PHILADELPHIA — July 25, 2023 — Health Union, the leader in social health, and the Society for Participatory Medicine (SPM), the preeminent organization in promoting true collaboration among patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals, announced today the launch of Health Union’s signature Patient Leader Certification Program.

As a leader in social health, Health Union’s certification program will provide Patient Leaders – individuals who use their own health journey to raise awareness, share knowledge and help others – with the opportunity to develop a deeper understanding of industry best practices, ranging from health equity to FTC regulations. This program will train the next generation of responsible Patient Leaders and help them positively impact conversations and patient engagement in healthcare.

This first-of-its-kind program features a range of opportunities, including 12 interactive, on-demand lessons. These lessons are broken up into three main competencies – Powerful Storytelling, Meaningful Engagement and Responsible Patient Leadership – that will help Patient Leaders sharpen their message, extend their reach, avoid pitfalls, own their voice and discover their path.

“For nearly 15 years, Health Union has provided meaningful, impactful opportunities for people with chronic health conditions through the Social Health Network and our growing portfolio of online health communities,” said Amrita Bhowmick, Ed.D., Health Union’s chief community officer. “Collaborating with the Society for Participatory Medicine to create the Patient Leader Certification Program continues to set us apart from the rest of the healthcare industry as the model for responsible patient leadership.”

The Society for Participatory Medicine was instrumental in various aspects of building the Patient Leader Certification Program, including curriculum design, testing and creating program lessons focused on participatory medicine and health equity.

The Patient Leader Certification Program is free for all members of the Social Health Network, Health Union’s unique community expressly designed for patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals. The Social Health Network offers free online resources, panels, networking events, and paid opportunities to amplify the voice of Patient Leaders. In doing so, it aims to bring empathy, support, and humanity to the healthcare industry.

About the Society for Participatory Medicine

Created by a passionate group of professionals, caregivers and patients with a vision to start a movement to transform the culture of healthcare, The Society for Participatory Medicine (SPM) is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit membership organization devoted to promoting the concept of participatory medicine, a movement in which activated empowered patients engage as drivers of their health, and in which providers encourage and collaborate with them as full partners in their care. SPM does this by stimulating dialogue, influencing policy, advocating research, and educating patients, health care professionals, and others. SPM members include stakeholders from across the healthcare continuum.

About Health Union

Health Union is the proven industry leader in driving and amplifying social health. As the premier social health company, only Health Union encourages the dynamic, real-time action 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 the information, connection and support they need.