Fostering Safe Conversations: Health Union’s Moderation Model for Trust and Brand Safety

Living with a chronic health condition can feel lonely. People with these conditions and their caregivers often look online for a place to connect and find support. They want a safe place to share their feelings and experiences. However, the internet can sometimes feel like a confusing and unsafe “wild west,” full of false information and risky conversations. This chaotic environment represents unmitigated brand risk for any healthcare industry partner.

Our moderation model is what helps set Health Union communities apart as a safe space that fosters trust for both members and brand partners. This model is grounded in a person-centered, trauma-informed approach for engaging our members. Our platforms maintain clear community rules that our moderators enforce, while fostering an environment for connection and inclusivity. This active, consistent enforcement upholds community standards, protects our members from harm, and safeguards our partners’ brand.

Moderation Rooted in Behavioral Science and Empathy

Health Union’s moderation model is structured on fostering genuine human connection. Our team members‘foundational training is rooted in psychological concepts of human behavior and incorporates tools from helping professions. 

Our expert moderators go through a extensive training. Many members come to our communities after feeling like they have not been heard or understood elsewhere. Our moderators are trained to use a “pause, detect, connect” practice. This approach is based on themes in the therapeutic model of motivational interviewing, focusing on truly listening to people.

Unlike generalized moderators, our team members are active in our condition-specific communities. They build trust by validating experiences, participating in conversations, and asking questions. This approach helps patients and caregivers feel understood and safe to share their real lives with chronic illness. Our moderators are not quick to judge. They know that powerful feelings like anger or defensiveness are often part of the patient journey. They actively avoid dismissive phrases that can shut down communication and increase feelings of being judged.

High-Risk Protocols and Community Safety Governance

Living with a chronic health condition is hard. Members sometimes share about mental health struggles, grief, or loss. When these difficult topics come up, we have protocols in place to help keep the community safe and supported.

Difficult conversations are managed by the community safety task force and the high-risk team. These teams work to assess levels of risk and respond with appropriate resources and actions. Our strategy employs a nuanced, human approach to high-risk content.

While other moderation models may take a blanket approach to comments about mental health issues, our model recognizes that it is important for our members to feel safe and comfortable sharing about their life experiences. Our high-risk team, who are trained in mental health, respond thoughtfully, providing clinically-informed resources and using crisis response techniques. This approach helps to minimize stigma and allows the community to support someone who is suffering. Our goal is to ensure people feel heard, not alone, and that their emotions are valid.