Regulations. Barriers to care. Complex terminology. Healthcare communications has never been one for the faint of heart (no pun intended). The introduction of AI in the 2010s posed as an additional challenge for communicators—with AI becoming a necessity versus an optional add-on within the past couple of years, thanks to the widespread adoption of tools such as ChatGPT.
According to a survey from Morgan Stanley Research, 94% of healthcare businesses use AI or machine learning in at least some capacity. Expectations have forever changed, and healthcare communicators must now rally behind AI to provide optimal outputs for their own companies as well as for clients and healthcare professionals.
However, if you’re still struggling to implement AI into your daily routine—or concerned about potential risks—you’re not alone. Here are four tips for healthcare communicators to maximize AI.
Know When to Use AI
Leveraging AI in healthcare communications is not a differentiator anymore—it’s expected. But knowing when (and how) to use AI is a huge differentiator. With so many uses for AI in healthcare, communications professionals need to have a good understanding of everything. AI has been shown to be helpful in more complex areas, including patient insights that can lead to more informed decisions by health professionals, early disease detection, and custom treatment plans for patients. AI is also being used for more routine tasks such as sending out appointment reminders, using a template to create personalized messages, and handing simple inquiries through chatbots or virtual assistants.
However, knowing the possibilities doesn’t mean jumping in quickly or without a solid strategy. When it comes to AI, it’s important for communicators to know their possibilities, strengths and limitations—as well as potential risks—before swimming into the deep end of the pool.
Tell People You’re Using AI and Why
In a world where news spreads faster through social media than it does by word of mouth, transparency is king. Building trust with clients and target audiences is integral for success. When it comes to AI, it’s important for communicators to read the room—do research and have a good understanding of feelings surrounding AI—because they’re still mixed.
A 2024 U.S. Healthcare Consumer Survey from Deloitte found that nearly one-third (30%) of patients don’t trust information provided by AI—and an even more overwhelming 80% say they want to be informed when their doctor uses AI to make decisions. Trust is a harder issue to overcome, but the first step lies with transparency. Communications professionals must not only be prepared to leverage AI themselves, but must also help clients navigate it and constantly conduct assessments to determine all of the successes, failures, challenges and future opportunities for growth.
Prioritize Privacy
The biggest concern when it comes to using AI in the healthcare industry is around patient privacy and data leaks. From communicators and companies, to healthcare professionals and patients, almost everyone has concerns when it comes to keeping information safe and secure. According to a survey by the American Medical Association, 41% of physicians say they are concerned about patient privacy when using AI—with nearly 90% agreeing that data privacy assurances and not being held liable for AI model errors are important.
When it comes to the general population, concerns are similar—with a Pew Research Center survey finding that 60% of U.S. adults are uncomfortable with their doctor using AI to diagnose and recommend treatments, with the main reason being worry that AI could lead to breaches in disclosing sensitive medical information.
It once again comes down to trust…and how healthcare communicators can help to build that trust through transparency and sharing of information. By being the first to address potential concerns and back up their programs with concrete facts and strategies, communicators can get ahead of the curve and more effectively ease the healthcare industry into the already burgeoning world of AI.
Use AI to Help Strengthen the “Me” in Media Relations
When it comes to media relations—often referred to as the bread and butter of public relations—there’s no doubt that AI can play a role. But how much of a role should it play in healthcare communications? Many professionals have found that using tools like ChatGPT to write pitches can be helpful—but the key word is helpful. The world of healthcare includes extra intricacies from specific language to meeting regulatory requirements, so relying too much on AI can be dangerous.
At the same time, AI tools can be instrumental in streamlining data and results. Interdependence Public Relations, for example, uses proprietary AI-driven technology that scours for brand-relevant content, as well as current and emerging trends, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This technology has allowed the team to leverage what is resonating most to constantly generate media coverage for clients and increase pitch conversion by up to 400%.
Melissa Rieger is Senior Vice President at Interdependence.