Published April 15th, 2024 | 3 Minute Read

PHILADELPHIA — April 15, 2024 — Health Union, the leader in social health, is calling for nominations for the 2024 Social Health Awards. The Social Health Awards is the only awards program judged by patients and industry alike that celebrates health leaders – across nearly all condition areas and social platforms – for their hard work and dedication to drive meaningful connections and share information that impacts the health journey of others.

Nominations for the 2024 Social Health Awards are open to patient and caregiver leaders who are active members of an online health community and making a difference in healthcare. Nominations can be submitted starting today at SocialHealthAwards.com and will be accepted until 11:59 pm ET on May 3.

Patient and caregiver leaders who are at least 18 years old can be nominated – either by themselves or others – in one or more of the 10 categories. The range of categories showcases diverse types of community engagement and various forms of advocacy across all condition areas and social platforms. Categories include:

• Advocacy Trailblazer
• Best Team
• Caregiving Champion
• Community Cultivator
• Creative Contributor
• Healthcare Collaborator
• Lifetime Achievement Award
• Revolutionary Researcher
• Rookie of the Year
• Social Media Master

“Social health creates space for people living with chronic, complex, and rare health conditions to find the information, connection, and validation they seek – resulting in better quality of life and improved health outcomes. Without the contributions of patient leaders in online health communities, on social media, and beyond, this would not be possible,” said Olivier Chateau, Health Union’s co-founder and chief executive officer. “It is imperative for the healthcare industry to recognize the positive impact of responsible, authentic, meaningful patient engagement and patient leadership. Year after year, the Social Health Awards have proven to be one of the best ways to celebrate and honor the incredible work of patient leaders.”

Once nominations close, six finalists will be identified in each category through a combination of endorsements and reviewed by a panel of patient leader judges. The finalists will be announced in late May.

A panel of industry judges will then evaluate the finalists to identify the winners in each category. Judges will evaluate nominees for each category based on a) their use of social media, b) their fit for the award/category, and c) how effectively they engage and share information with their online community.

Winners will be recognized in June at the culmination of Connexion, Health Union’s unique, one-day virtual event that encourages and empowers patient leaders to connect and share with each other through a variety of meaningful events tailored to their needs. Winners will also be invited to join Health Union on stage at the Social Health Awards celebration at the 2024 Fierce Pharma Marketing Awards Ceremony during the Digital Pharma East conference on Sept. 11 in Philadelphia.

Healthcare industry professionals are also encouraged to nominate deserving patient leaders for the Social Health Awards. More information about the Social Health Awards – including full descriptions of the nomination categories, frequently asked questions, and previous years’ winners – can be found at SocialHealthAwards.com.

About Health Union

Health Union is the proven industry leader driving and amplifying social health – the dynamic, real-time actions people take to find meaningful connections and share information that impact their health journey. The company reaches millions of people through the largest portfolio of condition-specific online health communities (e.g., Migraine.com, MultipleSclerosis.net, LungCancer.net) and health leaders – addressing virtually every condition and providing patients and caregivers with the information, connection, and support they need. For more than a decade, Health Union communities have been transforming the way pharmaceutical and healthcare brands engage with people, enabling innovative opportunities to gain insight and empower action through advertising, marketing research, and clinical trial solutions for the healthcare industry.