If the only certainty is change, what is the business of healthcare changing into?
According to conference organizer John Lynn, the editor and co-founder of Swaay.Health, more than 350 healthcare marketing professionals from across the United States gathered in Foxborough, Massachusetts, to examine that issue
The gathering was the Swaay Health LIVE 2026 conference, a three-day event that spotlighted innovation, collaboration, and evolving strategies in the healthcare communications space.
The 2026 conference comes at a time of significant change in healthcare and health IT communications, as organizations increasingly rely on digital platforms, data analytics, and personalized messaging to engage patients and stakeholders. The event addressed these shifts head-on, offering guidance for professionals navigating a complex and competitive landscape.
“AI is well and good, but there is potential for over-reliance on it, instead of authentic storytelling,” said Kwami Ngaojia of Beard & Bowler, a New Jersey-based commercial filmmaker who produces mini-documentaries on patient testimonials for healthcare and medical technology companies. “Some marketers struggle with finding their message and real impact.”
“Another huge trend in this age of AI is the growing impact of building authority of voice, not just for the company but for executives too,” said Beth Friedman, the senior partner heading up health IT at NYC-based Finn Partners. “As large language model AI machines are looking for people in the know, they look for the right experience, expertise, and presence.”
Hosted by Swaay Health, the event emphasized practical insights over traditional keynote formats. Attendees participated in interactive sessions, including workshops, debates, and collaborative discussions designed to deliver real-world strategies rather than theoretical concepts.
Naturally, the continued transformation of healthcare and medical technology was a prime focus of speakers and exhibitors.
“Clients talk about the resource constraints of doing more with less,” said Sally Mildren, CEO of New Mexico-based Commonwell Marketing. “We need to focus on doing better with less.”
The conference featured a broad mix of participants, including executives, marketers, agency professionals, and healthcare innovators. The event draws from a community of more than 12,000 professionals and serves as a central meeting point for decision-makers across hospitals, health systems, and health technology firms.
Held April 29 through May 1 at the MEDITECH Corporate Center just outside Boston, the annual conference brought together leaders in healthcare marketing, healthcare IT, public relations, and communications for what organizers describe as one of the industry’s most dynamic gatherings.
“I am an optimist, and I see healthcare problems getting solved with better revenue management and improved cost of technology,” said Tim Busche, co-founder of Michigan -based Envision Health. “This is a watershed moment with innovation happening in America, and other countries will benefit from it.”
Busche’s partner, former nurse Kelley Smith, who advocates for more emphasis on understanding the patient experience, applauded the event’s opening keynote by entrepreneur and diabetes patient Anna McCollister,
Patient experience was also on the mind of Ben Cash, the CEO of Digital One, a South Carolina digital agency serving health systems. According to Cash, many health systems are worried about the wrong technologies and are overlooking the fundamental patient desires.
“In the struggle to bring great change, health systems are missing the fundamentals, like allowing patients to schedule appointments online,” said Cash.
Technology innovator Shahid Shah is concerned about the roadblocks to technological progress. He said he regularly sees companies use “buying consortiums” of 18-20 decision-makers, and finding the real decision-makers is a real challenge.
“The buying cycle for complex technology is growing,” said Shah, a fractional healthcare CTO from the Washington, DC area. “Companies are more hesitant to buy because they think they can build it for themselves.”
Industry leaders and marketing executives served as speakers and panelists, sharing case studies, lessons learned, and forward-looking insights. Generally, the event was praised for the emphasis on authenticity and practical value, with attendees citing career growth and new partnerships as key outcomes.
Henry DeVries is a former Forbes columnist who has ghostwritten, co-authored, or edited more than 200 business books, including the international bestseller, How to Close a Deal Like Warren Buffett, and is the chief book strategist at Indie Books International.
Henry DeVries
CEO (Chief Encouragement Officer)
Indie Books International
619-540-3031 (mobile)
Please note new mailing address:
2511 Woodlands Way, Oceanside, CA 92054
Former columnist, Forbes.com (www.forbes.com/sites/henrydevries)
Now senior.staff writer California Business Journal /
Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/henryjdevries
Author of the Marketing With A Book For Agency Owners.
Author of Rainmaker Confidential, Marketing With A Book, Bringing In the Business, Persuade With a Story! and How To Close A Deal Like Warren Buffett.
Copyright © 2026 California Business Journal. All Rights Reserved.
For California Business Journal Disclaimers, go to /terms-conditions/.
