HSS Debuts Patient Story Forum

Want details about what patients have experienced at Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS)? Now there is a central location for such personal stories. HSS has made hundreds of patient-submitted stories available on a new patient forum, one that is searchable by type of care, physician, and patients’ hometown. Because patients come to HSS from 105 countries and all 50 states, the stories cover a wide range of afflictions, aspirations, and outcomes. At its launch, the site has 400 stories. But, says HSS, that number is expected to rise quickly as it becomes known to the nearly 30, 000 patients served by the hospital annually.

“This new forum connects our patients’ desire to share their experiences with the desire of those considering similar care to hear from people they can relate to—beyond the handful of testimonials that every physician touts, ” said HSS Chief Marketing Officer John Englehart in the February 5, 2015 news release. “It demonstrates that while many associate HSS with maintaining the performance of top professional athletes, that same quality of care is helping essentially anyone to get back to doing whatever they need and want to do.”

If someone finds a particularly helpful story, they can share them with friends and family on social media, either directly from the site or by using the hashtag #BackintheGame.

“We know that physical ailments can take an emotional toll on anyone, ” added Englehart. “We also know that, often, people want to talk about their experiences; they want to connect, share, and relate with others who may be afflicted in the way they once were. As a leader in the field, we have a responsibility and opportunity to help, using the digital and social media consumers use every day.”

Asked about the challenges of managing such a forum, Englehart told OTW, “A challenge with managing this type of forum is respecting the integrity of authentic consumer stories, which are generally neither as rosy as the few testimonials promoted by many physicians, nor as jaded as comments often found on traditional review sites. Successful forum curation requires the ability and confidence to honor the large scale exchange of patient experiences that are, sometimes, perfectly imperfect.”

As for where they would like to be in the next year, Englehart added, “A year from now we hope to have a growing body of evidence that the site is rewarding to our patients, and helpful to consumers considering the types of care we offer. Ultimately, we aspire for the site to be a meaningful factor in the consumer dialogue around musculoskeletal care—helping more people to make more confident decisions about realizing their own possibilities.”