Healthcare messaging benefits from the power of good storytelling

Photo: Emir Memedovski/Getty Images

Never underestimate the power of good storytelling.

That's a philosophy championed by Sara Serriterlla, science communications lecturer and director of ITM communications at the University of Chicago. She said the same elements that can be found in a blockbuster movie or New York Times best-selling book can be harnessed to spark change, boost revenue and improve patient outcomes.

The bottom line: Optimizing one's message and delivery can help hospitals and health systems better connect with patients, colleagues, regulators and researchers. The importance of messaging in healthcare is one Serritella will explore at length at HIMSS22 in Orlando on March 15 at 1:30 p.m., Room W414D at the Orange County Convention Center.

"Healthcare messaging is often too boring, littered with jargon, and more focused on the organization than the people," said Serritella. "We're exposed to between 4,000 and 10,000 ads and we speak about 16,000 words each day. You can't break through all of that noise by using the same stale, safe, formal healthcare messaging. The prescription: a great story."

And having a great story, or communicating in an engaging way, can be make-or-break for some healthcare organizations. A hospital or health system can offer world-class services or new treatments, but if no one knows about it – or if people don't understand why they should take a recommended course of action – the business can collapse, and patient care can suffer as a result, said Serritella.

Messaging, she said, can literally be the difference between life and death.

"Especially in an era of digital communications and misinformation, it's critical to build trust with your audience," she said. "Research shows that using jargon and complex language actually makes people feel discouraged – and jargon makes the public less likely to believe in science."

But strong storytelling elements can make a world of difference. Serritella described storytelling as a "Trojan horse" of messaging, using stories to create familiarity and emotion in the audience so they're more likely to absorb information. This is especially helpful when communicating complex topics.

Storytelling can be used during the smaller moments, such as patient/physician interactions, or they can be broad, as when building the story of the overall health system, patients and employee experience.

The idea is to identify the audience one is trying to reach, one's goal for telling it, and to create an engaging hook that pulls people in and makes them feel strong emotion. This usually needs tobe done in a matter of seconds.

"Make sure there's a strong problem in your story that your audience or relevant character is poised to solve," said Serritela. "A key part of any great story is conflict. Healthcare systems also often shy away from embracing a problem, but if everything and everyone were fine, there'd be no need for healthcare. Embrace the conflict, and make yourself the guide to solving it. Be concrete, avoid jargon, and include something unexpected."

There is a neuroscience to storytelling and emotion with compelling messages that sparks people to act, she said. It transcends demographics, job descriptions, age and sociodemographic status.

Compelling messages used strategically will help healthcare organizations reach their strategic goals and help people live healthier lives.

"I hope attendees walk away with concrete ways to breathe life into their communications to accomplish their personal and professional goals," said Serritella. "Every healthcare system, every person has a core story. It's a universal language of connection, and there are a lot of opportunities to use that power for so much good."
 

Twitter: @JELagasse
Email the writer: jeff.lagasse@himssmedia.com