Securing Patient Testimonials

The following question and answers come from posts on SHSMD’s online discussion groups.* Join the conversation at my.shsmd.org.

Q. Our marketing department uses patient testimonials (success stories) for a wide range of tactics, including brand advertising (TV and radio), social media, consumer communications, internal videos, etc. Currently, each team within the department uses a different method to track down the stories and our service line specialists are inundated with one-off requests. In an effort to unify the process, we are looking to post a simple questionnaire on our intranet asking questions related to patient care to help us build a database of stories. The site and survey partner are both secure. We are trying to determine how much patient identifying information can be included in the questionnaire. Do you foresee any HIM or HIPAA-related issues in compiling info this way?

A. We also utilize patient stories to support various marketing and communications strategies. We have developed a secure online form which is accessed from our website so that it is very easy for patients to share their story. Once the form is completed, it provides the marketing team with patients’ contact information and details about their care. It also is a legal document consenting permission to share their care experience. We never publish a story without first getting approval from clinical departments to ensure it is a story they want us to highlight. And, depending on the story, we may decide to get a quote from the physician, interview the patient for more details and shoot photos and/or video, if appropriate.

A. I ask caregivers to secure permission from the patient before they share anything other than very broad, general information with me. I'd be concerned about having employees fill out a form because there's too much potential for them to overshare, thinking that it's "all in the family" or that verbal consent is adequate, when in reality marketing shouldn't have any patient details without a signed release.

A. We also have a mix of ways in which we collect patient stories.

• Caregivers can identify a patient who has a story to share. They give marketing a very brief overview and we see if their story fits into one of our platforms (print, digital, etc.). Then, the caregiver or someone in that department or practice is the first to have a conversation with the patient to see if they are willing to share their story. If so, they ask the patient for permission to talk with marketing about their care and provide their contact information. Marketing takes it from there, obtaining the correct documentation and release forms based on their participation, setting up interviews, photo or video shoots as needed.
• We have a form on our website that enables patients, donors and family members to tell us their story. The form asks whether they would like to just share their experience internally with our staff, or whether they are willing to share their story publically. If they choose public promotion, marketing reaches out to see whether their story fits into a larger article or whether it becomes a short social media promotion, etc.
• We also have comment cards on the medical units which allows patients to leave handwritten information about their stay and place it in a comment card box. The information marketing receives on the cards is often too brief to know whether it will translate into a good patient testimonial, but they are utilized for internal promotions. You have to remember to market all those good comments and stories to your internal staff.
  
  

*The answers to the above question are excerpts from MySHSMD discussions. In some instances the responses have been edited for grammar and/or brevity purposes for Community Connections.