Social Networks for People Facing Chronic Conditions
1 in 2 Americans lives with a chronic health condition, yet being diagnosed is overwhelming and isolating. MyHealthTeams’ 41 social networks make it easy to find the people, information and support these consumers need to better manage their condition. We also provide health education that empowers them to have more informed conversations with their doctors, shortens time to the proper diagnosis and treatment, and increases adherence to therapies. Over 2.6 million registered members have joined one of MyHealthTeams’ social networks in different conditions such as myMSteam (https://www.mymsteam.com/), myEndometriosisTeam (https://www.myendometriosisteam.com/), MyParkinsonsTeam (https://www.myparkinsonsteam.com/), MyAlzTeam (https://www.myalzteam.com/), MyCrohnsAndColitisTeam (https://www.mycrohnsandcolitisteam.com/), MyBreastCancerTeam (https://www.mybcteam.com/), and MyDepressionTeam (https://www.mydepressionteam.com/). These are diagnosed patients (90%) and primary caregivers (10%) focused on actively managing their health. In addition to our registered members, another 10+ million monthly visitors turn to our original and curated medically reviewed content for trusted information that helps them better understand their condition and more effectively talk with their doctors. Ultimately, MyHealthTeams is focused on improving health outcomes by empowering consumers with the support they need to better manage their health.
MyHealthTeams has created the largest and fastest-growing set of patient social networks in the world. Each social network is an active, monitored, password-protected community where members can safely discuss their experiences, challenges and successes. They also consume objective, medically reviewed educational content. Members provide each other with practical tips and emotional support using the company’s mobile and web apps. The volume and velocity of patient-to-patient conversation is unmatched. Core Technologies: 1) Proprietary social network platform that is the largest and fastest-growing in chronic health; 2) Connection search and match functionality that enables members to find others who have experienced similar symptoms or side effects, who are taking similar treatments, and who share similar life stages and interests; 3) Web and mobile apps that make it easy for people facing chronic health conditions to engage with each other anytime, anywhere; 4) Natural Language Processing (NLP) to analyze what people are talking about and quickly surface relevant content via our Smart Recommendations; and 5) Interactive video capabilities for doctor interviews, Q&A sessions, and community virtual meetups.
When people are diagnosed with a chronic health condition, they often turn first to Google for information and Facebook for connection. These sources provide a firehose of information and general support, but the next instinct people have is for a private social network dedicated to their condition. They come to MyHealthTeams to find and connect with people facing the same challenges as them. When we began 9 years ago, we were compared to PatientsLikeMe and Inspire, but MyHealthTeams is now many times the size of both of those combined. As a result of our focus and commitment, MyHealthTeams is: The world’s largest and fastest-growing set of social networks in chronic health; Delivering the highest patient engagement online; and Utilizing a massive amount of data to tailor the consumer experience and keep our members coming back for more conversation and more information.
Yes. Consumers continue to join our social networks at a steady pace of 30,000 new registered members per month. With the unmatched volume and velocity of patient-to-patient conversation happening across MyHealthTeams’ 41 health social networks, we have an unfiltered view into the real-world patient perspective - at a scale and a level of depth never before possible. Our structured and unstructured data provides a valuable look into what patients are really going through and thinking about - in their own words. Analyzing this data helps inform our patient education programs such as: 1) A regular Live Q&A Event series, hosted via Zoom, with MS specialist Dr. Aaron Boster addressing hot-topic questions among members of MyMSTeam. In an event earlier this year, for example, Dr. Boster fielded condition-specific concerns about the COVID-19 vaccines, providing trusted guidance that resulted in 61% of attendees saying they’d “definitely get” the vaccine vs only 34% who said that prior to the event. (https://www.mymsteam.com/resources/live) 2) Virtual pulmonary rehab for members of MyCOPD team who were unable to attend in-person appointments during shelter-in-place orders, featuring four videos from the Home Rehab Network. 92% of members who saw the videos tried the techniques, and 90 days later 79% of follow-up survey respondents continued using them - with 71% reporting improvement in shortness of breath. (https://www.mycopdteam.com/resources/video-pursed-lip-breathing-how-tos) These are just two examples of the dozens of high-impact programs running across our 41 social networks that are supporting patients and improving outcomes.
COVID-19 made MyHealthTeams’ social networks an even more important lifeline for people facing chronic health conditions, as they’ve come to increasingly rely on online resources. This unprecedented engagement has persisted as the pandemic wanes, reflecting new consumer habits that are improving patient outcomes.
