Health Marketing Collective

About 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 the industry. But we’re just getting started. The Health Marketing Collective aims to broaden the spotlight, highlighting great people who are leading life-changing, brand-building campaigns. We’re handing over the mic and inviting thought leaders to share their own stories of removing hurdles to fulfill the health industry’s true potential. Tune in every other Wednesday for new episodes featuring prolific leaders and marketing experts, engaging in thought-provoking conversations (and a few laughs) about: Brand-building in the healthcare space How to become a leading voice in the industry Methods for changing consumer behavior Public relations, content creation, social media, and marketing for health-focused companies How to drive your company forward through issues-based storytelling

Publisher

Inprela Communications

Category

business · business

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

16 Feb 2024

Latest episode

30 Sept 2026

Latest episodes

70 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   30 Sept 2026

   What the HLTH 2026 Agenda Says About Healthcare

   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 (https://health-marketing.captivate.fm/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 (https://health-marketing.captivate.fm/hlth)

2. 

   16 Sept 2026

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

   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 (https://health-marketing.captivate.fm/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 (https://health-marketing.captivate.fm/hlth)

3. 

   2 Sept 2026

   When Marketing Success Becomes Invisible

   Welcome to the Health Marketing Collective, where strong leadership meets marketing excellence. On today’s episode, Sara Payne is joined by Stewart Gandolf, CEO and co-founder of Healthcare Success, to explore an intriguing conundrum: when healthcare marketing works exceptionally well, it starts to become invisible and that’s when organizations can get into trouble. With over 30 years of experience helping hospitals and health systems grow through patient acquisition and digital strategies, Stewart Gandolf brings seasoned insight into the mechanics of high-performing healthcare marketing engines and the all-too-common danger of taking success for granted. This conversation draws inspiration from Stewart Gandolf’s recent reflections on the paradox of effective marketing: the better it works, the easier and more effortless it seems to outsiders. Sara Payne and Stewart Gandolf dive into how this perception can lead leaders to undervalue the marketing effort, question investments, make the wrong cuts, or push for change without understanding what’s actually delivering results. Beyond the psychology and human behavior influencing these dynamics, they discuss the complexity of measurement, the importance of context and communication between marketing and leadership, and how AI is reshaping the marketing landscape. 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 Paradox of Invisible Success Stewart Gandolf explains that when marketing is consistently delivering results, it starts to look easy and can become “invisible” within organizations (00:17). This is especially problematic because leadership may forget the pain that prompted investment in the first place, lose sight of true performance drivers, or make changes that disrupt what actually works. Recency Bias and the Illusion of Stability Organizations often treat strong performance as the new baseline and quickly forget the strategic effort and resources behind it (03:22). Sara Payne and Stewart Gandolf discuss how “shiny object syndrome” can distract attention from high-performing channels (like paid search or digital acquisition), with leaders shifting focus to less impactful activities or trivial details once core metrics are humming along (05:18). Complexity Behind the Curtain: Measurement, Attribution, and Human Expertise It’s tempting to attribute solid results to simple tactics, but Stewart Gandolf highlights the underlying sophistication: from stacks of experts across specialties (SEO, content, paid search, traditional media) to advanced AI-driven call tracking and analytics (09:01). Organizations underestimate both the tools and expertise required for sustained growth when they aren’t directly engaged with the process. Communicating Value to Leadership Over-indexing on metrics without providing clear narrative and context can be perilous (10:29). Sara Payne notes and Stewart Gandolf agrees that it’s essential for marketers to be active communicators, translating data into stories and real-world impact that resonate with executive teams. Tactics like opening meetings with patient stories or supplementing metrics with anecdotes help remind leaders of the “why” behind the numbers (13:02). Adaptation, AI, and the Future-Proof Marketing Team The accelerating ease of execution via AI and automation means execution itself is becoming commoditized (26:19). What remains invaluable, according to Stewart Gandolf, is strategic thinking, contextual understanding, and specialized expertise. Teams and individuals who resist embracing AI risk obsolescence whereas those who integrate human creativity and experience with tech will continue to deliver outsized value, even as the marketing landscape transforms (27:18). Whether you’re a healthcare marketing leader or part of an agency, today’s episode is a powerful reminder: the factors driving growth are rarely as simple as they seem. Don’t let success become invisible; unlock its story, advocate for its value, and keep evolving alongside your industry. 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 (https://health-marketing.captivate.fm/inprela) 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 (https://health-marketing.captivate.fm/hlth)

Who has been a guest on Health Marketing Collective

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Linda Zebian
• Larry Zarin
• Mark Ostrom

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

3 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

3 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 34 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

56

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

32