Featured Articles

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.

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

The Christ Hospital square logo

// 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.

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

Steve Koch, managing partner, Cast & Hue

// 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.

Advertising Showcase: The CU Anschutz Brand Campaign — “Where Dreams Live”

Don Elliman, Chancellor, CU Anschutz

// By Susan Dubuque // This vibrant new marketing campaign presents an imaginative take on the spirit of innovation that powers the people and life-changing work at this leading academic medical center. Keep reading — you won’t want to miss this bold, fresh take on health care advertising. And yes, there just might be a unicorn.

Physician Relations 2.0: Pillars of a Referral Strategy Rebuild

Ashley Abbondandolo, senior director of strategic growth and development, Memorial Healthcare System

// By Devin Healy // 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.

Letting Kids Be Kids: CHAP Transforms Hospital Stays at OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital

Rob Wedlake, Program Manager, OHSU Visitors and Volunteers

// By Susan Dubuque // The Children’s Healing Art Project has spent the past 19 years transforming pediatric playrooms and hospital rooms into vibrant, imaginative spaces where creativity can flourish. Read on for a clearer picture of the role of art in patient experience and actionable strategies for healthcare marketers to engage families and strengthen community ties.

More Than Clicks and Follows: How Health Care Influencers Change the Game

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// By JoAnne Gritter // Influencer campaigns can be a powerful way to engage a wider audience and build brand awareness. To cut through public distrust, influencers must be credible, trustworthy, relatable, and not overly polished. Read on to learn how tapping into the right influencers builds brand awareness.

MedStar Health: Aligning Marketing and Philanthropy for Greater Impact

Mike Varner, Vice President of Brand Marketing and Strategy, MedStar Health

// By Susan Dubuque // 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.

How to Succeed in a New CMO Role: Lessons from Top Health Care Marketing Leaders

Kathy Smith, vice president and chief marketing and digital officer, Roper St. Francis Healthcare

// By Wendy Margolin // 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.

From Budget Battles to Consumer Backlash: Paul Keckley on the Future of U.S. Health Care

Jared Johnson

// By Jared Johnson // 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.

Your Employer Brand Shows What Candidates and Patients See

John Marzano

// By John Marzano // 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.

Biggest Issues Facing Academic Medical Center Marketers in 2025

Don Stanziano, senior vice president and chief marketing officer, Banner Health

// By Therese Lockemy, MBA // 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.

Advertising Showcase: CaroMont Health “Trust in Caring” Campaign

CaroMont Health logo

// By Susan Dubuque // CaroMont Health has spent more than 80 years earning the trust of its neighbors. Testing ad concepts for emotional stickiness lends credibility to this organization’s brand platform and messaging. Discover the creative executions and discover how this health system uses emotion to distinguish its brand.

Health Care Podcasts: Making an Impact with Sight and Sound

Karen Busse- Norton Healthcare

// By Susan Dubuque // 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.

The Pizza Tracker Problem: Why Health Care Still Has a Patient Experience Gap

Ben Dillon, Geonetric

// By Susan Dubuque // Health care’s digital experience often lags behind the expectations of modern consumers. Industry expert Ben Dillon unpacks how retail giants have set a new standard for digital experience. Read the full article to explore how health care marketers can more closely align patient experience with consumer expectations influenced by major brands.

Above and Beyond: Sharing Stories About Acts of Kindness from Staff

AdventHealth for Women logo

// By Melissa Sher // One of the most powerful ways to demonstrate compassionate care is by sharing stories that reveal the tangible heart behind your hospital’s work through acts of kindness and compassion. In honor of National Nurses Week, here are seven powerful stories about care teams that showed compassion for patients — and one another.

The 2025 eHealthcare Leadership Awards Are Now Open

eHealthcare Awards logo

// By Susan Dubuque // The 2025 eHealthcare Leadership Awards Call for Entries is officially open! Now in their 26th year, the eHealthcare Leadership Awards celebrate excellence in health care digital marketing, recognizing standout websites, apps, videos, campaigns, and digital initiatives that drive marketing and business success across the industry. The deadline for entries is June 27, 2025.

Paws and Patients: Therapy Animals Contribute to Comfort and Healing at MUSC Health

Annie Peters, President & CEO, Pet Partners

// By Susan Dubuque // Furry caregivers contribute to the health care experience by reducing anxiety, boosting spirits, and even improving medical outcomes. Today, it is common for hospitals, nursing homes, and rehabilitation centers to incorporate animal-assisted interventions. Read on to learn more about how therapy animals can enrich the health care experience and improve outcomes.

From Adversity to Action

Susan Dubuque, a strategist and writer specializing in health care and behavior change, was a cofounder and principal of Two Tango (formerly NDP Agency).

// By Susan Dubuque // The ACEs ECHO Program at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center brings new hope to children suffering from the impact of traumatic life experiences. Read on to learn more about the program and explore how health care marketing can play a vital role in addressing the needs of this population.

Advertising Showcase: TriHealth Brand Campaign

TriHealth logo

// By Susan Dubuque // Cincinnati’s health care market is highly competitive, with eight health systems, including an academic medical center and a renowned children’s hospital. When Rob Whitehouse joined seven years ago, the health system struggled to differentiate itself. Discover how TriHealth aligns its brand to reflect a culture rooted in humanity and in population health.

Where Marketing Meets Philanthropy

Tanner Health logo

// By Susan Dubuque // Health care philanthropy’s resurgence is leading to larger fundraising initiatives, expanded development departments, and new partnerships between marketing and philanthropy to help organizations tell their stories, leverage their brands, and engage donors. Keep reading to discover how marketing and fundraising work together to create a greater impact.

How Strong Is Your Personal Brand?

Brenda Meller, LinkedIn ambassador and chief engagement officer at Meller Marketing

// By Alan Shoebridge // Marketers and communicators understand the importance of a strong brand to the organizations they support. We also know how vital personal brands are to leaders of those organizations. Whether you are just starting out or a seasoned professional, it’s never too late to improve your personal brand.

Advertising Showcase: Mount Sinai Health System “Chief Medical Officer” Campaign

Mount Sinai Health System logo

// By Susan Dubuque // Mount Sinai took a strategic, empathy-driven approach, conveying the message, “We get you, and we’ve got you,” to appeal to the ultimate health decision-makers: women. Read on to see how Mount Sinai captures the attention of this vital target audience and achieves measurable results with this award-winning campaign.