2026 MarComm Planning Doesn’t Have to Suck

A free white paper, published by Core Creative

Strategic communication planning is essential — but that doesn’t mean it has to be painful. If you’re a healthcare marketing communication leader, you already know planning is about aligning with big-picture strategy, setting focused goals and identifying the right initiatives. But all too often, the process gets bogged down with siloed and “expected” thinking, lack of team buy-in and stalled momentum.

With the right collaboration methods — especially drawn from design thinking — you can transform planning from a box-checking exercise into an energizing experience your team actually enjoys. One that builds alignment, invites creative thinking and makes a bigger impact for your organization.

In this e-book, you will discover:

• Five common planning pitfalls and specific tools to overcome them
• How to build a brand roadmap
• How to augment your planning with AI
• Additional resources to support your collaborative comms planning

Download Now »

MD Anderson Brings a Fresh Approach to Annual Reports with Dual-Format Strategy

For many health care marketers, annual reports often walk a fine line between fulfilling institutional obligations and sparking genuine audience engagement. MD Anderson Cancer Center’s FY23 Annual Report didn’t just meet expectations — it redefined them. Discover how the team executed a single vision for the organization’s annual report across print and digital.

Hospitals and FQHCs: Why Partnerships Matter Now More Than Ever

// By Susan Dubuque // Community Health Centers are bracing for major Medicaid cuts. Community Health Centers, including Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), have been the backbone of health care access since 1965. Hospitals and health systems have a vested interest in supporting their sustainability. Read on to see how health systems benefit by partnering with FQHCs.

From the Inside Out: Onvida Health’s Approach to Reimagining Its Brand

// By Susan Dubuque // Onvida Health reinvented itself with a renewed purpose and values — and then wrapped the package with a new name, brand identity, and smart positioning. Learn how Onvida Health introduced its brand internally and externally, launched a multichannel campaign, and created a platform for long-term connection and growth.

University of Maryland Medical System Leverages Journey Mapping to Enhance Cancer Patient Experience

How the University of Maryland Medical System leveraged journey mapping to align marketing with the patient experience. Learn how a leadership team of cancer experts came together to create a shared understanding of the patient experience, and how hearing directly from patients refined their perceptions and guided the changes they made.

Northwell Health Evolves Its National Leadership on Gun Violence Prevention

// By John Marzano // Gun violence is still the leading cause of death among children and adolescents in the United States. Read on to learn about the gun violence prevention movement started by Northwell Health and view the latest public service campaign spot that puts the spotlight on gun safety.

Authentic Health Care Marketing: Treating People with Empathy, Curiosity, and Respect

// By Jane Weber Brubaker // In the current environment of cultural tribalism, how can health care organizations break down barriers and rebuild trust in the communities they serve? Brandon Edwards and Shannon Hooper believe the antidote to toxicity is authenticity. Here, they share ideas for how marketers can break through the red state/blue state conundrum.

The New Rules of Referral Growth: Lessons from Mayo Clinic, Memorial Healthcare System, and Stanford Children’s Health

Referrals are an indispensable source of growth for health systems and medical practices. Despite that, many of the processes and tactics around referrals have been playing catch-up in terms of modernized strategies and effective use of data. Read on to learn key success factors you can apply to your own organization.

Stay Ahead: What Shapes the Future of Health Care Marketing

// By Susan Dubuque // To better understand trends reshaping strategy, execution, and engagement, we turned to trusted voices from organizations supporting the eHealthcare Leadership Awards. These experts offer a roadmap for staying relevant and impactful in today’s health care environment. Keep reading for frontline insights to help you stay informed, inspired, and ahead of the curve.

How MedStar Health Unifies Marketing and Philanthropy to Drive Impact

As health systems face rising costs, shrinking margins, and growing demand for services, charitable contributions can provide critical funding for capital improvements, medical research, and community health programs. Fundraising professionals are among the most recruited health care executives today. Read on to discover the mutual benefits of philanthropy and marketing joining forces.

Health Care’s (and America’s) Troubling Dichotomy

// By Ross Goldberg // The health care system is full of contradictions: more care, more technology — and more frustration. This opinion piece unpacks the growing disconnect with health care and how marketers can close the gap. Read on to explore four critical strategies to rebuild trust, reframe expectations, and reconnect with a new generation of patients.

Focus on Recruitment and Retention: Discover Strategies to Attract, Engage, and Retain Top Talent

In this new report from Strategic Health Care Marketing, you’ll discover how collaboration between marketing and human resources is helping health care organizations nationwide find creative ways to attract talent, retain valued employees, and show appreciation for their teams.

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A Marketer’s Guide to Human Relationship Building in the Age of AI

// By Jordan Buning // Large language models are breathtakingly fast at returning answers to our prompts and even adjusting the voice and tone according to our guidance. But people skills, unique to humans, can’t be outsourced to AI. Here are a few of the most important people skills marketers must possess, now and in the future.

Focus on Content Marketing: Create Content that Drives Trust, Loyalty, and Measurable Results

In this new exclusive report from Strategic Health Care Marketing, you’ll learn that humanizing health system brands by investing in authentic storytelling is still a primary goal. But today, highly credible, content from experts also establishes a health system’s authority, increasing the likelihood of its content appearing in AI-generated answers.

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What Parents Value Most in Pediatric Care—and How Providers Are Responding

Trustworthiness is the quality Americans value most, according to national consumer studies from Klein & Partners. During a Strategic Health Care Marketing webinar in May, Rob Klein presented results from the company’s latest National Consumer Insight Study. Here, we discuss some of the larger themes that emerged from the conversation.

What Does It Take to Succeed as a New Health Care CMO?

What a new CMO accomplishes in the first three months on the job can make or break their legacy. Three seasoned CMOs joined a panel at the 2025 Healthcare Marketing & Physician Strategies Summit to share how they started in their roles and what really works when stepping into the top marketing job.

Advertising Showcase: Jeopardy’s Final Answer — Genius Ad Buy

// By Susan Dubuque // In a world of 30- and 60-second TV spots, The Christ Hospital Health Network in Cincinnati is turning heads with something refreshingly brief: 10-second ads that deliver big impact. Airing during Jeopardy, the spots feature a nod to the game show, rotate through service line messages, introduce providers, and reinforce the brand.

Embracing Change in a Turbulent Era: Paul Keckley’s Roadmap for Health Care Leaders

The U.S. health care industry is approaching a critical inflection point. In a candid and thought-provoking keynote at the 2025 Healthcare Marketing & Physician Strategies Summit, Paul Keckley outlined the challenges and potential opportunities health care leaders must navigate in an era of unprecedented economic uncertainty, regulatory disruption, and consumer discontent.

A Leading Light in Health Care Storytelling: MD Anderson’s Award-Winning FY23 Annual Report

// By Susan Dubuque // For many health care marketers, annual reports often walk a fine line between fulfilling institutional obligations and sparking genuine audience engagement. MD Anderson Cancer Center’s FY23 Annual Report didn’t just meet expectations — it redefined them. Discover how the team executed a single vision for the organization’s annual report across print and digital.

More Empathy, Fewer Spreadsheets, Better Cancer Care

// By Amanda Green // How the University of Maryland Medical System leveraged journey mapping to align marketing with the patient experience. Learn how a leadership team of cancer experts came together to create a shared understanding of the patient experience, and how hearing directly from patients refined their perceptions and guided the changes they made.

How Can Health Systems Align Internal Culture With Public Perception?

In an SHCM exclusive Q&A, marketing strategist Cynthia Newton unpacks how review platforms, transparency, and employee engagement reshape health care reputation from the inside out. Read the full article for insights to help ensure that your employer reputation matches your culture.

Centralized Strategy, Local Impact: Inside CHRISTUS Health’s Marketing Transformation – Webinar Recording

A new Strategic Health Care Marketing webinar for healthcare marketers and strategists

Presented on July 9, 2025

Your Presenters:

• Jeff Stewart, Vice President, Strategic Marketing, CHRISTUS Health
• Julie Benton, President, &well

How do you unify your brand across a large and growing system without losing the local relevance patients trust?

CHRISTUS Health is in the middle of its marketing maturity journey, moving toward a centralized approach to advertising efforts without losing what matters locally. In this candid, strategy focused session, you’ll get an inside look at how CHRISTUS is gaining efficiencies while executing local priorities, and how &well’s Marketing Maturity Model is guiding every step.

Join us for this free webinar on Wednesday July 9, 2025 at 2 p.m. to benchmark your approach against a real-world case study. You’ll come away with actionable ideas, no matter where you are on the marketing maturity curve.

You’ll learn:

• How CHRISTUS Health structures its marketing model for systemized campaign planning that accounts for regional variation
• How maturity planning provides structure while allowing for flexibility
• What centralized creative and media buying looks like in practice
• How the system localizes and activates marketing campaigns
• Lessons learned, and what they’d do differently

Watch now »

Doing More with Less: How AMC Marketers Balance Digital Growth with Financial Pressures

Marketing leaders from Banner Health, Renown Health, the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), and Primacy share how academic medical centers adapt strategy, structure, and technology to align today’s health care landscape. Learn how academic medical center marketers adjust their strategies to optimize effectiveness today and focus on the future.

How Do Parents Choose Care for Their Children? New Pediatric-Focused Consumer Insights Survey Reveals Latest Trends

// By Jane Weber Brubaker // Trustworthiness is the quality Americans value most, according to national consumer studies from Klein & Partners. During a Strategic Health Care Marketing webinar in May, Rob Klein presented results from the company’s latest National Consumer Insight Study. Here, we discuss some of the larger themes that emerged from the conversation.

Behind the Mic: Strategies from 4 Award-Winning Health Care Podcasts

Award-winning marketers from Orlando Health, Norton Healthcare, CommonSpirit Health, and BayCare Health System share how they launched, evolved, and elevated their podcasts. Keep reading for insights, practical tips, and inspiration to help you launch your organization’s podcast or take it to the next level.