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Healthcare is often the subject of debate in American politics. That debate can become heated, but it’s also necessary. The industry plays a role in the small and large health concerns we all have about ourselves, our families and our friends.

We’re not all medical professionals, but it’s wise to stay updated on changes in the industry. The changes often include groundbreaking research and leaps in technological advancements and patient care. The following healthcare influencers can keep you informed throughout 2020 and beyond.

healthcare influencers

Kevin Pho, MD

In 2004, physician Kevin Pho founded the blog KevinMD, which he uses to comment on the latest healthcare developments. Although he’s the founder and editor, numerous other health experts contribute to the blog, offering readers a variety of informed opinions. Publications like the Wall Street Journal, CNN and the New York Times regularly cite the blog, and Pho himself is an acclaimed keynote speaker.

Outside of the blog, Pho is active on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. His Twitter account, @kevinmd, is the most popular of the three, with more than 159K followers.

Victoria Brazil, MD, MBA

Emergency physician and medical educator Victoria Brazil is a healthcare influencer who shares her thoughts and opinions via the Twitter account @SocraticEM. She has more than 10.K followers.

Brazil is also a host of Simulcast, a podcast that focuses on healthcare simulation. Her co-hosts are emergency and critical care nurse Jesse Spurr and pediatric emergency physician Ben Symon. The podcast itself has a Twitter account, @sim_podcast, with more than 2K followers.

Berci Meskó, MD, PhD

If you have a keen interest in healthcare technology trends and developments, follow Berci Meskó. Meskó is a genomics expert and a science fiction fanatic. He brought those two passions together to form the Medical Futurist Institute. This is a platform that explores the ways in which digital health innovations and aspirations impact the industry.

It’s easy to keep up with Meskó online. He has a YouTube channel with more than 21K subscribers. The collection of videos covers everything from VR, augmented reality, bioprinting and the future of pharma. Meskó is on Twitter, and his account, @Berci, has more than 83K followers. You can also find him on Facebook and Instagram.

Halle Tecco, MBA

Halle Tecco is an advocate for women’s health. She shares thoughtful healthcare news and opinion pieces on her Twitter account, @halletecco, which has more than 28K followers.

Tecco is also the founder emeritus of Rock Health, a San Francisco-based venture fund with a focus on digital health. Her current project, Natalist, is a shop that offers products for women’s health and fertility, such as pregnancy tests and resources about conception and parenting. You can follow Natalist on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube.

Dave deBronkart

Dave deBronkart is a cancer survivor and an international keynote speaker who focuses on patient engagement. deBronkart is also the author of “Let Patients Help” and “Superpatients.” “Let Patients Help” serves as a handbook to patient engagement, and it offers advice to improve the relationships between medical professionals and the people they serve. “Superpatients” is a collection of stories about patients who have done what they could to expand scientific knowledge.

deBronkart is active on Twitter, and he uses the account @ePatientDave to share healthcare-related content. He has more than 39K followers.

Austin Chiang, MD, MPH

Dr. Austin Chiang is the Assistant Professor of Medicine at Jefferson Health, as well as the institute’s Director of Endoscopic Bariatric Program. Online he offers patients medical information in a variety of forms, ranging from Instagram infographics to YouTube videos.

His YouTube channel, Austin Chiang MD MPH, has more than 1.6K subscribers. It features videos like “What Your Poop Color Means” and “Doctor Reviews Weight Loss Apps 2019.” His Instagram account, @austinchiangmd, has more than 27K followers, and his Twitter account has an audience of more than 7K followers. You can also find him on TikTok, a platform that makes him more accessible to younger audiences.

Rasu Shrestha, MD, MBA

Rasu Shrestha is a physician who pursues “value-based intelligent healthcare.” He uses his Twitter account, @RasuShrestha, to share important information and data about healthcare in America, especially the needs of rural sections of the country. He has more than 29K followers.

Shrestha is also the chief strategy officer of Atrium Health. Up until 2018, this organization was called Carolinas HealthCare System, and, as that name implies, it services North and South Carolina.

If you’re involved in marketing for a healthcare brand, consider finding an influencer to help you spread the word about your business. Influencers like the ones above make the industry feel more accessible to patients and can demystify medical procedures by creating educational content. That same content can help bring you form a tighter connection with your current followers and appeal to potential customers.