Health Marketing Collective

*2024 Signal Award Winner* Welcome to the Health Marketing Collective, where we’re tackling issues at the intersection of health marketing leadership and brand-building excellence. By bringing together top minds in marketing, we’re creating a space for candid conversations that have the power to shape the future of healthcare.This is a place where healthcare marketing leaders share success stories and inspire others to leverage the power of storytelling to drive positive change and propel their businesses forward. We believe storytelling can change the status quo–and we’ve seen it happen. Sara Payne, the president and chief healthcare strategist at Inprela Communications, hosts the show, bringing more than 20 years of experience navigating the complex healthcare landscape. A trusted partner to many executives and chief marketing officers, she and her team have helped companies build campaigns that break through the noise, create movements, and establish brands as leading voices in t

Health Marketing Collective is a business podcast hosted by Inprela Communications, with 70 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Inprela Communications hosts Health Marketing Collective, a business show with 70 episodes published.

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  Episode #70

  What the HLTH 2026 Agenda Says About Healthcare

  Sep 30, 202633 min

  Welcome to the Health Marketing Collective, where strong leadership meets marketing excellence. On today’s episode, Sara Payne hosts Jody Tropeano Greene, Director of Content and Programming for HLTH USA, for an inside look at the themes, editorial vision, and highlights shaping the agenda for this year’s HealthUSA conference in Las Vegas. With an expansive program covering everything from AI and pharma to care delivery and workforce issues, HealthUSA stands as a pulse-check on the current and future state of the healthcare industry. Together, Sara and Jody dive into why this year’s theme, “The Age of Intelligent Health is Here, Buckle Up,” is more than just a nod to technology; it’s an invitation to industry leaders to confront uncomfortable truths, challenge the status quo, and rethink the foundational issues in healthcare. Jody opens up about the deliberate choices behind crafting sessions designed to provoke, foster real debate, and ensure diverse, on-the-ground clinical perspectives aren't left out of the conversation. We learn about bold new programming, including high-impact debates on claims and prior authorization, the intentional integration of AI discussions across all specialty tracks, and the growing visibility of nurses and clinicians both on panels and the main stage. The episode also teases upcoming celebrity and government speakers, behind-the-scenes planning anxieties, and the one mission question Jody hopes every attendee leaves pondering. Join us for an episode that reaches beyond optics, focusing instead on outcomes, candor, and what it really takes to drive meaningful change in healthcare. Thank you for being part of the Health Marketing Collective, where strong leadership meets marketing excellence. The future of healthcare depends on it. Key Takeaways: A Reality Check on Innovation: Jody explains that this year’s HealthUSA theme is both a celebration and a warning: while AI, GLP-1s, and longevity therapies have reached a “fever pitch,” many systemic mechanics remain broken 02:00. The agenda is built not just to highlight new tech, but to ask if these innovations risk amplifying problems if layered on a flawed foundation. Attendees can expect candid sessions like “Outcomes Over Optics” and “Innovation Isn’t the Problem, Execution Is,” pushing the industry toward accountability and real-world impact 03:11. Session Design: Leading With Tension, Not Comfort: The HLTH USA team intentionally frames session titles and formats to provoke debate, not just agreement. Jody describes how they seek out moderators known for pushing speakers respectfully toward greater candor and depth, often inviting them back year after year 04:24. This approach ensures panels aren’t just “talking heads,” but forums where disagreement and real questions drive the narrative forward 04:02. Highlighting Crucial But Uncomfortable Industry Conversations: Sessions like “Do No Financial Harm,” tackling claims denials and prior authorization at the root, exemplify HealthUSA’s commitment to exploring tough, systemic issues 07:39. Jody Tropeano Greene shares how assembling a balanced panel of payer, provider, and patient perspectives can be challenging yet essential to honest debate, especially when these processes directly impact patient outcomes, as her own family recently experienced 07:19. AI as a Thread, Not Its Own Silo: Rather than relegating AI to its own circuit, this year’s programming integrates AI across every track from women’s health to longevity and oncology reflecting the technology’s permeation throughout healthcare 12:07. This intentional design avoids repetitive conversations and instead highlights specific, nuanced implications of AI for each specialty 13:23. Centering Clinicians and Nurses in the Conversation: HLTH USA places strong emphasis on bringing the nurse and clinician experience to the fore not just in breakout sessions, but on the main stage 15:22. Programs like Nursing Clinician Insights and Physicians@Health create space for hands-on providers to influence innovation alongside executives and tech leaders. Jody Tropeano Greene is particularly excited about featuring Ned Brower, a practicing nurse and actor, to offer an authentic voice on real frontline challenges 16:58. Browse this year’s agenda and register for HLTH USA at HLTH.com, and don’t forget to use code HMC2026 for a $250 discount on registration. Join the movement where impact, candor, and collaboration drive the future of healthcare. Mentioned in this episode: Ready to earn your Authority? Does this episode have your wheels turning about how to take your healthcare marketing to the next level? Inprela is the communications firm helping health and health IT leaders turn expertise into influence people actually trust. Because authority can't be manufactured. It can only be earned, one idea, one story, one proof point at a time. Ready to earn yours? Visit us at inprela.com. Let's capture the authority your expertise deserves. Authority Join us at HLTH 2026 in Las Vegas! We're headed to HLTH 2026 in Las Vegas, November 15 through 18, to hear from some of the industry’s top thought leaders about the ideas and innovations shaping what comes next. Health Marketing Collective listeners have access to a special $250 discount on a General Attendee pass with code H26HMC. We hope to see you there! Learn more and register at HLTH.com

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  Episode #69

  The End of Attention Marketing and the Rise of Authority in Healthcare

  Sep 16, 202612 min

  Welcome to the Health Marketing Collective, where strong leadership meets marketing excellence. In today’s episode, Sara Payne brings a new perspective to a pressing evolution in healthcare marketing. On this focused solo episode, she explores a theme that’s been surfacing in client conversations and across the podcast: what she calls “the end of attention marketing.” Instead of simply chasing impressions, clicks, or content volume, Sara asks: With content more abundant than ever, thanks in part to AI, what now separates influential organizations from the noise? The answer is not attention, but authority. This episode challenges marketers to reframe their goals. Sara explains why authority is not synonymous with awareness or expertise, and reveals why organizations aiming for leadership must actively invest in building and earning authority beyond just being seen or heard. Key Takeaways: The End of Pure Attention Marketing: Sara asserts that while gaining attention remains necessary, it is no longer sufficient in a marketplace flooded with easily produced content 00:31. The chase for clicks, impressions, and followers has become less meaningful now that content production is virtually limitless. Authority is the New Scarce Asset: Instead of focusing on reach and follower counts, marketers should prioritize authority, defined as the trust and confidence others place in an organization’s expertise before any direct engagement 01:32. Authority is scarce, valuable, and fundamentally different from both expertise and visibility. You Can’t Buy Authority; You Must Earn It: While a budget can buy attention, distribution, and great marketing support, true authority is cultivated through time, consistency, participation, and authentic contribution 04:03. It calls for leaders to have a distinct point of view, openly participate in discussions, and back up claims with credible evidence and first-hand experience. Participation and Authenticity are Essential: Marketing teams can surface ideas, shape narratives, and build visibility, but genuine authority requires experts and executives to invest their own passion, time, and authenticity 04:42. Authority cannot be delegated or outsourced; it’s a reflection of a leader’s direct involvement and willingness to champion unique industry perspectives. Shift Your Strategic Questions: Marketers must move beyond queries like “how do we grow our audience?” or “how do we create more content?” Instead, they should ask: “What idea should our organization own?” and “Are we investing in what actually earns authority?” 07:03. It’s this change in mindset that differentiates organizations simply known within their walls from those recognized as true authorities in their field. This episode lays the groundwork for future conversations on how organizations can become synonymous with influential ideas and how authority might be measured over time critical questions as healthcare marketers look to lead, not just be noticed. Mentioned in this episode: Ready to earn your Authority? Does this episode have your wheels turning about how to take your healthcare marketing to the next level? Inprela is the communications firm helping health and health IT leaders turn expertise into influence people actually trust. Because authority can't be manufactured. It can only be earned, one idea, one story, one proof point at a time. Ready to earn yours? Visit us at inprela.com. Let's capture the authority your expertise deserves. Authority Join us at HLTH 2026 in Las Vegas! We're headed to HLTH 2026 in Las Vegas, November 15 through 18, to hear from some of the industry’s top thought leaders about the ideas and innovations shaping what comes next. Health Marketing Collective listeners have access to a special $250 discount on a General Attendee pass with code H26HMC. We hope to see you there! Learn more and register at HLTH.com

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  Episode #67

  Patient Insights That Shape Better Brand Strategy

  Aug 19, 202636 min

  Welcome to the Health Marketing Collective, where strong leadership meets marketing excellence. On today’s episode, Kelly Franchetti, CEO of The Patient View, nurse, rare disease mom, and seasoned patient insights expert joins Sara Payne for an essential conversation about the art and science of weaving patient insights into brand planning. As healthcare marketers dive into planning season, Kelly offers a strategic and practical playbook for moving beyond assumptions and building campaigns, support programs, and messaging that truly resonate with patients. We dig into the critical questions: Where do patient insights fit into the brand planning process? Why do so many organizations wait too long to seek patient feedback? And what real-world impacts have companies seen when they involved patients early vs. when they didn’t? Kelly Franchetti shares powerful stories from triple-negative breast cancer rebrands to evolving support in rare diseases showcasing how early, authentic patient input can fundamentally change both creative direction and patient outcomes. This isn’t just market research. Kelly Franchetti explains how agile, front-end insight work is different, faster, and often significantly less expensive than most teams assume. Practical guidance follows for working with tight budgets, leveraging advisory boards, and collaborating with agencies to get the strongest ROI from your patient engagement investments. Key Takeaways Move Patient Insights Upstream: Too often, patient feedback is treated as a late-stage validation step testing messaging after it’s already locked in. Kelly argues for bringing patients into the room from the very start of brand planning 02:21, when strategy, positioning, and creative direction are being formed. Early involvement is not just easier and less costly; it’s foundational to building architecture that reflects real patient needs. Beware of Assumptions Even on Experienced Teams: Even sophisticated marketing teams can unconsciously operate from inside the brand, not inside the condition. Common assumptions such as what patients’ biggest pain points are, or what support they need often miss the mark. Kelly Franchetti stresses that gaps arise not from lack of skill but from differing perspectives; closing those gaps during planning season is what drives real resonance and results 05:02, 07:54. Patient Insight vs. Market Research & Advisory Boards: Patient insight initiatives are not just another traditional market research project, nor are they interchangeable with advisory boards. Kelly Franchetti explains that patient insight work is quicker, more agile, and designed to shape hypotheses before they are fully formed 15:58. Advisory boards have their value for focused, tactical conversations, but fall short in surfacing the full breadth of patient perspectives required for foundational planning 20:41, 22:41. Involving the Patient Voice Isn’t Out of Reach: Patient insights don’t require big teams or massive budgets. Programs can be spun up quickly (in as little as two to three weeks) and at budgets starting as low as 10,000–15,000 17:41, 18:25. Kelly Franchetti encourages teams to explore what’s possible with what they have rather than assuming time and cost are barriers. ROI Is Highest When Insights Inform Early Decisions: If you only have resources for one initiative, invest on the front end shaping strategic priorities and messaging pillars instead of saving for late-stage message testing. Testing confirms, but early input shapes 26:46. Realigning plans after launch is always possible pulse checks midyear are fast and affordable 32:30 but the greatest ROI comes from minimizing assumptions upfront, regularly calendaring patient insight check-ins, and being honest about where the plan is built on guesses versus knowledge. Thank you for being part of the Health Marketing Collective, where strong leadership meets marketing excellence. The future of healthcare depends on it. Mentioned in this episode: Health Marketing Collective is Powered by Inprela The Health Marketing Collective is powered by Inprela: a communications firm built for health brands determined to lead, not follow. We partner with marketing innovators who aren't just chasing attention—they're building movements. Connect with the audiences shaping the future of care and lead the conversations that move your market. Ready to rise above the noise? Visit inprela.com. Let's create something that moves the market. Inprela Communications

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  Episode #66

  When Marketing Never Slows Down

  Aug 5, 202636 min

  Welcome to the Health Marketing Collective, where strong leadership meets marketing excellence. On today’s episode, Scott Brinker joins Sara Payne for a candid discussion on the accelerating pace of marketing and the impact of marketing technology and AI on today’s business environment. Widely known as the “Godfather of MarTech,” Scott Brinker brings his nearly two decades of expertise through his Chief MarTech platform and numerous bestselling books to help us navigate the challenges and opportunities at the intersection of speed, strategy, and creativity in modern marketing. Is marketing really moving faster, or does it just feel that way? That’s the key question Sara and Scott unpack, digging into the effects of digital transformation and AI on content creation, expectations, and, importantly, the human cost of relentless urgency in the field. They explore the implications for marketing leaders, the hidden costs of always-on activity, and how to build sustainable rhythms that foster both creativity and strategic impact, especially in healthcare. Join us as we examine how marketers can balance agility and discipline, use technology as a force for focus rather than just acceleration, and reclaim space for deep thinking to build brands rooted in trust and authenticity. Thank you for being part of the Health Marketing Collective where strong leadership meets marketing excellence. The future of healthcare depends on it. Key Takeaways: The Double-Edged Sword of Marketing Velocity: Scott underscores that the rapid pace of marketing goes far beyond AI, it’s rooted in years of digital transformation and an explosion of touchpoints and technologies. While these innovations enable marketers to do more, faster, they introduce significant costs, particularly by eroding critical time for reflection and strategic thinking. The challenge: can the human mind keep up with technology’s pace? (04:24) The Cost of Speed: Creativity, Strategy, and Burnout: Both Sara and Scott warn that constant urgency often leads to a shortcutting of the creative and strategic process, resulting in decision fatigue and burnout. Marketing effectiveness isn’t just about reaction time; it’s sustained by discipline, iteration, and making space to revisit projects with fresh eyes. Short-term responsiveness should not eclipse long-term impact. (06:21) Discipline and Cadence Trump Perpetual Chaos: Adapting concepts from agile development, Scott advocates for operating rhythmic sprints, structured backlog, and focused delivery cycles to help teams juggle changing priorities without succumbing to perpetual interruption. Sarah Payne echoes the need for discipline, emphasizing the importance of being intentional about what merits urgency, and communicating clear priorities across organizations. (12:30) More ≠ Better: Activity vs. Impact in the Age of AI: The proliferation of AI and automation threatens to amplify “activity for activity’s sake.” Scott urges marketers not to simply fill newfound time with more execution but to protect it for higher-order thinking and true innovation. Drawing parallels to software development, he notes that an avalanche of new features or campaigns rarely translates to better outcomes if it’s not grounded in value and customer impact. (24:31) Scarcity of Trust and Attention: The New Differentiators: Looking ahead, Scott predicts that as technology further reduces the friction of activity, human attention and trust will become the scarcest and most valuable assets for brands. The organizations that excel will be those who invest in building genuine relationships and deliver consistently on customer-centric outcomes, focusing less on technology for its own sake and more on understanding and serving their audiences with authenticity. (27:01) Mentioned in this episode: Health Marketing Collective is Powered by Inprela The Health Marketing Collective is powered by Inprela: a communications firm built for health brands determined to lead, not follow. We partner with marketing innovators who aren't just chasing attention—they're building movements. Connect with the audiences shaping the future of care and lead the conversations that move your market. Ready to rise above the noise? Visit inprela.com. Let's create something that moves the market. Inprela Communications

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  Episode #65

  Why Every Leader Should Take Improv

  Jul 22, 202645 min

  Welcome to the Health Marketing Collective, where strong leadership meets marketing excellence. On today’s episode, we’re joined by Bernie Armada, professor at the University of St. Thomas and a leader at the intersection of storytelling, communication, and applied improvisation. Bernie shares his personal journey from crippling stage fright to expert communicator, revealing how improvisational techniques can transform not just individual confidence but the very nature of leadership and connection in our AI-driven world. With host Sara Payne, Bernie dives into how improv uniquely cultivates better listeners and more authentic leaders, breaking down the conventions that often stifle true connection. The episode is packed with stories, practical insights, and powerful anecdotes from the classroom to the corporate boardroom and even the radiology suite on why every leader, regardless of background, can benefit from improv training. We explore how the skills learned in improvisation are transferable far beyond performance, shaping the way executives, technical professionals, and communicators of all stripes build trust, foster collaboration, and bring a more human touch to their work in an increasingly automated world. Thank you for joining the Health Marketing Collective, where strong leadership meets marketing excellence. The future of healthcare depends on it. Key Takeaways Improv as a Catalyst for Human Connection: Bernie emphasizes that in an era where AI can automate much of our work, the ability to genuinely connect with others is more critical than ever. Improv teaches us to be fully present, attentive listeners, not just hearing words, but reading expressions, body language, and intent, laying a foundation for deep human connection and trust (10:37). Leadership is About Listening, Not Judging: Improv skills empower leaders to step down from perceived pedestals and engage authentically with their teams. By “taking off the armor” sometimes literally, as Bernie Armada invites both students and professionals to remove their shoes, participants break down hierarchical barriers, build trust, and foster a sense of equality and community in the workplace (15:10). Unlearning Professional Veneers for Authenticity: Professional success often comes with rigid habits and protective “veneers,” but improvisation helps participants “unlearn” these conventions. Through playful exercises, individuals rediscover their authentic voices, build confidence, and cultivate a more effective, approachable style of leadership and communication (21:27). Improv Works for Everyone, Not Just ‘Natural’ Communicators: Whether you’re an engineer, physician, scientist, or executive, the skills developed through improvisation like mirroring, vulnerability, and in-the-moment responsiveness are universally beneficial. Bernie describes transformative experiences with highly technical professionals who, through applied improv, become more engaging speakers and leaders, able to connect with both peers and lay audiences (27:20). Practical Advice: Risk, Storytelling, and Lifelong Growth: For those looking to become more engaging communicators, Bernie recommends taking practical steps such as reading Alan Alda’s “If I Understood You, Would I Have This Look on My Face?” and seeking out improv classes in your area. He highlights that the path to better communication is ongoing, shaped by risk-taking, sharing authentic stories, being comfortable with mistakes, and always striving to connect on a human level (42:25). Mentioned in this episode: Health Marketing Collective is Powered by Inprela The Health Marketing Collective is powered by Inprela: a communications firm built for health brands determined to lead, not follow. We partner with marketing innovators who aren't just chasing attention—they're building movements. Connect with the audiences shaping the future of care and lead the conversations that move your market. Ready to rise above the noise? Visit inprela.com. Let's create something that moves the market. Inprela Communications

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