Top 20 Healthcare Social Media Influencers to Look Out for in 2024

Understanding How Social Media Influences the Healthcare Industry

Top 20 Healthcare Social Media Influencers to Look Out for in 2024

Social platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook have become an integral part of the healthcare landscape, enabling healthcare social media influencers to connect to target patient audiences and improve education, patient care, and outreach. In turn, patients can easily access trustworthy, digestible medical information to answer health-related questions, explore innovative treatments, and learn about symptoms and treatments of certain health conditions. As the impact of influencers in the healthcare industry continues to grow, it’s essential to understand what they do in healthcare marketing and which best practices you can adopt to boost your brand’s authority and reach.

In this blog, we’ll explore how healthcare social media influencers have changed the healthcare industry and look at the top 20 healthcare social media influencers to look out for in 2024.

Key Takeaways

  • A healthcare influencer is an HCP who uses their robust professional experience to educate, spread awareness, and engage with patients about medical information. Healthcare influencers can also be patients, caregivers, or others who offer product testimonials or speak about their health experiences. Learn more.
  • Top health influencers are successful because they are transparent, relatable, and share information in an accessible way with authority. Take a look at some top influencers.

What is a Healthcare Influencer?

A healthcare influencer has a prominent social following that uses their professional medical knowledge and/or experience to interact with their digital audiences. Some healthcare influencers are medical professionals like doctors, nurses, or physician assistants, while others are patients or caregivers with a sizable social base. Social influencers develop a paid partnership with healthcare brands to attest to the benefits of specific products and services. These influencers are trustworthy sources of medical information, and/or they can lead patients to credible resources in an engaging, accessible manner. Their messaging is often more casual and feels like a one-on-one conversation instead of highly polished, corporate content.

Healthcare influencer marketing is an excellent tool for educating the public on specific health conditions, endorsing products, promoting organizations and healthcare networks, and gathering insight into target audiences’ health concerns via engagement. Instagram is the most popular platform for influencer marketing. A recent Hubspot survey1 found that 72% of marketers use Instagram to work with influencers and creators, followed by TikTok at 61%, YouTube at 58%, and Facebook at 57%.

Healthcare influencers can help healthcare brands by:

  • Creating educational content on health topics
  • Offering feedback or consulting on marketing materials
  • Serving as the face of a campaign
  • Endorsing products with testimonials
  • Bringing awareness to new treatments or public health concerns
  • Speaking at events
Learn More About Influencers

What Do Health Influencers Do?

Raise Awareness

Health influencers use social media to educate the public about common health conditions, their symptoms, preventive measures, and treatments. They also use social platforms to spread awareness about navigating current public health issues like the COVID-19 pandemic or seasonal health concerns like the flu and RSV. Recent research from the Pew Center2 found half of Americans consume news on social media at least sometimes, and a significant percentage of Americans under 50 regularly get news from social media. As a reliable source of medical information, healthcare influencers like physicians, physician assistants, and nurses can direct the public to trusted information on health concerns and further resources when necessary.

Combat Misinformation

Social media is rife with misinformation, especially content3 regarding smoking products, diets, and vaccinations, among other health-related topics. A recent survey4 showed 62% of participants trust their doctor for most health advice, while 39% used online content instead of seeing their doctor. Healthcare influencers can disseminate information on various health-related subjects to raise awareness, build trust in the medical and pharmaceutical fields, and establish themselves as reliable resources. Posting educational content can help target audiences answer common questions about specific conditions and understand when they need to seek treatment from their HCPs instead of self-diagnosing and/or delaying treatment.

Build Relationships With Patients

HCPs online can create a positive rapport with their target patient base by regularly posting dynamic, thoughtful content and engaging with their audience. Posting educational content, responding to comments, and using audience feedback to curate more niche media can instill more credibility and strengthen the health influencer’s patient following for their practice and/or organization. Social listening on channels like TikTok and Instagram also permits healthcare marketers to respond to critical feedback, highlight important updates or public health information, and manage their brand’s reputation with their patients.

Learn More About Influencers

20 Social Influencers in Healthcare to Look Out for in 2024

1. Dr. Jennifer Arnold

Specialty: Neonatology

Dr. Jennifer Arnold5

Dr. Jennifer Arnold6 is a neonatologist and physician leader at Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School. She has years of professional experience working on simulation techniques to enhance patient care by helping healthcare providers improve communication and minimize errors. Dr. Arnold hosts a pediatric-focused podcast, Boston Children’s Answers, discussing injury prevention with medical experts. She and her family used to be featured on “The Little Couple,” a TLC reality show about their personal lives.

2. Dr. Angela PharmD

Specialty: Pharmaceuticals

Dr. Angela PharmD7

Dr. Angela is a doctor of pharmacy who offers medical advice and suggestions about a wide array of topics such as prescriptions, tips on resolving common ailments like a sore throat, and herbal supplements. She has over 101K followers on Instagram and 604K followers on TikTok.

3. Doctor Sood, M.D.

Specialty: Anesthesiology and Interventional Pain Medicine

Dr. Kunal Sood8

Dr. Kunal Sood9 is the medical director of the National Spine & Pain Centers in Germantown, Maryland, and is double board-certified in Anesthesiology and Interventional Pain Medicine. He is also the Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer of Avenir Nutrition, a nutraceutical company. His content addresses pain management, public health concerns, and health and fitness tops, among other topics, with an accessible, approachable tone. Many of his videos stitch other content creators to validate their experiences regarding pain, especially regarding women’s health. Dr. Sood also provides tips and medical humor for healthcare providers.

4. thatgaydoctor

Specialty: Family Medicine

thatgaydoctor10

Dr. Jon11, also known by his handle @thatgaydoctor, uses his platform as a family medicine doctor on TikTok and Instagram to advocate for LGBTQ+ medical access, educate patients on common health concerns like STIs, promote queer-friendly healthcare directories like the GLMA’s LGBTQ+ Healthcare Directory, and speak about public health matters like universal healthcare. Dr. Jon combines humor and compassion to give voice to serious subject matters and to show that “doctors are people too.”

5. Doctor Mitnaul

Specialty: Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

Dr. Mitnaul Jr.12

Dr. Larry Mitnaul Jr., MD, MPH, MS, MD, MPH, MS,13 is a board-certified child and adolescent psychiatrist at the Ascension Medical Group in Wichita, KS. He specializes in ADHD and anxiety disorders and also treats depressive disorders, trauma-related disorders, and impulse control/disruptive disorders. Dr. Mitnaul’s content focuses on parenting in the digital age, offering professional medical advice for parents based on his experience and as a father himself.

6. Divya Nag Nahesh

Specialty: Biotechnology  

Divya Nag Nahesh14

Divya Nag Nahesh15 is the founder of StartX Med, an organization that offers customized support for life science and medical start-ups, and Stem Cell Theranostics, a biotechnology company developing genetically-targeted therapies for heart failure. She also serves as the Director of Health at Apple. She has spoken at numerous entrepreneurial and medical-related events, such as WIRED Magazine’s Healthcare Conference and discussions with President Obama on Women in Entrepreneurship. Divya has been featured on Forbes’ 40 under 40 list, Forbes’ 30 under 30 list, and Stanford University’s Thought Leader lists for her contributions to biomedical research.

7. Doctor Mike

Specialty: Family Medicine 

Doctor Mike16

Dr. Mikhail Varshavski17, also known as Doctor Mike, is a family physician based in New York. In 2015, People Magazine named him “Sexiest Doctor Alive,” skyrocketing his online presence. The primary care physician posts educational content on various health conditions, calls out medical myths, and answers common health queries. He also hosts a podcast, The Checkup with Doctor Mike, interviewing healthcare providers, athletes, celebrities, artists, and more about health and wellness.

8. Dr. Ethan Milello

Specialty: Pharmaceuticals

Dr. Ethan Milello18

Dr. Melillo, a pharmacist based in Rhode Island, offers his perspective on using certain medications, remedies for common ailments, and tips for saving money on prescriptions. He also humanizes himself and his profession by sharing personal news and funny medical content.

9. Dr. Andrew Weil

Specialty:  Integrative Medicine

Andrew Weil19

Dr. Weil20 is a doctor with 30 years of experience specializing in integrative medicine and promoting holistic health practices. He founded Weil Lifestyle, LLC, a company that offers resources and products relating to integrative medicine, supporting his nonprofit, the Weil Foundation. The Weil Foundation centers on educating healthcare professionals and the general public about integrative medicine practices and researching their applications. Dr. Weil is also a clinical professor and the founder and director of the Program in Integrative Medicine (PIM) at the University of Arizona in Tucson.

Dr. Weil uses his medical expertise to promote healthy lifestyles based on integrative medicine principles, has authored several best-selling books, and has starred as a featured guest on talk shows such as Oprah and Larry King Live over his career. 

10. Pixie Turner

Specialty:  Nutrition and Psychotherapy

Pixie Turner21

Pixie Turner22 is a registered nutritionist and psychotherapist who specializes in intuitive eating, disordered eating, body image, and LGBTQ+ concerns. She is also the founder and lead nutrition counselor at Pixie Nutrition, which offers consultations for nutrition and counseling, speaking and writing services, and educational courses for nutrition students and professionals. Pixie uses her platforms and podcast, “In Bad Taste,” to help improve patients’ relationships with food and themselves through helpful nutrition tips and validating relatable experiences.

11. Notorious Pharmacist

Specialty:  Pharmaceuticals

Notorious Pharmacist23

The Notorious Pharmacist is one of TikTok’s most prevalent healthcare providers, with over 208K followers. His content addresses a wide range of topics, from medication side effects and symptoms of health conditions to tips on becoming a pharmacist. While he chooses to remain anonymous, he uses printed signs and text overlays to answer common questions, spread awareness about COVID-19 treatments, and playfully engage followers by disseminating comments to debunk medical myths.

12. Kevin Pho

Specialty:  Internal Medicine

Dr. Pho24

Dr. Kevin Pho, MD25, also known as “KevinMD,” is an internal medicine physician, a national media commentator, author, and keynote speaker. He’s also the founder and editor of KevinMD.com, a platform for healthcare providers and patients to share their stories. His social media content also focuses on sharing healthcare stories, normalizing daily experiences HCPs and patients navigate.

13. Dr. Steven Eisenberg

Specialty:  Internal Medicine

Dr. Eisenberg26

Dr. Steven Eisenberg27 is board-certified in internal medicine, medical oncology, and hematology in San Diego, CA. Also known as the “Singing Doctor,” Dr. Eisenberg is known for making up songs for his patients and for preaching compassion and connection as sources of healing. The popular oncologist is also a speaker, author, and podcast host of “The Dr. Steven Show.”

14. Dr. Esther Choo

Specialty: Emergency Medicine

Dr. Choo28

Dr. Choo29 is an emergency medicine physician, an Oregon Health & Science University professor, and an MSNBC Health Columnist. She is also the Founder of Equity Quotient, a consulting service and app designed to measure gender equity and work-culture metrics. She advocates for public health concerns and uses her platform to discuss public health concerns like gun control, substance abuse, and gender and racial equity, among others.

15. Pharmacist Jamie

Specialty: Pharmaceuticals

Pharmacist Jamie30

@yourpharmacistjamie is a pharmacist with over 295K followers on TikTok. Jamie’s videos center on health and wellness tips, medication side effects, treatments for various health conditions, and offering insight into life as a pharmacist and mother of four.

16. Dr. Rachel Clarke

Specialty: Palliative Care

Dr. Rachel Clarke31

Dr. Rachel Clarke32 is an NHS palliative care doctor who authored three lauded non-fictional books exploring the impact of grief and loss. She has written for several publications, including The Guardian and The New York Times, and frequently appears on TV and radio. Additionally, she co-founded Hospice Ukraine, a UK-registered charity “supporting hospices in Ukraine to provide comfort, dignity, and palliative care.”

Before attending medical school, she was a broadcast journalist. She produced and directed current affairs documentaries focusing on topics such as the Iraq War and the civil war in the Democratic Republic of Congo. She uses her platform, primarily on Twitter, to speak to public health issues like the COVID-19 pandemic and to give voice to the importance of compassion and kindness in the healthcare sector for providers and patients.

17. Dr. Megan Rossi

Specialty: Nutrition

Dr. Megan Rossi33

Dr. Rossi (PhD, RD)34 is a registered dietician and nutritionist who founded The Gut Health Doctor brand and clinic, which provides evidence-based information and support to individuals suffering from gut issues and beyond. She has written several recipe books and co-founded Bio&Me, which produces gut-healthy cereals.

18. Amy Enos

Specialty: Pharmaceuticals

Amy Enos35

Amy36 is a pharmacist and prominent Instagram influencer with over 252K followers. Known as the “low tox pharmacist,” her research and content focus on spreading awareness about the toxins in products and how to find safer alternatives. She is the Director of Pharmacy Operations for Waltz Long Term Care Pharmacy in Portland, Maine.

19. Dr. Jen Horonjeff

Specialty: Chronic Illness

Dr. Jen Horonjeff37

Dr. Horonjeff38, Ph.D., is the Founder and CEO of Savvy Cooperative, “the first and only patient-owned public benefit co-op that helps healthcare companies connect directly with diverse patients…to get insights they need to build better and more inclusive innovations.” She was named one of the 50 Most Daring Entrepreneurs of 2018 by Entrepreneur Magazine, and Savvy has won numerous awards. Dr. Horonjeff uses her professional expertise and personal experiences living with chronic illness to advocate for patients’ voices and validate their experiences through her work.

20. Nurse Blake

Specialty: Nursing

Nurse Blake39

Nurse Blake40 is a registered nurse, comedian, content creator, and advocate for LGBTQ+ rights. He founded Nurse Con at Sea, a nursing conference cruise, and is the author of a children’s book, I Want to Be a NURSE When I Grow Up. Nurse Blake’s social content offers funny commentary about being a nurse to offer connection and inspiration to HCPs.

In 2013, he started Banned4Life to end the permanent FDA gay blood ban, which ultimately contributed to the lifetime ban being lifted in 2015. While in nursing school, he began creating Facebook videos to de-stress and share his nursing experiences with a comedic touch. He has gone viral and tours worldwide to unite nurses through his comedy. Nurse Blake’s social content offers funny commentary about being a nurse to offer connection and inspiration to HCPs.

Learn How to Partner With Popular Healthcare Influencers

The partnership between social media healthcare influencers and healthcare marketers presents a valuable opportunity to disseminate accurate health information, promote wellness, and positively influence individuals’ health-related decisions and behaviors. Healthcare influencers often have substantial followings across various social media platforms. Leveraging their reach enables healthcare marketers to access a broader audience that might otherwise be challenging to reach through traditional advertising.

Are you searching for a top-tier healthcare marketing agency that can implement paid partnerships with healthcare influencers into your marketing strategy? Adfire Health can evaluate how social influencer partnerships benefit your healthcare marketing goals.

Learn More About Influencers

At Adfire Health, we work with healthcare marketers to create optimized, highly effective, data-based digital engagement strategies. With Thumbprint™, our segmented data ecosystem of over 8.2 million healthcare professionals, we can offer nationwide 1:1 engagement and access to healthcare professionals.

We bring our years of hands-on experience to every new campaign and work with you to get the best results possible. Contact us to learn more about what we can do for your business.

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