How do you get a healthcare innovation into the media?
How do you get a healthcare innovation into the media?
Rob Lagendijk
Rob Lagendijk
27 July 2026
A healthcare innovation can be clinically relevant, technically strong and genuinely useful without automatically being news. For the organisation behind a new platform, treatment, device or care model, the launch often feels important. A journalist looks at the same moment differently.
A healthcare innovation can be clinically relevant, technically strong and genuinely useful without automatically being news. For the organisation behind a new platform, treatment, device or care model, the launch often feels important. A journalist looks at the same moment differently.
The question is not primarily what you have built. It is why readers, viewers or listeners should care now. What bigger problem does the innovation reveal? Who is affected? What changes in practice? And how certain are the claims?
The question is not primarily what you have built. It is why readers, viewers or listeners should care now. What bigger problem does the innovation reveal? Who is affected? What changes in practice? And how certain are the claims?
News starts with the problem, not the innovation
News starts with the problem, not the innovation
Most healthtech communication starts with the solution: a platform, algorithm, device or partnership. Features are explained, followed by words such as unique or groundbreaking. But technology is rarely the story on its own.
Most healthtech communication starts with the solution: a platform, algorithm, device or partnership. Features are explained, followed by words such as unique or groundbreaking. But technology is rarely the story on its own.
The story starts with a patient waiting too long for appropriate care, a professional losing time to administration, a diagnostic gap or a group that cannot access existing services. Only when that problem becomes concrete does the innovation gain meaning.
The story starts with a patient waiting too long for appropriate care, a professional losing time to administration, a diagnostic gap or a group that cannot access existing services. Only when that problem becomes concrete does the innovation gain meaning.
A digital platform can become news when there is credible evidence that it reduces waiting time, improves access, changes clinical workflow or gives patients a meaningful new option.
A digital platform can become news when there is credible evidence that it reduces waiting time, improves access, changes clinical workflow or gives patients a meaningful new option.
Credibility requires evidence and boundaries
Credibility requires evidence and boundaries
Claims in healthcare are scrutinised for good reason. Statements about better outcomes, lower costs, reduced workload or earlier detection directly affect trust among patients, professionals and executives.
Claims in healthcare are scrutinised for good reason. Statements about better outcomes, lower costs, reduced workload or earlier detection directly affect trust among patients, professionals and executives.
Not every young innovation has large-scale clinical evidence. That does not make media attention impossible. It does require precision. A pilot is a pilot. An expectation is not a demonstrated result. A positive patient story can be valuable without proving effectiveness for a wider population.
Not every young innovation has large-scale clinical evidence. That does not make media attention impossible. It does require precision. A pilot is a pilot. An expectation is not a demonstrated result. A positive patient story can be valuable without proving effectiveness for a wider population.
A company that clearly distinguishes what is proven, what is plausible and what still needs research often comes across as stronger.
A company that clearly distinguishes what is proven, what is plausible and what still needs research often comes across as stronger.
Data only works when people understand what it means
Data only works when people understand what it means
Research, usage data and operational results give a story substance. But numbers become meaningful when they show what changes in daily life.
Research, usage data and operational results give a story substance. But numbers become meaningful when they show what changes in daily life.
A patient who needs fewer hospital visits, a GP who can identify risk earlier or a caregiver who gains a clearer overview makes the relevance tangible. A credible case also includes friction: what was difficult, what had to be adjusted and for whom does the solution work less well?
A patient who needs fewer hospital visits, a GP who can identify risk earlier or a caregiver who gains a clearer overview makes the relevance tangible. A credible case also includes friction: what was difficult, what had to be adjusted and for whom does the solution work less well?
Timing matters more than launch day
Timing matters more than launch day
Many organisations assume the launch is automatically the best media moment. Often it is not. A healthcare innovation may become more relevant when regulation changes, political debate develops, new research is published or a wider societal problem becomes urgent.
Many organisations assume the launch is automatically the best media moment. Often it is not. A healthcare innovation may become more relevant when regulation changes, political debate develops, new research is published or a wider societal problem becomes urgent.
Good PR requires timing as well as content. Sometimes waiting is the stronger media strategy.
Good PR requires timing as well as content. Sometimes waiting is the stronger media strategy.
The right pitch depends on the journalist
The right pitch depends on the journalist
National news, healthcare trade media, business press, technology media and regional outlets do not evaluate the same story in the same way. A generic email to hundreds of journalists ignores those differences.
National news, healthcare trade media, business press, technology media and regional outlets do not evaluate the same story in the same way. A generic email to hundreds of journalists ignores those differences.
Sometimes the best format is not a press release. It may be an interview with a medical expert, founder, patient or healthcare executive, a background conversation, an opinion piece, a practice visit or an exclusive pitch.
Sometimes the best format is not a press release. It may be an interview with a medical expert, founder, patient or healthcare executive, a background conversation, an opinion piece, a practice visit or an exclusive pitch.
Prepare the criticism before the coverage
Prepare the criticism before the coverage
Media attention increases scrutiny as well as visibility. Healthtech and MedTech companies can expect questions about privacy, medical responsibility, accessibility, reimbursement, evidence and commercial interests.
Media attention increases scrutiny as well as visibility. Healthtech and MedTech companies can expect questions about privacy, medical responsibility, accessibility, reimbursement, evidence and commercial interests.
Before outreach, the organisation should know which claims are defensible, which risks it recognises, who remains responsible and who can speak credibly. Being able to say what does not yet work often creates more trust than turning every challenge into a sales message.
Before outreach, the organisation should know which claims are defensible, which risks it recognises, who remains responsible and who can speak credibly. Being able to say what does not yet work often creates more trust than turning every challenge into a sales message.
Can the story carry the attention?
Can the story carry the attention?
If you claim patient-centred innovation, were patients actually involved? If you claim reduced workload, what do professionals experience in practice? If you claim more control for users, are data use, accessibility and responsibility transparent?
If you claim patient-centred innovation, were patients actually involved? If you claim reduced workload, what do professionals experience in practice? If you claim more control for users, are data use, accessibility and responsibility transparent?
Publicity magnifies whatever is already present. A healthcare innovation earns attention when a journalist can see why the development is relevant, verifiable and meaningful.
Publicity magnifies whatever is already present. A healthcare innovation earns attention when a journalist can see why the development is relevant, verifiable and meaningful.
The most useful question before approaching the press is therefore not: how do we get media coverage? It is: do we have a story that can carry the attention?
The most useful question before approaching the press is therefore not: how do we get media coverage? It is: do we have a story that can carry the attention?
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