It’s HCP’s 8th anniversary!
I get to tell some stories I haven’t told before, and invite you to join us in where we’re headed next.
I founded Health Communication Partners in 2017, after a few years as a professor working in the education sector and health sector simultaneously. My purpose was basically to help bring over the best of what I knew could be helpful in the health sector from the education sector.
Part of the energy of Health Communication Partners is this crossing of the fields. I made the Health Communication Partners website to be a resource hub to give people in healthcare and public health quick access to a body of knowledge that can help with some of the tough problems you’re facing. So HCP isn’t some personal brand. I’m not just giving opinions. This is a rigorous, peer-informed, evidence-based learning platform that serves one of the most intellectually demanding and ethically serious professional communities in the world: You.
Another part of the energy of Health Communication Partners is you and me, and how we’re learning from each other. Over the years, people have shared with me their stories, their typical day-to-day’s, and their pains, and the pressures they’re under. I’m incredibly grateful for this community — many of you have been with us for years. You share our work, forward the newsletter, and introduce us to others. You don’t unsubscribe. (I notice!) This kind of loyalty is rare in a world of short attention spans and constant churn, and I don’t take it for granted.
2025 has not been business as usual. These past months have been incredibly hard for so many in our community. The shuttering of government offices, program cuts, and job losses have upended the landscape for a lot of the people we work with and care about. I’ve felt it too, in my work, and in the conversations I’m having every week.
We’re all aware of what’s at stake beyond our own roles. People are losing access to care. Programs are disappearing. Patients, families, and communities are being left without the support they need. The headlines are dizzying. And it’s why this work still matters so much. The core of what we do hasn’t changed. We’re still here together. Still grounded in the research, still showing up with care and clarity, still helping people navigate complexity — even (or especially) when the systems around them are in flux. That kind of stability feels more urgent than ever.
The polarized political climate has made this work harder to navigate, for us and for the people we support. But that’s exactly why it matters: because we work on behalf of all patients. All populations. Not just the ones who agree with us or act like we wish they’d act. We know how important it is to reach everyone, connect with everyone, educate everyone, engage with everyone, through research, practice, theory and policy. And you’re working hard to do that! You’re staying open, and it takes courage to do this.
Today’s attention economy rewards novelty and flash over subtlety, and we’re here together in the weeds where it’s about context and nuance. If we measure success by community, by consistency, and by the caliber of conversations we’ve been lucky enough to have —by those measures, this is one of the most successful businesses I’ve ever seen. I feel incredibly proud of what we’ve built. And of what we’ve stayed true to.
The podcast series came shortly after the launch of the website. I love telling this story. The show came about because I was at an ACH conference, having a great time as a presenter and participant. Toward the end of the conference, in one of the big plenary sessions, someone pulled me aside and said “we need what you’ve got. Get it out there as quickly as you can!” And so 10 Minutes to Better Patient Communication was born. More on that in a few months when we celebrate its 8th anniversary!
Many of you know us because of our podcast series, but primarily HCP is a consultancy. And I quickly learned that when people hear ‘consultant’ they groan and then worry if they’re gonna be fired. I’ve had to fight the reputation of consultants who plonk down pre-fab and pre-decided programs on people, regardless of sector or nuance. Me? I listen first. I bring a custom, research-grounded approach. I design for the real dynamics and culture of an organization. It’s about mindsets and tools, not quick fixes that barely outlast the talk.
One of the most challenging times of the past 8 years at HCP was COVID. We almost didn’t make it through that year, because suddenly all our clients were busy dealing with COVID patients and the ripple effects in healthcare and public health. So we pivoted to vaccine communication, which we’ve continued to feature since. Another story I haven’t talked about is from those days: on one memorable vaccine campaign, our methods and the resulting multimedia campaign received a congratulatory message from Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith, who at that time was Chair of the White House COVID Health Equity Task Force. That was an email I’ll never forget opening!
In COVID-times, with everyone going digital by necessity, we started making courses, which was not as straightforward as it might seem. The problem is that when it comes to professional development, too often people get stand-alone courses. These are not great for effecting change. But during COVID, learning went entirely online and on demand. So I spent a lot of COVID-time turning this over in my head: can I do remotely what I do in-person? At first I thought, “No. It can’t be done. I can’t write a one-size-fits-all video course about how not to have a one-size-fits-all approach to communication or education.” But with the help of my mentor, I came up with our Courses + Action hybrid model.
These courses evolved into a distraction-free LMS, and professionally produced courses. A fun fact I’ve never talked about: one of our courses was filmed in a Hollywood studio. For real! I could literally see the Hollywood sign out the windows. It was a big leap at the time. We did it not just because it was fun (it was), but because production value helps learning stick. If we want people to take this seriously, we need to treat it seriously. We even celebrated the launch of the LMS and two courses with a “Hollywood premiere party,” complete with red carpet. It was totally a celebration of the care we put into this work, and of the people who helped make it possible.
Another fun fact: we’re updating our Equitable Communication course and I want to hear from you!
Consulting has been amazing and continues to be my favorite part of HCP. I don’t often name clients, but I want to share this one. Recently, I had the chance to collaborate with the National Cancer Institute. They engaged HCP for our expertise in health equity and collaboration to help them address one of the most complex problems facing science: promoting access to cancer care for all populations. It was exhilarating being on such an all-star team and doing such meaningful work.
One of the things I’m most proud of is the way this work shows up in real lives, in real organizations. Just last month, a team member from an engagement two years ago told me he’s still using what he learned! He said working with us really changed the way he approaches feedback. It helped him move past some tough habits and made it easier to both give and receive feedback. He saw the impact right away and recommends us to any team that wants to get better at feedback.
Our client base has grown across sectors, including tech, public health, and healthcare. I’ve been surprised by the common ground — the same questions keep coming up about trust, power, clarity, and communication. I’ve recently begun working with Google Health as teams across the field try to wrap their heads around AI and what it means for their work.
This year, we were honored to be named one of the Top 10 Patient Engagement Podcasts of 2025. I’ve also had the chance to speak at conferences and workshops — both virtual and in person — and what always stays with me are your stories. The work you’re doing is cpmplex and urgent, and it deserves spaces for reflection and renewal.
What’s next?
Two things — and you can be part of both:
First, we’re revising our Equitable Communication course. I’d love to hear from you. What’s missing in communication where you are? What would be most useful right now? If you have ideas, questions, or just want to share a perspective, drop a note through the contact form. I really do read every message.
Second, we’re exploring licensing our content — and I’m especially interested in connecting with medical publishing companies, med ed orgs, med comms agencies, and professional associations that want to support health professionals with trusted, research-grounded content. If that’s you — or someone you know — let’s talk. You can get in touch here or connect with me on Linked.
Thank you for being here. For listening, sharing, and staying with us — even though the work is hard and the answers aren’t simple. Thank you for the work you do in the world!
