As technology continues to advance at a rapid pace, automation and AI are increasingly integrated into (and even dominating) our daily lives—for better or for worse. While these innovations offer greater efficiency and convenience, they are also minimizing human interaction. With the rise of telehealth, food delivery apps and social media algorithms, we tend to spend less time engaging with people face-to-face and more time interacting with screens and machines. This shift can negatively impact the quality of our relationships and leave us feeling isolated and disconnected from the world around us.
Health care is inherently personal, marked by vulnerability, trust and a unique connection between patients and providers. Whether you’re a health care provider or a biotech company, it’s crucial to put people first in every communication. Human-centered messaging not only fosters trust and loyalty but strengthens the connection between your organization and the individuals you serve.
Through our extensive experience in providing strategic communications counsel to health care organizations spanning the industry, we’ve outlined six key tips for communicating with empathy, humanity and authenticity:
1. Real Stories, Real Impact
At the heart of effective health care marketing lies the power of personal narratives. By sharing patient stories that reflect the honest, lived experiences of that patient population, you can build an emotional and authentic connection with your audience. These stories should highlight the challenges patients face, the triumphs they achieve and the impact of your organization’s services. Our success in building a strong and loyal network of members for the Honor the Gift coalition was due in large part to our focus on capturing and highlighting the powerful stories of kidney disease patients who we supported by passing important legislation that increased their access to life-saving medications.
2. Keep Social Media Real and Relatable
Social media isn’t just a broadcast—it’s a conversation. Social media platforms offer a unique opportunity to engage with patients on a personal level. Promote authentic content, such as behind-the-scenes glimpses of your team, patient testimonials and educational videos to showcase the human side of your organization. Authenticity sparks engagement, so respond to comments, acknowledge messages and keep the dialogue going.
3. Empower Employees to Elevate Your Brand
Your people are your most powerful advocates. Empower them to share their personal experiences and passion for your organization on their personal social media channels. Featuring the real people behind the mission creates a connection to the brand. At CURA, our team members are our most valuable thought leaders, consistently creating insightful content for CURA through blogs and social media, telling our story from the inside out. The CURA team is motivated to communicate our mission and purpose through thought leadership pieces (like this blog!) and behind-the-scenes content on social media (check out our LinkedIn and Instagram to see for yourself!).
4. Create a Patient-Centered Community
If your organization regularly engages directly with patients, build a sense of community around your organization by hosting events, online forums or support groups. This fosters a sense of belonging and helps patients feel connected to others who share similar experiences. By actively involving your organization’s leaders in these communities, you can create a more inclusive and collaborative environment, breaking down traditional barriers between patients and providers/organizational leaders. Check out our latest blog on best practices for effective patient engagement as well as our recent Capitol Corner blog (CURA’s advocacy-focused newsletter) on how to build strong advocacy ambassadors using a robust online platform.
5. Team Up with Health Care Influencers
Partner with health care influencers—such as patient advocates, doctors or nurses—to reach a wider audience and lend credibility to your brand. Collaborations can take many forms, including guest posts, interviews or social media campaigns.
For example, CURA recently partnered with Kyverna Therapeutics to host a Patient Influencer Summit. Patient influencers in the autoimmune space traveled to Kyverna’s headquarters in San Francisco to learn about CAR T-cell therapy and create content for the brand. The event generated compelling testimonials about life with a chronic disease and the importance of new therapies. Many of these influencers are enthusiastically continuing to partner with Kyverna to elevate their brand identity and awareness.
6. Show, Don’t Tell Through Visual Storytelling
Visual storytelling can be a powerful tool for connecting with patients on an emotional level. Use thoughtful live action videos, animations, infographics and images to tell your organization’s story, featuring real people (and real science!) as frequently as possible to highlight the real-life impact of your organization.
By incorporating these strategies, you’ll build lasting, meaningful relationships with key stakeholders across the health care landscape. Over time, you’ll create a more compassionate, patient-centered environment.
Ready to humanize your health care communications? Let’s talk!
Kate Lyons
Vice President
CURA Strategies