The future is full of potential – if we’re brave enough to experiment

The healthcare communications industry is in ‘re-set’ mode. Challenges with resourcing and budgets mean in-house and agency teams must work harder and more collaboratively than ever to demonstrate value.

As the scrutiny on return on investment grows, there is a risk that the ability to innovate is under threat. Innovation and progress are not just vital to the lifeblood of our industry, but essential if we are to meaningfully engage with our audiences and meet their changing needs.

When we took on the responsibility of co-chairing the Communiqué Awards in September 2023, Neil Flash and I felt that championing bravery and progress should be one focus of our tenure.

The tricky thing about innovation is that one person’s ‘wow’ can be another person’s ‘yawn’. Innovation can be one small, but important, aspect of a larger project, something that is standard in another sector but blows everyone’s socks off in pharma or genuinely pioneering.

Over the last few years, members of the judging panels for the Communiqué Awards innovation categories have looked at how we can make them more relevant, while providing clarity on what we are looking for in the work. In 2024, we made two important changes, which resulted in a marked increase in quantity and quality of entries:

1. Consolidation of categories: merging Healthcare and Scientific Communications into one category, recognising that innovation rarely fits neatly into one discipline.
2. Emphasising learning: innovation should not just be about new ideas but how these approaches advance knowledge and understanding. The rebranded ‘Progress Award’ reflects this.

I think we can all agree: the way we communicate in healthcare is changing fast. Many of the traditional approaches are no longer fit for purpose. With scientific breakthroughs, the rise of digital platforms and increasingly empowered patient populations all happening at the same time as growing health inequality, the way we deliver healthcare messages needs to progress.

1. Engagement is everything: in a world where attention spans are shrinking and digital content is consumed in quick bursts, we need to rethink how we engage audiences. Innovative storytelling is essential.
2. Bridging the knowledge gap: we live in an era of extraordinary medical advancements, but with that comes complexity. It’s critical that we innovate how we communicate these advancements to ensure that all audiences are compliantly informed and empowered.
3. Being where are audiences are: this isn’t just about being online, people are increasingly turning to social platforms and AI to ask questions about health and medicines. With the epidemic of misinformation, we need to collaborate with other organisations and sectors to make sure people get balanced information.

When we talk about innovation, we’re not just referring to new technology. Innovation is also about rethinking who we’re engaging with. This year’s Communiqué Award winner in the Progress in Healthcare and Scientific Communications Category was Unseen Unheard: the Untold Breast Cancer Stories of Black Women in the UK. While perhaps not the first project to use theatre to engage audiences, it felt like genuine progress to see this focus on an underserved community. The collaboration with the community was a text-book example of how the industry can earn its place as a valued partner. This work also had impressive outcomes, but we must accept that this isn’t always the case. Experimenting, failing and learning is all part of innovation, and therefore the future of healthcare communications. That takes bravery.

At its heart, innovation in health communications is about one thing: connection. It’s about finding novel ways to get people the information they need in ways that resonate. It’s about doing the right thing for the audience, which is quite often not the easy thing for the communications and approval teams.

The future of health communications depends on our ability to be curious, to ask hard questions and to push boundaries. To remain relevant and impactful, we must take calculated risks, embrace new technologies thoughtfully and keep the people we serve at the centre of our work. After all, innovation is about more than just shiny new tools. It’s about creating meaningful connections with the people who need it most.

So, what’s next? It’s up to all of us. The best communicators in healthcare will continue to push the boundaries, think differently and use innovation not just as a buzzword, but as a real driver of progress. The future is full of potential – if we’re brave enough to experiment.