Once the YouTube Health feature is applied, videos from credible sources such as licensed doctors in South Korea will be marked with a label indicating the source of health information. (Photo: a screenshot from Youtube)
SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Korea Bizwire) – Online video sharing platform YouTube has decided to award verification labels to channels operated by verified medical professionals such as doctors and nurses in South Korea, and to recommend these channels more prominently.
According to ICT industry insiders, YouTube has been accepting applications since January 30 for its “YouTube Health” feature, targeting channels run by experts in specific medical fields.
Once the YouTube Health feature is applied, videos from credible sources such as licensed doctors in South Korea will be marked with a label indicating the source of health information. These videos will also be featured more prominently in the health content section when users search for health-related topics.
Applicants must prove they hold a valid license and adhere to health information sharing standards set by organizations such as the Council of Medical Specialty Societies (CMSS), the National Academy of Medicine (NAM), and the World Health Organization (WHO). Additionally, they must have an actively maintained YouTube channel.
YouTube will go through a review process, including verifying the medical professional’s license, and then apply an information panel to the qualified channels within a few months, indicating that they are operated by a licensed medical professional.
YouTube already started recommending videos from major domestic medical institutions like Seoul National University Hospital, Asan Medical Center, and Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital since January of last year, marking them with a “Verified Korean Medical Service Provider” label.
YouTube anticipates that expanding this feature to individual medical professionals will enable a broader range of medical-related channels to share high-quality information.
The plan includes expanding this feature to more medical fields and countries in the future.
Google, the parent company of YouTube, noted in a statement that opportunities for medical professionals to provide information to patients are typically confined to the clinic, but decisions and choices related to patients’ health are often made outside the hospital or in daily life, adding, “YouTube Health has been developed as an additional way for medical professionals like doctors and nurses to provide quality health information in places people frequently access in their daily lives.”
Kevin Lee (kevinlee@koreabizwire.com)
