Social Health Awards
The Social Health Awards recognize the incredible impact of the patient voice. We proudly honor the patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals (HCPs) who bravely share their health journeys, transforming experiences into empathy, understanding, and real-world improvements for countless others.
This program shines a bright spotlight on these exceptional leaders, recognizing their remarkable accomplishments over the past year. We're talking about those who courageously share their health journeys, online and in person, to:
- Spark connections and build communities for those living with health conditions.
- Deepen public understanding of what it's truly like to live with or care for someone with a health condition.
- Educate and inform about the vital roles of patients and caregivers within the healthcare system.
- Shine a light on areas that need improvement or correction.
- Champion efforts to improve life with chronic conditions.
If you're out there making a difference, transforming lives, and ensuring no one walks their health journey alone, we want to celebrate you!
Our goal is to bring awareness, attention, and a resounding voice to your tireless pursuits. Health Union's extensive research into social health has found that 95% of people use social resources for support and guidance, and thanks to leaders like you, 86% of patients better understand their condition and 62% feel less alone.
The Social Health Awards empower and celebrate those leading the online health community – because the work of health leaders is something to celebrate!
How do the Social Health Awards work?
The Social Health Awards unfold in three distinct phases:
Phase 1: Submit an Entry - July 14, 2025 to August 1, 2025
This is your moment to reflect on your journey, celebrate your impact, and own your voice. During this phase, we'll collect self-submissions across our 10 award categories. Make sure to share all your notable work and impact. This is your chance to proudly showcase all you do for your community – don't be shy!
To submit an entry, you’ll create an account on our Social Health Awards site (coming soon), select a category, fill in your story and impact, and submit.
Important Submission Information: We only accept self-submissions for the Social Health Awards. While we previously collected nominations from the community, Health Union’s commitment to upholding data privacy and security measures has led us to update our process. If there's a patient leader you'd like to see celebrated, we encourage you to send them the application link and suggest they apply!
Phase 2: Judging - August 2025
Our judging process for the Social Health Awards involves three thoughtful phases, designed to ensure fairness, consistency, and integrity in how nominees are evaluated.
Eligibility screening
Our Social Health Network team will review all submissions to confirm they meet the basic criteria for their selected category. For instance, if a solo patient leader is submitted for "Best Team," that submission wouldn't move forward. This step ensures every entry is in the right place for consideration.
Internal judging rounds
Next, our experienced team of Health Union Community Managers, who have supported online health communities for over 15 years, will evaluate submissions to identify the top 5 finalists in each of the 10 categories. These internal rounds help us narrow down the field and spotlight the standout submissions that best align with each category’s criteria.
Finalists will be announced on SocialHealthNetwork.com on August 15, 2025.
Finalist judging
In the final phase, our 5 finalists per category will be reviewed by a panel of respected external judges. This panel includes members of the Patient Leadership Council (PLC), representatives from partner organizations like the Society for Participatory Medicine (SPM), and leaders across the healthcare industry. This group will carefully select the winners who truly represent excellence in social health leadership.
If you’re interested in judging the awards, please send an email to network@socialhealthnetwork.com with the subject line "2025 Social Health Awards Judging."
Phase 3: Celebration - September 12, 2025 at 12 PM ET
Join us to announce and celebrate the 2025 Social Health Awards Winners in a live Zoom call with the community! Everyone is invited to join the festivities and honor our new class of Social Health Awards winners.
To register for the Zoom celebration, check back here soon!
What do winners receive?
This year, each Social Health Awards category winner will receive a prize pack to honor their achievements. The prize pack includes:
- A personalized Social Health Awards plaque
- A $500 cash prize
- A compensated seat on the 2026 Health Union Patient Leadership Council (PLC)
- A year Society for Participatory Medicine (SPM) Membership
- 2 exclusive Fireside Chats with fellow leaders
What are the Social Health Awards categories?
The 10 Social Health Awards categories are based on the foundational values of the patient community, such as empathy, leadership, and creativity. These awards recognize exceptional Patient Leaders who are making a difference in the lives of patients and caregivers. Learn more about each of the Social Health Awards categories.
Learn more about our past Social Health Awards recipients
Click below to learn more about our previous Social Health Awards winners: