AI in Healthcare Marketing: Moving Beyond Iteration to Transformation

Do you approach AI adoption like Edison? Or like Einstein? Save the date for “AI in Healthcare Marketing Week” — December 8-12 — free for hospital and health system marketers.

// By Jane Weber Brubaker //

Thomas Edison, inventor of the light bulb, the phonograph, and the movie camera once said, “I have not failed 10,000 times — I’ve successfully found 10,000 ways that will not work.”

Edison’s process of invention was incremental — test one variable at a time, if it doesn’t work, scratch it off the list and move on to the next experiment. 

Contrast that with Albert Einstein, whose “thought experiments” ultimately changed the way we view the universe. 

Many healthcare organizations today are in Edison mode when it comes to innovating with AI. But is that enough? Or does the explosive growth of AI demand an Einstein-style reimagining of what’s possible?

eHealthcare Strategy & Trends invites you to join us as we explore the vast transformational power of these new technologies during AI in Healthcare Marketing Week, a new virtual summit for healthcare marketers and digital strategists, December 8-12, 2025. 

Stephanie Wierwille, EVP, engagement at BPD

Stephanie Wierwille, EVP, engagement at BPD, Diamond Sponsor and Virtual Summit partner, coined the phrase “The Einstein Divide” to describe the paradigm shift. “Iteration is essential, but we’re not seeing enough Einsteins,” Wierwille says. “If all we do is automate existing systems, we’re just getting faster at running in place. And while we’re optimizing output, someone else will reinvent the entire game.”

Join our stellar lineup of industry thought leaders and learn how AI transforms Content Strategies, Data-Driven Marketing, Workflow Optimization, Enterprise Design, and more. 

AI Immersion

As we considered the focus for this virtual summit, it seemed obvious that the topic should be AI. But even as we began to map out the program, priorities shifted. We moved away from a tactical approach — tools to master, examples of how to use them, what to expect — to a larger vision for what AI means today and how it will shape future strategies in healthcare organizations.

The session descriptions below illustrate the scope and span of this immersive week of AI in healthcare marketing. Registration for the opening keynote gives you access to all sessions.

Day 1: Opening Keynote

Inside the Real-World AI Playbooks of Leading Health Systems

Artificial intelligence is transforming every aspect of healthcare, but what does that mean for marketing? For senior marketing leaders, the opportunity is about building strategies, structures, and scalable solutions that align with organizational priorities. This high-level session will kick off AI in Healthcare Marketing Week with candid insights from executives who are experimenting, learning, and laying the groundwork for meaningful AI integration at scale. These healthcare leaders will share how they are:

• Navigating the early stages of AI learning and adoption across their organizations
• Identifying strategic opportunities for AI in marketing workflows
• Aligning AI efforts with patient trust, brand values, and data governance
• Building internal literacy and cross-functional support
• Keeping the human element at the center of AI-driven strategies

Day 2: AI and Content Strategies
Incremental content improvements aren’t enough in today’s environment. AI opens the door to transformational strategies that go beyond efficiency, helping marketers reimagine how they connect with patients, families, and physicians. This session explores how to move past iteration and harness AI to reshape your content approach — especially as answer engines begin to change how consumers discover and consume health information.

• Accelerating content ideation, drafting, and optimization
• Personalizing messages for multiple audiences and channels
• Real-world examples of AI-assisted editorial workflows in health systems
• Adapting website strategies for the rise of AI-driven search and answer engines
• Governance and oversight—where humans must stay in control
• Strategies to boost productivity while maintaining brand voice and trust

Day 3: AI and Data-Driven Marketing Strategies
Data-driven marketing has always been about refining and optimizing. But AI makes it possible to jump from incremental insight to transformative intelligence. This session will show how marketers can rethink data strategies to align with enterprise growth and demonstrate impact at an entirely new scale.

• Turning CRM, EHR, and campaign data into marketing intelligence
• Using predictive modeling and segmentation to refine targeting
• Improving attribution and demonstrating ROI to leadership
• Aligning data insights with service line growth and patient acquisition goals
• Case examples of AI surfacing hidden patterns and next-best actions

A stellar lineup of industry thought leaders will share AI best practices, what they’ve learned so far, and how they see AI shaping the future.

Day 4: AI Agents and Workflow Optimization
With lean teams, marketers must find efficiencies in workflows, and AI agents can fundamentally change the game. These autonomous tools can free teams from repetitive tasks and unlock capacity for higher-value strategy and creativity. This session explores how to use AI agents speed up processes and transform how work gets done.

• Supporting campaign management and lead 
• Automating testing, reporting, and real-time engagement
• Integrating AI agents into existing MarTech stacks
• Oversight best practices—when to trust AI vs. when humans step in
• Examples of workflow automation that save time and improve efficiency

Day 5, Session 1: Enterprise Design for AI
Scaling AI responsibly requires more than incremental adoption of tools. It calls for a reimagined enterprise framework that positions AI as a driver of transformation. This session will explore how hospitals and health systems can design governance, infrastructure, and collaboration models that set the stage for innovation at scale.

• Building governance frameworks that ensure ethical, compliant use
• Designing data and technology infrastructure for AI readiness
• Creating cross-functional collaboration between marketing, IT, and compliance
• Aligning AI initiatives with brand trust and strategic goals
• Real-world insights from organizations moving beyond pilots to scale

Day 5, Session 2: Closing Keynote: The Einstein Divide

The closing keynote, The Einstein Divide, will challenge hospital and health system marketers to think beyond incremental improvements and consider what true transformation looks like.

• Why optimization alone isn’t enough in a rapidly evolving AI landscape
• How leading organizations are redefining their marketing strategies with AI
• The risks of “running faster in place” vs. the rewards of reinventing the game
• Visionary perspectives on where AI is taking healthcare marketing next

These forward-looking sessions will leave you inspired, informed, and equipped to take bold steps toward Einstein-level transformation in your own organization.

Jane Weber Brubaker is executive editor of Plain-English Health Care, a division of Plain-English Media. She directs editorial content for eHealthcare Strategy & Trends and Strategic Health Care Marketing, and is past chair of the eHealthcare Leadership Awards. Email her at jane@plainenglishmedia.com.