by Administrator | Oct 29, 2025 | Blog
The HLTH USA 2025 conference in Las Vegas had all the usual hallmarks of a can’t-miss industry event: packed sessions, endless demos, crushed step goals, and maybe one too many lattes. Yet this year’s vibe felt different. Despite the excitement, the hype had a restrained quality, the buzzwords were fewer, and the substance was stronger. Across every corner of the show floor, the message was clear: digital health and health-tech are growing up.
Of course, the A-Team was on the ground at the Venetian Expo Center helping clients share their stories and soaking in what’s next for health tech. Although the companies and perspectives at HLTH this year were as diverse as usual, our experienced PR and marketing professionals observed some differences: AI has moved from novelty to necessity; investment in women’s health, disease prevention, and patient partnership is reaching new heights; and overall, solutions are reaching new levels of personalization. In greater detail, here are their biggest takeaways.
AI Finds Its Footing in the Real World
According to Jodi Amendola, President and Founder of Amendola Communications, “Companies that brought outcomes and ROI to life with customer and patient stories were the ones resonating most. Companies that effectively communicated how their innovation is delivering real-world impact really stood out.”
Jodi also reflected on what makes HLTH such a special event. “What struck me most was the sheer enthusiasm across the digital health community. These are passionate, like-minded people who truly want to improve healthcare. Conversations around AI, the changing market, and new legislation were everywhere. I left grateful for the connections, collaboration, and energy that continue to push this industry forward.”
Evolving from Buzzword to Backbone
While AI still dominated nearly every booth and session, the conversations this year focused less on what it might do and more on what it is doing right now.
“AI is no longer a differentiator; it’s a given,” said Michelle Noteboom, Senior Account Director. “Nearly every company had an AI angle, whether in the form of applications, platforms, or tools designed to automate time-consuming or tedious aspects of healthcare workflows.”
But with expansion comes new challenges, Michelle noted. “As AI generates huge amounts of new data, the focus appears to be shifting toward data quality, interoperability, and ethical monetization,” she added. “How can organizations ensure that data is clean, usable, and privacy-preserving? Those questions dominated the conversations.”
Another new trend Michelle observed was the rise of “agentic AI,” the term for autonomous agents built for specific healthcare tasks such as prior authorizations, referrals, and claims management. “It is clear that many solutions and healthcare organizations represented at HLTH have far transcended pilot projects and are well into practical deployments,” she said. “The AI that reduces administrative friction and enhances care delivery is a clear early winner.”
Industry Lines Blur
Beyond AI, the HLTH show floor revealed another major trend: healthcare’s growing convergence across traditional boundaries.
As Grace Vinton, Account Director and Media Specialist, observed, “Innovations that once targeted specific verticals are crossing over. Solutions built for health systems are gaining traction with pharma, while employers are adopting payer tools. There’s a growing spirit of collaboration across sectors, all aimed at strengthening margins, improving data access, and driving sustainable transformation.”
Grace also predicted a wave of consolidation in the coming year. “There are so many point solutions proving real, measurable impact,” she said. “It feels like we’re on the verge of major M&A activity as these niche players find their homes in larger ecosystems.”
That spirit of collaboration extended beyond vendors and investors to include patients themselves, whose voices are increasingly central to healthcare innovation.
“One of my favorite parts of HLTH25 was the ‘Ask Patients’ Genius Bar,” Grace added. “Seeing patients and caregivers recognized as lived-experience experts is the future of healthcare innovation. It’s no longer enough for technologists to guess what people want. Patients and caregivers are stepping into paid, official roles in research and product design, which is long overdue.”
Human-Centered Innovation
The renewed focus on patient experience mirrored the industry’s shift toward more personalized and preventive care.
“As a first-time HLTH attendee, it was exciting to see how innovation is becoming more human-centered,” said Maddie Noteboom, Senior Account and Social Media Manager. “AI, automation, and analytics are working quietly in the background to help clinicians make better decisions and give patients a smoother, more personalized care experience. The companies making real progress are the ones using technology to handle the busywork so care teams can focus on patients and help them achieve better outcomes and health goals.”
Katlyn Nesvold, Senior Account Director, agreed that the tone at HLTH25 reflected more profound empathy and purpose. “There was so much emotion in the conversations,” she said. “It is a sign of the times and an indicator that this is important work we are doing. We all need to come together to improve healthcare access, and hopefully AI’s rapid development will help.”
Alongside this more human approach, HLTH 2025 also spotlighted several fast-growing areas of innovation and investment beyond AI.
Grace noted that “Women’s health took center stage, with major funding announcements and a surge of new market entrants. It’s one of the most untapped opportunities in healthcare innovation, and momentum is building fast.”
Katlyn added that weight management was another major topic of conversation. “Yes, GLP-1s were everywhere,” she said, “but many vendors are now offering holistic alternatives, such as digital health tools, remote coaching, and preventive programs, to help people manage their health without relying solely on medication.”
A Tight-Knit Community
Amid all the innovation and buzz, HLTH 2025 also reminded attendees of the value of connection and community in the health IT world.
“The health IT community is like no other,” Katlyn shared. “It is full of great people doing meaningful work. The best conversations often happen outside the show floor, such as at dinners, meetups, and chance encounters between sessions, where collaboration begins.”
Michelle agreed, pointing to Amendola’s own whirlwind of activity. “We were thrilled to help facilitate over 100 media meetings in just three days,” she said. “The level of engagement and curiosity was incredible, but it also shows how hungry the market is to understand where healthcare innovation is really headed.”
Looking Ahead
If HLTH 2025 made anything clear, it is that the industry has moved from inspiration to implementation. AI is no longer a novelty; it is an expectation. Patients are no longer passive participants; they are partners. And despite the flash and fanfare associated with such a major industry event, this year’s HLTH demonstrated that health tech and digital health success is not about who shouts the loudest, but rather who delivers meaningful, measurable outcomes.
At Amendola Communications, those are the stories we are proud to help tell.
by Jim Sweeney | Oct 15, 2025 | Blog
Certain things get better when they’re allowed to age. Cheese and wine are great examples. Writing is another.
I’m not talking about the dusty classics that populate high school and college reading lists. And I’m not suggesting that blogs and bylines need to be racked in temperature-controlled environments for years and years before posting.
Writing usually doesn’t need more than a single overnight to improve, but that period can make all the difference between a forgettable draft and a piece that makes a genuine impact. It’s not that anything happens to the writing overnight; it’s what happens to the writer.
There are writers who can produce impeccable copy on the first try, but they’re rare and I’m not one of them. However, my 40 years’ experience as an editor and writer has taught me that allowing a piece of writing to sit overnight and returning to it the next day with fresh eyes almost always results in something better.
What seemed insightful or clever in the moment of writing often looks flat or clumsy in the light of a new day. Our enthusiasm for what we’ve written fades upon second glance and that’s what gives us the opportunity to reassess and revise.
Giving the writerly brain an overnight opportunity to mull things over—even unconsciously—can deliver new perspective and insights.
Social media has conditioned us to believe that speed and volume trump content. Whether it’s live-tweeting (live-Xing?) a game or movie or rushing to comment on a news event, posting first has become the goal. We lionize the companies whose social media managers are nimble enough to come up with the perfect post in real-time.
But for every one of those pitch-perfect posts or commentaries, there are countless duds that disappear without a trace. Ask yourself what you remember from that torrent of disposable content—was it the first thing you read or was it the one that expressed the most interesting or insightful content?
Chances are it was the better written one with the quality content.
I went looking for quotes from famous writers to back up my argument and found a few:
“Only God gets it right the first time.” – Stephen King
“I have rewritten – often several times – every word I have ever published. My pencils outlast their erasers.” – Vladimir Nabokov
“The secret to editing your work is simple: you need to become its reader instead of its writer.” – Zadie Smith
Of course, none of these writers worked in PR or marketing, which sometimes does require an immediate response, but the lesson still applies. Most of what we write is on a schedule that does allow for overnight aging -and our writing will be better for it.
by Andrew Schrader | Oct 1, 2025 | Blog
For over ten years I’ve helped healthcare, health tech, and life sciences companies clarify their messaging and get their customers to listen. And time after time, I’ve seen the same thing happen.
Companies fall in love with their own features and benefits.
It’s understandable — they’ve worked hard to build them. But here’s the problem: features and benefits aren’t a story. They don’t create stakes. And without stakes, no one cares.
The “Hero” Mistake
Let’s take a fictional example. Meet Acme Revenue Solutions, a company in the revenue cycle management (RCM) space. Here’s how they might describe themselves:
“Acme Revenue Solutions helps hospitals streamline billing, reduce claim denials, and accelerate reimbursements. Our platform uses AI-driven automation to handle coding, compliance, and collections. With Acme, you can save time, lower costs, and maximize revenue.”
Not bad, right? In fact, it’s how many healthcare companies present themselves. It lists the features, highlights the benefits, and checks the right boxes.
The problem is, it’s also forgettable.
Why? Because Acme is playing the hero, talking about their own superpowers. Meanwhile, the customer — the hospital CFO, the director of revenue cycle, the VP of finance — is left as a spectator in their own story.
And here’s the thing: your customer is not looking for a hero.
Your customer is the hero. You are the guide.
When you forget that, they tune out.
Enter StoryBrand
Six years ago, I had the chance to attend a three-day StoryBrand workshop, and it completely changed the way I thought about messaging. If you haven’t heard of it, StoryBrand is a simple, seven-step storytelling framework developed by Donald Miller. It helps companies stop confusing their audience and start clarifying what they actually offer.
The framework boils down to this:
- A Character — your customer.
- Has a Problem — the thing that keeps them up at night.
- And Meets a Guide — that’s you.
- Who Gives Them a Plan — a simple, clear path forward.
- And Calls Them to Action — tell them what to do.
- That Ends in Success — paint the picture of the win.
- And Helps Them Avoid Failure — don’t skip the consequences.
In this framework, the customer is always the hero. You’re the guide.
The reason so much marketing feels flat is because it’s upside-down. Instead of putting the customer at the center of the story, companies hog the spotlight.
That’s why I like to bring in another concept — stakes. When you define what the customer stands to gain or lose, you put urgency and meaning back into the story. And that’s what makes StoryBrand so powerful.
Reframing With Stakes
So how do we make Acme’s message actually matter? We switch the lens. Instead of rattling off features and benefits, we frame the stakes — what the customer stands to gain or lose.
Here’s a rewrite, StoryBrand-style:
“Every day a claim is denied, hospitals lose critical revenue that should be funding patient care. Billing teams are overwhelmed, clinicians are frustrated, and patients get caught in the middle. It doesn’t have to be this way.
Acme Revenue Solutions gives your hospital the clarity and control to stop revenue leakage before it happens. With automated claim scrubbing, real-time alerts, and expert support, you can finally focus on care instead of paperwork. Hospitals should be thriving, not drowning in denials. We’ll help you get paid what you’ve earned — so you can put resources where they belong: in patient care.”
Notice the difference?
- External stakes: Denied claims, lost revenue, overworked staff.
- Internal stakes: The frustration of “drowning in denials” and the relief of “finally focusing on care.”
- Philosophical stakes: The belief that hospitals should be thriving and resources should support patient care.
Now, the customer is the hero. They’re the one solving the problem and reclaiming their story. Acme’s role? The guide who gives them the plan and the tools to succeed.
How Writers Make the Switch
When I write for clients, this is the mental shift I’m making. If I catch myself listing features, I stop and ask:
- What’s really at stake for the customer?
- What happens if they don’t solve this problem?
- How will they feel if they do?
- What’s the bigger “should” at play here?
That’s when the copy comes alive. That’s when it stops sounding like every other vendor in the healthcare space. And that’s when customers lean in — because they see themselves in the story.
One other thing: every company truly is unique. Most of the time, that uniqueness is baked into the reason the company exists in the first place — a founder who was fed up with the status quo, a team who saw a better way, or a conviction that something in healthcare just shouldn’t be this hard.
The trouble is, those origin stories often get buried under layers of jargon. My job as a writer is to dig them out and bring them forward. Because yes, two companies might sound alike on the surface — but they aren’t alike. And those distinctions are part of the stakes. They show what’s broken in the world, and why the company exists to fix it.
That’s where the most compelling stories live.
The Bottom Line
If you want your marketing messaging to land, stop trying to be Luke Skywalker. Be Yoda. Be Obi-Wan. Help your customer win their fight.
Because at the end of the day, they don’t want to hear about your features. They want to know what’s at stake — and how you’ll guide them to success.
by Marcia Rhodes | Sep 17, 2025 | Blog
When it comes to video interviews, webinars, or executive briefings, it’s often the small details that leave the biggest impression. Reporters, clients, and colleagues notice more than you might think. Your appearance isn’t just about how you look — it’s also about what’s behind you.
Your video background communicates professionalism, attention to detail, and self-awareness. Done well, it can even create connection. Done poorly, it can undermine your credibility before you’ve spoken a word.
The following are a few pro tips to make sure your video background says the right things:
- Tidy Up Your Space
If you’re taking a call from a hotel room or temporary set-up, small details matter:
- Close the bathroom door
- Make the bed
- Remove visible clutter or personal items
Reporters and executives notice details more than you might expect. One client, for instance, left a stack of messy file folders teetering on the edge of his desk during a media interview. Instead of focusing on his insights, the journalist joked about him “needing to go paperless.” It became a distraction — and definitely not the impression he wanted to leave.
On the flip side, another client had framed artwork from his young kids behind him. Instead of being a distraction, it turned into a warm conversation starter with the reporter — humanizing him and creating rapport before the interview even began.
- Lighting is Key
Good lighting helps you appear clear and engaged. Poor lighting makes you look tired, shadowy, or unprofessional. Natural light works best, but if that’s not possible, invest in a ring light.
Ring lights are affordable and can even double as a desk light. Choose one with adjustable brightness and color temperature (so you can switch from warm to cool light). If you wear glasses, look for one with diffused lighting or try angling it to avoid glare.
- Virtual Background or Not?
Virtual backgrounds can be tempting, especially if you’re in a pinch. But they often glitch or create an unnatural “halo effect” around your head. Unless you’re using a branded or professional image that your computer handles flawlessly, PR pros generally advise against them.
Authenticity resonates. A neutral wall, bookshelf, or well-lit corner beats a digital beach scene every time. One client displayed an acrylic frame holding a small beanie cap. When the reporter asked about it, she explained it was what her daughter was wearing the day she passed away. The reporter was deeply moved — and the interview shifted from transactional to personal, shaping a much more meaningful piece.
- Do a Tech + Visual Check
Before the call:
- Open your video and review what your setup looks like
- Move distracting items out of the frame
- Make sure nothing odd is visible (an open closet, dishes, laundry, or even a pet sneaking in)
Think of it as a dress rehearsal for your space. If time allows, have your PR manager do a quick one-minute visual check before every call, ensuring not just your appearance but also that your background is ready. I once did a visual check with a client and saw that he had a poster in a foreign language behind him. I asked him what the slogan said and since he had no idea, we agreed to take it down to be safe.
Final Thought
Your video background doesn’t just fill the screen — it fills in the story about you. When it’s intentional, it can signal professionalism, warmth, or even humanity in ways that words alone can’t. Treat it as part of your communication strategy, not an afterthought.
by Brandon Glenn | Sep 3, 2025 | Blog
Despite many protestations otherwise, the press release is not dead.
Press releases remain a useful means of sharing key company news, communicating with the broader market, and generating interest among journalists that ideally leads to attention from prospects and customers.
This blog post will offer several key tips for pitching press releases to media, such as including an attention-grabbing subject line, a newsworthy angle that ties in to current industry trends and targeting the right journalists.
Craft an attention-grabbing subject line: The subject line is the first — and often only — chance to capture a journalist’s attention. A compelling subject line should be concise, informative, and engaging without sounding like clickbait. It’s crucial to clearly communicate the value of your news in as few words as possible.
While “Exciting News from XYZ Company” may work as the headline of a social media post, for a subject line that will attract a journalist’s attention, try something more direct like “XYZ Company Launches AI Tool to Improve Hospital Workflow Efficiency.”
Additionally, personalization also goes a long way. Consider referencing a journalist’s recent work or interests in your subject line or introduction to demonstrate relevance and effort.
Lead with a newsworthy angle: Journalists are looking for stories that are timely, relevant, and meaningful to their audience. When crafting a pitch, ask yourself: Why should this news matter right now? Is it part of a broader trend? Does it address a timely issue? For example, tying your announcement to a current event or growing industry concern — such as cybersecurity in healthcare or the rise of health-at-home — can significantly boost the chances of media pickup. A good press release pitch should make the connection between your news and the larger narrative obvious and compelling.
Target the right journalists: Mass emailing a generic press release to hundreds of media contacts is unlikely to yield results and may even harm your reputation. Instead, take the time to identify the right journalists for your story. In general, the best pitches are highly targeted and personalized. Research each journalist’s recent stories, preferred topics, and audience.
This information helps you tailor your message and increases the chances of a positive response. Using tools like media databases and journalist profile platforms can streamline this process, allowing marketers to build curated lists based on beat, outlet, and past coverage.
Make it easy to cover your story: Once you’ve caught journalists’ attention, don’t make them work to understand your news. Provide all essential information clearly and concisely in the body of the email. Include a strong opening paragraph, bullet points with key facts, the full press release, and any relevant visuals or multimedia.
It’s also helpful to offer interview availability with subject matter experts, quotes, or additional background context upfront, so journalists have everything they need to write a story without chasing down more information.
Follow up but don’t spam: Following up after your initial pitch is a standard and sometimes necessary part of media outreach. That said, there’s a fine line between being persistent and being pushy. Wait around 48 hours before sending a polite follow-up email. Keep it short, reiterate the relevance of the news, and offer to provide any additional information.
Avoid sending multiple follow-ups if you don’t hear back. If journalists are interested, they’ll respond. Maintaining professionalism and respecting their time will preserve the relationship for future pitches.
Conclusion
Successfully pitching press releases to media requires more than blasting an announcement to a generic list. By focusing on personalized, timely, and targeted outreach, while also making journalists’ jobs easier, marketers can increase the odds that their news will get the coverage it deserves.
by Morgan Lewis | Aug 20, 2025 | Blog
In 2025, decision-makers running health systems, physicians’ practices, insurers and life science companies have more demands on their attention than ever. Yet, even today, these leaders continue to seek out and read thought leadership articles to gain insight into the challenges facing their organizations.
Given their potential influence, these articles continue to play a valuable role as part of an integrated and multifaceted PR/marketing campaign. At Amendola, we regularly help clients craft compelling bylines that resonate with both readers and trade publication editors. But we still wanted to do a pulse check to determine what truly distinguishes one byline from another.
To explore this question, we recently ran a poll on LinkedIn asking: Which of these three is most crucial for getting published and engaging readers when writing thought leadership?
Here’s how the votes broke down:
- Focus on an industry problem: 77%
- Go easy on the self-promo: 15%
- Respect your readers’ time: 8%
Focusing on industry challenges took the top spot by a mile. Still, all three elements are nonetheless essential to thought leadership content that captures attention, builds authority, and clears editorial hurdles. Here’s a closer look at why each matters and how to ensure your bylines accurately reflect them.
Focus on an Industry Problem
The clear winner of our poll, this audience-focused approach centers on their needs and pain points. It is clear from the results that trusted thought leadership should not necessarily be about what your organization wants to say, but rather, what your audience needs to hear.
Editors prioritize content that informs and helps readers do their jobs better. If a byline sheds light on a genuine industry challenge, such as data silos hindering improvements in care quality and outcomes or the slow adoption of AI due to regulatory uncertainty, it immediately signals relevance.
Similarly, in our experience, the best-performing bylines from our health-tech and life-science clients have been those that closely align with the most pressing issues faced by providers, payers, pharmaceutical leaders, or other health IT buyers. For example, instead of broadly discussing the benefits of remote patient monitoring, a more valuable angle would be to examine how payers are adjusting their reimbursement models in response to regulatory uncertainty and what that means for provider adoption at scale.
In most cases, this approach means you should start your byline by identifying a pressing question or problem. If you are unsure about which issue will resonate most, start listening to your customers, the news, and the conference sessions that everyone is buzzing about. The more you anchor your thought leadership in the day-to-day challenges of your audience, the more likely it is to resonate and get published.
Go Easy on the Self-Promo
While only 15% of poll respondents chose minimal-to-no self-promotion as the most crucial trait of published thought leadership, it remains a major factor in whether an editor accepts or rejects a byline. Many otherwise strong pieces lose credibility when they shift from insight-sharing to sales-pitching.
The line between thought leadership and marketing copy is often thin, but it is critical. Readers come to trade publications for insight, not product brochures. Of course, your leaders should still showcase their expertise, but it needs to be demonstrated through stories, lessons learned, or innovative thinking, not direct promotion.
For example, if your company recently led a project that improved medication reconciliation accuracy, open the article by focusing on the broader issue: the clinical and safety consequences of poor medication data. Then, explain how to identify and solve the problem, sharing generalizable insights that other health systems or vendors could apply.
Ultimately, the goal is to earn trust, which is built by offering something of value without strings attached.
Respect Your Readers’ Time
Although this characteristic received the fewest votes in our poll, it should not be underestimated. Clarity and conciseness are the unsung heroes of persuasive writing.
Your audience is busy. They may be reading between meetings, during a quick coffee break, or in the few quiet minutes before their next patient or pitch. A strong byline makes their time feel well spent. That means using plain language, avoiding unnecessary tangents, and structuring your argument in a way that is easy to follow.
In technical fields such as health tech or clinical innovation, it may be especially tempting to showcase expertise through complex language. However, the best thought leaders recognize that simplicity is indeed a strength. One compelling idea, clearly expressed, will consistently outperform three half-developed ones wrapped in buzzwords.
If your byline cannot be understood by an intelligent, time-pressed reader in a few scrolls or less, it is time to revise.
Bringing It All Together
Albeit unscientific, our poll results reinforce what we have long known from working with leading trade and consumer publications: the strongest bylines solve real problems, put the reader first, and let the value of the insight speak louder than the brand behind it.
In a time where healthcare leaders are navigating unprecedented complexity and constant change, the value of strong thought leadership cannot be overstated. Articles that identify real challenges, offer informed perspectives, and respect the reader’s time stand a far better chance not only of being published but also of being read, remembered, and shared. Whether written by an executive, subject matter expert, or seasoned communicator, the best thought leadership doesn’t just fill space, it fuels meaningful dialogue across the industry and elevates your company’s profile in the market.
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