There are certain questions you should never ask a lady. Her weight, age, or phone number. (Insert laugh track here.) But in all seriousness, there’s something inherently personal about healthcare.

And while engaging consumers isn’t easy in any market, in today’s low-attention-span society reaching patients on a personal level about a subject they don’t necessarily want to talk about is even harder. A new way to engage and interact with consumers in both the digital and real world? Flash mobs!

These word-of-mouth, social-media driven events get people active, excited and interacting. Plus, they tend to make great viral videos.

Earlier this month, over 200 staff members and supporters of The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute – took to the streets of Columbus before the 2011 Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. The team performed a choreographed dance to Whoopi Goldberg’s memorable “Dancing in the Streets.”

Why dancing? “We wanted to do something fun to raise awareness about the need to fund breast cancer research to get us closer to a cure, and ultimately to creating a cancer-free world,” said CEO Dr. Michael Caligiuri.

Physical activity meets viral videos meets healthcare activism? How could you not dance in the street?