 Mary Erangey |
Healthcare communicators these days are running up against a simple truth: It’s no longer enough to share breakthrough research and expect the headlines to follow. Reporters are telling us, flat out, that the rules have changed. Outlets like USA Today have moved away from covering complex health research. What’s today’s media lens focusing on instead? Stories that connect to everyday life: how people eat, move and live day to day.
That pivot is a wake-up call for all of us in communications. The science and discoveries still matter, of course. But if we want them to resonate, we have to translate them into stories people can imagine in their own kitchens and routines. A great example of that is media coverage of the recent Alzheimer’s Association International Conference. One of the biggest AAIC2025 stories wasn’t about a biomarker or lab breakthrough; it was about the U.S. POINTER study, a clinical trial that showed that in people at risk for dementia, a combination of exercise, healthy diet and other behaviors improved their brain health.
The coverage didn’t just run in The New York Times and The Washington Post—it spread because readers and viewers could see themselves in it. That’s the wellness turn in action.
The rise of lifestyle framing
This shift toward lifestyle framing isn’t a blip—it’s the direction healthcare storytelling is headed. And who can blame reporters for gravitating to wellness story angles? Consumers are inundated with health content every day—fitness trackers pinging them about steps, wellness influencers dropping hacks on TikTok, headlines promising new diets or brain-boosting foods. People tune out when information feels abstract or overwhelming. They lean in when it feels practical.
That means the bar has moved for communicators. We can’t just announce a discovery. We have to answer the question that audiences are silently asking: What does this mean for me, my family, my community?
| This article is featured in O'Dwyer's Oct. '25 Healthcare & Medical PR Magazine |
What this means for healthcare PR
Translate research into real-world insights. The science may be complicated, but the message to the public shouldn’t be. If there’s one key finding, spell it out. “Here’s what to ask your doctor” or “Here’s how this could affect your daily life.” It’s about turning breakthroughs into behavior, not just headlines.
Anticipate the lifestyle angle. One of the clearest lessons for healthcare communicators is this: Don’t wait for reporters to dig out the lifestyle implications of your story—bring them forward yourself. Even the most complex research has a human dimension, and it’s our job to surface it. That might mean highlighting how a biomarker study could change the way a family approaches preventive care or showing the ripple effects of new clinical guidelines on daily routines. When we take time to connect the science to people’s lives, we make it both more relevant and more memorable. And if we don’t, the media will either overlook the story altogether or create that lifestyle frame on their own.
Keep it clear, keep it credible. Oversimplification is always a risk in healthcare communications, but so is overwhelming people with confusing details. Our job is to hit the sweet spot—making complex health topics clear and relatable while staying faithful to the science. That means partnering closely with researchers to preserve nuance, being upfront about what’s proven versus what’s still emerging and always respecting the integrity of the data. The real measure of success isn’t just accuracy—it’s whether people can take the insight and apply it to their own lives.
PCI’s perspective and practice
At PCI, we’ve always believed the most compelling healthcare stories live at the intersection of data and human experience. Our work with the Alzheimer’s Association reinforced that in a big way. U.S. POINTER study participants—real people making real lifestyle changes—were the ones who captured media attention. Their stories traveled further than any chart or p-value ever could.
This isn’t about trading science for anecdotes. It’s about making sure every data point has a human face and every abstract finding has a real-world application. That’s how healthcare organizations can both educate and inspire.
The next wellness frontier
The wellness turn is reshaping not just what gets covered but where. Health stories are migrating into podcasts, TikTok explainers, YouTube Shorts and culturally specific outlets
That’s where audiences are spending their time—and where they expect to find health information that speaks directly to their lived experience.
Communicators need to broaden their definition of success. It’s not just about landing on page one of a national paper (though that’s still a win). It’s also about getting the right story into the right niche channel, where it can change behavior or spark conversation in communities that matter.
Stories people can live
The wellness turn is here to stay, and it challenges all of us in healthcare communications to adapt. Our role is no longer just to broadcast scientific breakthroughs. It’s to translate them into stories people can live—stories that encourage healthier choices, greater understanding and deeper trust. Healthcare is complex, but it’s also deeply personal.
At PCI, that’s the work we’re passionate about. It’s why we’ve invested six decades in helping organizations connect with audiences in meaningful ways. You’ll see this commitment reflected in the way we partner with clients to turn discoveries into stories that change lives.
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Mary Erangey is Senior Vice President, Healthcare, at Public Communications Inc.
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