6 ways to improve patient experience through storytelling and data

In healthcare, good marketing connects with people to ensure they understand what services might be right for them and how organizations understand what matters most to their customers. 

But how do we achieve this? 

For Virtua Health, storytelling is their language to support those connections, simplifying values and understanding people in memorable and lasting ways.

During a recent Becker’s Hospital Review podcast, two prominent healthcare leaders, Ryan Younger of Virtua Health and June Captain of NRC Health, discussed how creating Human Understanding–focused experiences with patients has been successful at Virtua Health. 

This blog outlines six strategies for improving patient experience using storytelling and data.

Interested in learning more? Listen to the full episode.

Storytelling is a powerful way to connect emotionally with both patients and staff. Sharing mission-driven stories strengthens purpose and creates a culture of empathy within the organization.

At Virtua Health, leaders open meetings with stories that reflect the organization’s values and inspire team members. 

Ryan Younger notes, “Our leaders share stories in every meeting. It helps simplify the values we embrace and supports personal connections in very human ways.”

June Captain says, “These stories really help to humanize the experience. It works on both sides of the stethoscope.”

Healthcare organizations can also highlight patient and caregiver successes. Promote inspiring narratives on internal forums or in newsletters to foster staff motivation while showcasing the impact of their work.

And use stories externally. Share patient testimonials and care team narratives on your website and social platforms to humanize your brand.

Why it works

Patients are more likely to remember a healthcare provider and recommend them when they have a memorable experience. Stories help showcase the dedication and empathy that are often hidden behind clinical roles.

However, data also plays a crucial role in this process. It provides clarity on how patients perceive their care and highlights opportunities for improvement. 

By combining the power of storytelling with the insights from data, healthcare organizations can create a more empathetic and effective patient experience. 

NRC Health prioritizes this with their key question, “Did everyone treat you as a unique person?”

Start to develop unifying metrics. Use questions like the one above to measure how well your team delivers personalized care. 

June Captain shared how this question ties directly to loyalty, observing that patients who feel treated as unique individuals are “12 times more likely to promote a provider.”

Regularly review patient survey responses to identify areas that require attention and track improvements over time.

Then, integrate results into performance dashboards. 

At Virtua Health, patient experience metrics such as Net Promoter Scores are included in dashboards and incentivize leaders to drive improvements.Why it works
By gathering focused, actionable feedback, organizations can better understand patients’ needs and improve how they deliver care at critical touchpoints.

Improving patient experience requires a big-picture view of every interaction a patient has with your healthcare system. This includes both in-person and digital touchpoints.

Collaborate across teams to map out patient pain points during scheduling, in-office visits, and post-treatment follow-ups. 

June Captain suggests focusing not only on the immediate patient experience but also on the next steps in their care. 

“Care teams should constantly ask, ‘How is my interaction making it better for my colleague tomorrow or for the patient’s next touchpoint?’” she explains.

Both Ryan and June emphasized one critical point – the patient experience is everyone’s job. From clinicians to IT staff, security to administrators, every single team member plays a role in shaping the patient’s perception of care.

“Everybody’s part of the experience,” said Younger. “It’s culture and brand where everyone makes an impression and has an impact.”

Try testing the journey yourself. Experience your processes as a patient would—from booking to billing—to identify obstacles firsthand.

Why it works
Mapping helps organizations create an empathetic experience across the continuum of care, building loyalty and satisfaction.

Collecting data is only the first step. The real value lies in using that data to implement changes that improve patient care and build human connections.

Explore data from multiple sources. Virtua Health gathers patient feedback through surveys, third-party reviews, and even social media platforms. “We complete about 300,000 to 350,000 surveys annually, plus social media listening and Google reviews,” said Younger.

Virtua is “heart-wired” and has translated metrics into action. “We’re really helping to amplify the voice of the consumer as one of the groups that listens and seeks to understand what matters most to people,” says Younger

Use tools and partners like NRC Health to identify themes in patient feedback and develop specific action plans to address them.

Share findings with team members and involve them in creating solutions to enhance the care experience.

Why it works

Meaningful change unfolds when data is used to create empathy, inspire action, and provide measurable improvements in care delivery.

Empathy shouldn’t be limited to the bedside. It needs to be embedded in every interaction across the organization, both patient-facing and internal.

From clinicians to receptionists, everyone benefits from learning how to engage compassionately with patients and colleagues.

Adopt the ‘Everybody, Always’ mindset. Younger highlights Virtua Health’s organizational mantra, which reinforces that excellent care must happen for “everybody, always,” with no exceptions.

Celebrate team members who go above and beyond to ensure every patient feels respected and valued.

Why it works
When empathy becomes an integral part of an organization’s DNA, it fosters an environment where both patients and employees thrive.

Patient experience improvements will only be successful with buy-in from leadership.

Leaders must champion empathy-focused initiatives and align them with the organization’s overall goals.

Leaders should visibly support patient experience and human understanding initiatives, providing both resources and accountability. 

June Captain emphasizes the importance of leadership commitment, stating, “Demonstrating that human understanding is essential for success starts with leaders.”

Follow Virtua Health’s lead in incorporating patient experience metrics into executive incentives and departmental objectives.

Define what success looks like and share this vision broadly so everyone stays aligned.

Why it works
Strong leadership ensures a cohesive effort, enabling staff at every level to work toward a shared goal of outstanding care.

By implementing these six strategies, healthcare organizations can enhance care delivery, foster stronger staff engagement, and establish lasting trust with patients.

Ryan Younger’s advice rings true as a call to action for healthcare providers everywhere. “Patients not only demand it, they deserve it.” 

“Everybody’s part of the experience, culture, and brand—everyone makes an impression and has an impact,” he says. “Focus on creating memorable stories to show the impact you have.”

Today, healthcare organizations have the tools, data, and human stories to step up and deliver on this promise of care.

The time to act is now.

Interested in learning more? Listen to the full episode.

Editor’s note: This article was originally published in October 2023 and has since been updated for comprehensiveness.