Why Podcasts Should Be on the Radar of Every Health Care Professional

According to health insight consultants CREATION.co, the number of health care professionals (HCPs) engaging with podcasts is on a significant upswing.

Their data demonstrate that in 2016, 12,000 HCPs mentioned podcasts in posts on Twitter each month, and that in 2022, that number was closer to 25,000 posts per month. But why are more HCPs listening to or participating in podcasts?

Why Is Podcasting on the Upswing?

Podcasting is incredibly convenient, perhaps more than any other medium, because listeners don’t have to look at a screen to consume content. People can listen at home, at work, in the car, on the train, during a bike ride, and while making dinner. They can consume content on demand, pause when necessary, and restart at their leisure.

Improvements in technology are also contributing to the growth of podcasting. Mobile and smart speakers make it easy to access high-quality audio content from virtually any location. At the same time, competition is fierce among top content platforms like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and others to gain market share and ad dollars. Publishers are attracting high-profile talent who can provide high-quality content and, just as important, an established following.

These factors add up to a loyal, highly engaged audience. Audio is a medium that has a unique ability to connect with listeners on an emotional level and build a personal, one-onone connection between host and listener. Top podcasts are like “appointment TV,” as listeners often engage as soon as a new episode drops because they’re eager to hear what’s next.

Podcasts Are More Easily Digestible Than Scholarly Journal Articles

Not only are podcasts convenient, but they are also entertaining. Listening to subject matter experts discuss the latest knowledge in an informal setting can be an easily digestible way to stay current on new research without the work of reading scholarly journals. CREATIVE.co cites a qualitative study published in Academic Medicine in which HCPs shared that “podcasts were a convenient way to learn new information that required less ‘mental energy’ than traditional formats, such as textbooks or journal articles.”

For example, Chadi Nabhan, MD, MBA, discusses a range of medical topics on his podcast Healthcare Unfiltered that are commonly found in medical journals, like new research presented at a recent conference or current clinical guidelines. However, consuming that information via lively conversations where Dr. Nabhan and leading medical experts debate and share their personal (and sometimes controversial) perspectives can keep listeners more engaged than traditional media and spark further thought-provoking discussions with their peers.

Podcasts Engage Wide Audience Interest in a Specific Topic

Podcasts also enable HCPs to choose and consume content in specialized fields that are relevant to them. The personal nature of podcasting can help listeners build and connect with a professional community that has a shared purpose and shared challenges. The Fellow on Call: The Heme/Onc Podcast is one such podcast. Its hosts cover core concepts and management approaches across the hematology and oncology field in a way that’s applicable to students and trainees, nurses and advanced practice providers, and even practicing physicians.

According to HRS Communications, podcast listeners are more active on at least one social media channel than nonpodcast listeners. The online discussions occurring on social media channels related to the podcast are a great avenue for networking within a field.

For HCPs, podcasts represent an opportunity to introduce and explain new research, procedures, medical devices, medications, and facilities. This content meets a demand in the health care community for information that’s easily digestible, up to date, and delivered in a convenient, flexible format.