You know that saying, ‘the proof is in the pudding’? We say that quite a bit to our medical and healthcare clients who want to tell their stories in an impactful way. And one of the best public relations strategies to do this is through compelling patient stories.
Patient stories are a great way to share their success with a life-altering, or even life-saving, treatment or therapy that highlights a doctor’s expertise.
Nothing is more uplifting to someone facing a difficult diagnosis than a patient who has already overcome it.
And we’re passionate about crafting compelling patient stories for a variety of medical specialty fields and healthcare services – either written or even better – through video storytelling.
A compelling patient story can:
● Establish expertise in a specific medical treatment or technology
● Enhance credibility and provide social proof that you are successfully meeting, and exceeding, the needs of your patients or clients
● Serve as a tool to inspire other patients to offer positive online reviews and word-of-mouth referrals which are essential to any physician or practice
● Help attract new patients who are eager to seek your services in hopes of treating their own conditions
Our team can help guide you through creating patient stories from reaching out to them about their experience to ensuring that all of the details and images shared are thoughtfully presented and HIPAA compliant.
Examples of patient stories that we have developed for MedVoicePR clients include:
Austin Neuromuscular Center: Sara’s story is of a young and active nurse who was diagnosed with ALS, more commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Not one to shy away from anything in life, she has found both solace and energy in her treatments to slow the disease’s progression and decorating her assistance accessories (canes and braces) with stickers from her favorite bands and musicians.
Austin Neuromuscular Center: Nothing can stop this former Green Beret and mountain climber, Terry, who suffers from a rare and debilitating form of muscle myopathy called IBM, inclusion body myositis. Although he has challenges with mobility and uses a scooter and leg braces for support, Terry’s current motto still echoes the mantra from his military days to “never quit.”
Austin Surgeons: Realizing that Crohn’s Disease, an inflammatory bowel condition, is not a death sentence empowered Jeffrey to take a new lease on life. After having a portion of his intestines removed, he was inspired to change his lifestyle habits, began running, and started competing in triathlons. He is currently training for the Ironman, and he has never felt better or looked back.
Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgeons (CTVS): Jack is an active man and a non-smoker who unexpectedly discovered he had lung cancer following a CT scan for a bike injury. CTVS’ cardiothoracic team performed surgery to treat his cancer, and he now has an excellent prognosis for the future. The fact that his cancer was detected by chance is not lost on him, and he is sharing an important message with others to always get checked out by your doctor if they recommend secondary evaluations or health screenings.
Eating Recovery Center (ERC): Siobahn sought help from ERC following a decade-long battle with an eating disorder. Under their care, she not only received the treatment she needed to heal and recover physically but also gained newfound mental strength to switch her career path and find personal peace and fulfillment. She has since chosen to use her experience to help others find the light and joy through challenges while serving as a Recovery Ambassador for ERC.
Siobahn’s desire to give back to the community that helped her journey to wellness is
a great example of the ultimate patient success story.
A compelling patient story can be repurposed in many ways, such as via a blog or social media posts, to support the mission of your practice or business. It can also provide valuable content for earned media features as a heartfelt human story adds a priceless element to an otherwise standard medical piece full of facts and figures.
For more information about how we can help with your patient stories and other public relations needs, please contact us here.