How Marketing Shapes Patient Experience

Part 5 of The Strategic Role of Patient Experience in Healthcare—a 5-Part Series on Patient Experience and Brand Strategy

Co-written by: Gretchen Werremeyer, President and CEO and Eluka Moore, Senior Marketing Leader and Brand Strategist

Many of the defining moments in a patient’s journey are driven by communication, design, and storytelling. It’s in these moments where marketing plays a pivotal role in promoting your brand, setting expectations, building trust, and setting the tone for the entire care experience.

It’s More Than a Message—It’s the Experience

A patient’s journey doesn’t start when they walk through your door. It often begins at a moment of uncertainty, like first noticing symptoms or realizing the need for care. That moment of awareness leads to searching online, reading reviews, scanning websites. And long before they speak to anyone, they’ve already started forming an opinion about your organization. 

Experience Happens Everywhere

First impressions often come from your website, an ad, or Google search results. That’s why your PX strategy must include every branded, digital, and educational touchpoint—before, during, and after care. The ease of navigating a website. The clarity of the discharge instructions and after-visit summary. The tone of a follow-up email. These aren’t peripheral details. They are the experience.

Knowing how you communicate is just as important as what you communicate. And this is where we do our best work. At Werremeyer, we help healthcare providers translate complex care journeys into intuitive, on-brand, and emotionally supportive experiences. Whether we’re redesigning a website, crafting a content strategy, or rethinking how printed materials reinforce brand trust, our goal is always the same: clarity and connection.

Because when patients feel informed, supported, and seen at every step—they trust you more. And trust? That’s the real differentiator.

Your Story is Part of the Care You Provide

Healthcare marketing is flooded with templated messaging and overly polished “success stories.” We get it—HCPs are stretched thin. Most teams don’t have a dedicated marketing department, let alone the time or resources to develop custom campaigns. And ready-made templates, stock photos, and boilerplate messaging help “get the job done.”

But while those off-the-shelf solutions can check a box, they don’t build the kind of emotional connection that moves people to act. Real patient experience is deeply human. And humans are drawn to what feels real—and relatable.

That’s what makes honest storytelling so powerful. It helps patients feel seen. It builds trust before a single appointment is made. And it shows that your organization doesn’t just deliver care—it cares for people.

The most effective stories reflect the real people you serve. Not just idealized versions, but honest voices of patients, families, and caregivers sharing what care felt like, and the small moments that made all the difference along the way.

As Maya Angelou put it, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” That’s the heart of patient experience. And it’s why the stories you tell matter just as much as the care you provide.

We work closely with clients to uncover those authentic stories and move beyond the generic. We help shape them into narratives that reflect your values, connect emotionally, and reinforce your brand. It’s not about perfection. It’s about being real. And when a story connects, it lingers.

Designing What Trust Looks Like

Whether we like it or not, first impressions have a huge impact on how a business is perceived.

If your website is slow, confusing, or looks outdated, patients begin forming doubts. Studies show that patients form a first impression of a brand within 50 milliseconds, and they often equate visual design with quality of service.

Design is more than aesthetics—it’s reassurance. The look and feel of your printed materials, website, and social media send powerful cues: Am I in the right place? Do they care about people like me? Can I trust them? Design can reduce anxiety, improve follow-through, and help patients and caregivers feel more in control during vulnerable moments.

We believe design is more than decoration, it’s rooted in empathy. That’s why the digital and physical touchpoints we design support the brand and the person using them. That means mobile-first experiences that are intuitive, and printed materials that are clear, helpful, and human. Consistency across those moments is what builds confidence in your brand. It’s what builds trust.

Marketing Your Care

Healthcare marketing isn’t just a support function—it’s a patient experience function. Every touchpoint is part of the experience. Every word, every image, every screen or printed page sends a message—not just about the care you provide, but about how you care. And when it’s done right, it builds trust, eases uncertainty, and helps people feel just a little more seen in the moments they need it most.

At Werremeyer, we’ve helped healthcare organizations elevate their brand through storytelling, design, and communication that puts people first.

If you’re ready for your marketing and design to live up to the exceptional care you provide, we’d love to help.

Schedule a quick consult.