Cancer Center taps Facebook Live for thought-leadership video series

Most video series from health care providers are housed on YouTube and embedded on websites. Despite the ability to broadcast live on YouTube, few organizations take advantage of it. The University of Kansas Cancer Center opted instead for Facebook Live to capture both real-time and replay audiences. The series helps KU Cancer Center be at the forefront of the minds of patients and potential patients when deciding where to receive cancer care, and it’s won the top prize in the “Video” category, Health Care PR and Marketing division, of the 2019 PR Daily Awards.

Now in its fourth season, the series follows news and developments related to cancer research, prevention and treatment. KU Cancer Center director Roy Jensen hosts the show and interviews cancer health and research professionals from KU Cancer Center, the University of Kansas Health System and the University of Kansas Medical Center, as well as patients and professionals from other organizations.

The series reports on clinical and research findings along with educational information. Facebook followers can ask questions, post comments and get answers in real time; followers are notified when the show is about to go live.

The series is produced exclusively with in-house resources. A speaker is identified once a topic is selected for each episode. After the show airs, it is reshared to capture viewers unable to tune in live; weekly reminders are emailed to some 700 recipients. Episodes are occasionally boosted with an ad spend.

Sixty episodes have aired so far, reaching nearly a quarter million people who watched nearly 100,000 minutes.

Congratulations to Roy Jensen, Christine Wilson, Jill Chadwick, Marcia Francis, Logan Blankenship, Cliff Erwin, Pauline Horton, Leslie McGuire, Pam Crawford, Cameron Poindexter and Megan Peters.