S1E19: Fixing Broken Patient Communication | HealthTech2Care Podcast with Bert Fernandez

HealthTech2Care Podcast featuring Catina O'Leary, PhD, President & CEO of Health Literacy Media  Catina O'Leary (Guest): 🌐 Health Literacy Media: https://www.healthliteracy.media 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/catina-o-leary-43625112  Bert Fernandez (Host): 🌐 HealthTech2Care: https://www.healthtech2care.com 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bert-fernandez 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HealthTech2Care 🎙️ In this episode, Catina O'Leary explains why so much patient education falls flat—starting with a simple truth: "Everyone thinks they communicate well." She breaks down the two biggest gaps in health communication today: (1) Overconfidence from providers (2) The failure of AI without human empathy or audience testing. Catina shares how Health Literacy Media co-designs materials with real patients, strips out jargon, and tests content until it actually resonates. You'll also hear the story of how a global pharma company's dense consent form was transformed into a tone-shifted, patient-approved fridge chart. Whether you're working in clinical research, public health, or patient engagement—this conversation is packed with lessons on what real-world communication takes. ⏱️ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 00:52 What led you to join Health Literacy Media, and what need were you addressing? 03:31 What's changed in health communication since 2009? 05:52 What are the biggest challenges in patient education today? 08:34 How is AI creating new challenges for health literacy? 11:22 Why audience testing is critical for effective health communication 13:20 How do you decide between live-action vs. animation in patient education? 16:04 How do you adapt messaging across pharma, providers, and different communities? 18:46 Why do some health systems still fail at communication and literacy? 24:18 A success story: Redesigning clinical trial consent with a global pharma company 30:30 What's next for Health Literacy Media, and how can organizations connect? 🔑 Highlights: "One challenge has been constant—and it's that everyone thinks they communicate well." Why empathy is non-negotiable for patient education that sticks The dangers of using AI to replace audience-tested content What a real consent form makeover looks like Why animated video often beats live action—for inclusion, not cost alone 👉 Learn more about Health Literacy Media: https://www.healthliteracy.media 🔔 Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more conversations with standout voices in U.S. healthcare & life sciences: https://www.youtube.com/@HealthTech2Care #PatientEducation #HealthLiteracy #HealthCommunication #ClinicalTrials #ContentDesign #EmpathyInHealth #HealthTech2Care