A pattern that keeps emerging across these interviews is that healthcare organizations struggle when confusion outpaces clarity. And it is clarity, not innovation alone, that ultimately drives trust.
Below are selected insights from my conversation with Victor Reiss, Interim Chief Communications and Marketing Officer at UNC Health.
On the foundation of effective healthcare communication
“We always start with the why, and the patient is the why. If the story does not resonate with our teammates or they don’t understand it, then it is going to land flat.”
He emphasizes the importance of plain language, internal alignment first, and ensuring communication is understood at every level before it reaches patients and communities.
On AI and smarter healthcare communication
“We don’t call it AI, we call it smarter technology, because language matters in healthcare.”
He describes an approach grounded in fairness, accountability, and trust, with a focus on simplifying information, guiding patients, and ensuring inclusion as healthcare systems increasingly rely on digital tools.
On the risk of exclusion in healthcare innovation
“We are competing for inclusion. If we don’t structure our content in a way that machines and systems can understand, we will be left out.”
He notes that healthcare communication now has to work for both people and the systems that shape access to information.
On building trust through presence
“Your brand means nothing if you are not willing to engage the community.”
He points to real-world engagement, such as crisis response and community presence, as the foundation of trust, not campaigns or advertising.
In crisis moments, people don’t remember messaging. They remember whether the organization showed up.
On communications as a strategic capability
“Communications is not just a support function. It is a strategic capability.”
He explains that clarity and coherence are becoming competitive advantages in healthcare, especially as systems grow more complex and transformation efforts increase.
Incoherence, he notes, is not just inefficient. It is a strategic vulnerability.
On meaning over messaging
“Patients and caregivers do not want more information. They want meaning.”
He emphasizes that effective communication is not about volume or messaging density, but about helping people understand what information actually means for their lives.
What stood out most in this conversation is how often trust in healthcare is not built by what is said, but by what is understood. As systems grow more complex, communication shifts from broadcasting information to creating clarity people can act on. The organizations that will lead in the next era of healthcare are not those with the most messages, but those with the most coherent meaning.
Originally published as part of my Healthcare Leadership Operating System interview series.