Why 90s Tactics Are Beating AI in Healthcare PR

The healthcare technology market is oversaturated with automated content and digital noise, making it increasingly difficult for brands to establish genuine authority. PR professionals can help but only if they remember tried-and-true strategies like building relationships with trusted media and going to events to meet influencers in-person. Beth Friedman, Senior Partner and Molly Health Account Executive at FINN Partners sat down with Swaay.Health to discuss success factors for today’s healthcare PR professionals. They highlighted several what’s-old-is-new-again strategies that can cut through the overwhelming wave of AI generated content and outreach. What This Conversation Revealed In healthcare PR human connection means more than simulated familiarity that is inherent with automated blast outreach AI is increasing content volume while quietly raising the bar for credibility Visibility alone no longer signals authority. Proof now happens in public Operationalizing Human Connections Success in healthcare PR requires a long-term relationship strategy. Friedman notes that practitioners must understand the specific value of maintaining these connections over decades rather than quarters. This is particularly critical in a sector where the industry is small and reputations are built on consistency. To achieve this, according to Friedman, organizations should focus on: In-Person Credibility: Engaging directly with journalists and peers at conferences provides a proof point that AI-generated content cannot replicate. Mentor-Led Networking: Junior staff benefit from “buddying up” with veterans during media tours to inherit established trust and learn the nuances of the sector. Authoritative Earned Media: Securing placements with trusted media and influential sources acts as a strategic filter for buyers who rely on authoritative voices. Friedman shared how FINN Partners prioritizes in-person relationship building: “Twice a year, we do media tours. We go out and we have lunch, breakfast, coffee or dinner with editors and journalists. I always bring one of our new employees with me to build those relationships and from then on, they can build it in their own way.” Audience Matters “You as a brand need to remember who your audience is, what are you looking to tell them? What is your story?,” said Heath. “You can have all of these publications telling your story, but if they don’t reach the audience that you’re looking to tell your story to, it’s not going to matter.” Put another way, chasing vanity metrics like opens, clicks, views, and likes are meaningless if those metrics are not with an audience you are seeking. Furthermore, even the right audience consumes information differently; Friedman noted that while she prints articles to read on a plane, her colleagues may prefer video . To capture attention effectively, organizations must diversify their content modalities—ensuring the message lands whether the stakeholder is a reader or a viewer. In a healthcare IT market defined by long sales cycles, trust is the ultimate currency. While AI can scale outreach, it cannot replace the verified credibility earned through decades of relationship maintenance and in-person presence – two things that successful PR professionals understand. What Healthcare Marketing Leaders Are Asking How do we prove PR value when leadership expects measurable ROI? PR impact in healthcare often shows up indirectly through deal velocity, analyst validation, and executive credibility rather than immediate lead attribution. Leaders are shifting from asking “Did it convert?” to “Did it move trust forward?” Are conferences still worth the investment in a digital-first marketing world? For many organizations, events now serve less as awareness plays and more as credibility checkpoints. Face-to-face interactions can shorten trust cycles with buyers, partners, and media in ways digital campaigns rarely replicate. How do we prioritize channels when there are more outlets than ever? The question is shifting from “Where can we place this?” to “Where does our audience actually look for authority?” Leaders are focusing on trusted voices, niche publications, and formats aligned with how their buyers prefer to consume information. Learn more about FINN Partners at https://www.finnpartners.com/