Why Communicating Differently Will Be the Ultimate Differentiator for Healthcare Innovators

Earlier this month, I had the pleasure of attending HLTH USA – the premier destination for health tech innovation and inspiration. Thousands descended on Las Vegas to discuss what’s wrong, what’s predictable and what’s possible for the future of health. But while I was surrounded by many of the smartest, most technologically savvy in the business, as a communications professional, I was attuned to something else. With all this great energy and investment being poured into healthcare, how come we can’t better translate this brilliance to the masses? How can we break free from the jargon to invite more people to take notice, take action and believe??

What's clear is this: every leader and company is trying to do their small part to fix a massive problem. Healthcare is deeply flawed, and the race has never been tighter to disrupt the status quo. But the communications today are as convoluted as the problems that are being solved, and here’s why:

1. Everyone has The. Same. Talk. Track.?Everyone is providing an “integrated,” “seamless,” “platform” to improve “quality healthcare outcomes.” Everyone is “patient-centered.” Everyone is “accountable” and “value-based.” Everyone is “data-driven.” Everyone is the “future.” Everyone is not the only one. In order to stand out from the pack, the language must stand out. Talk to everyone, not just investors. Tell stories. Explain what you mean and what you want to do in simple, interesting, memorable analogies. Infuse humor. Infuse personality. Talk about your WHY that’s different from everyone else’s. Everyone wants to improve healthcare – but why do you?
2. Too much promise, too little proof.?The term "outcome" is as cliché as cheers, yet only some have them, share them, or put them into real context. But even more than numbers, show us the people who are benefitting from these improved outcomes. Who wants and needs this innovation? How has it changed their life? More patient or caregiver representation on panels would not only build credibility, but memorability. People remember people.
3. You can’t be everything for everyone.?So many companies are trying to tackle the entirety of the healthcare problem – the access divide, patient engagement, data interoperability, and the list goes on. Companies like Microsoft and Google are of course making a large dent, but those who are rising above the chorus are those focusing on a specific challenge to solve. Companies like Maven Clinic focused on end-to-end care for reproductive health or ōURA focused on using our sleep data to change behavior. These offerings aren’t trying to be everything for everyone, and their undivided attention will not only have a greater impact on the populations they serve, but the stories they want to tell.?

?As we all know, one of the biggest challenges in healthcare today is the confusion that exists among consumers, patients, providers, and employers. Too many options that do too many things and each one sounds the same. In parallel to driving forward the next big, technological breakthrough, we must simplify and differentiate the way we talk, the way we show proof, and the unique purpose we serve. As 微软 's Hadas Bitran said, “Disruption means doing things fundamentally differently” and our communications must keep pace. The time is now to embrace the white space. That's how you win the race.