Easy To Understand Language
Medical language can be very complicated. Yet as a medical professional, you may not understand this because it is the language you use every day.
But, remember who you are writing for and adjust your language as appropriate. If you’re writing for the mass market, the best tip is to make your writing as simple as possible. The more people you reach with your articles, the more lives you can change.
Technical jargon, complex sentences, and hard vocabulary can confuse audiences. They will find the articles hard to understand. You can give out meanings to these terms first before going over each point.
You have a little more leeway if your primary target is other professionals. But the sign of a good writer is one who can communicate with ease.
5. Personalize Your Writing
If you want your blog articles to resonate with audiences, try and personalize them. Depending on the article, bring it to life by introducing that human element.
When writing about diseases, approach it from a healthcare provider or patient position. Writing in story form can make your article easier to engage with.
Let’s take the example of an article about mental health. Don’t go straight into the symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment. Allow the readers to walk the journey with a persona. Let them see the illness’s impact from someone living with the condition.
But you need to be careful not to cross the line into entertainment. Embellishing scenarios to make the article more engaging can backfire on you. Further, go back to our point of ensuring the accuracy of information.
Strive to remain credible, authentic, and professional. There should never be any doubt about the quality of information on your blog. Indeed, it is better to forgo an article than publish one full of errors.
Final Thoughts
Health blogging is not something to approach with a cavalier attitude. If you are writing an entertainment story, you have more leeway with creativity. A little embellishment will not hurt if you want to be more engaging. Of course, we are not saying that you should not fact-check first. Any blog article should have verifiable facts.
On the other hand, with health blogging, people will come to you for life-changing advice. Be keen about what you put in the blogs. Research, talk to experts, and verify facts. This is especially critical if you do not have a medical background.
Also, take time to familiarize yourself with the HIPAA compliance guidelines. Violating Protected Health Information can get you into a lot of trouble. Remember, you can only become an industry authority if you are credible.
