In the evolving landscape of healthcare, communication has become more than a supporting function—it’s a bridge that connects innovation, empathy, and community trust. At CHI St. Vincent, this bridge is built and strengthened under the leadership of Bonnie Ward, the Market Director of Marketing and Communications, whose visionary approach has been redefining how healthcare systems engage with patients, caregivers, and communities.
For Bonnie, strategic communication in healthcare has entered a transformative era. “Consumers are interacting with healthcare brands much more like they do retail brands such as Amazon or Walmart,” she explains. “They want to select providers and surgical specialties based on the ability to get in quickly and conveniently.”
This evolution in consumer behavior, particularly among Millennials and younger generations, has shifted expectations dramatically. Where older generations often displayed hospital loyalty, today’s patients are looking for speed, transparency, and accessibility—hallmarks of the retail experience. This shift has pushed healthcare marketers, including Bonnie’s team, to adapt rapidly. “This retail-style interaction with patients has challenged marketers and strategists to adopt online capabilities for scheduling much sooner than it naturally would have occurred,” she notes. “Healthcare has historically not adopted digital innovation as quickly as other business sectors.”
Through this lens, Bonnie sees communication not just as a tool but as a responsibility—one that balances technological advancement with the deeply human essence of care.
Anchoring Innovation in Mission and Compassion
At CHI St. Vincent, a faith-based organization and part of one of the nation’s largest Catholic healthcare systems, mission and purpose are inseparable from strategy. Bonnie emphasizes that every initiative begins and ends with the organization’s core values.
“When you are part of the nation’s largest Catholic faith-based healthcare systems, like St. Vincent is, mission is at the forefront of every conversation,” she says. “Our mission of expanding access to care and serving those who are most vulnerable leads us to look at where healthcare is lacking in the community so we can bridge the gap for our patients.”
Bonnie’s perspective embodies the dual lens of a strategist and a servant leader. Her approach ensures that marketing decisions are grounded not only in growth metrics but also in social responsibility. “Mission also drives strategists to maximize our investments to ensure our growth opportunities make the most sense—both from a return-on-investment standpoint and from an access standpoint. Marketers and strategists have to work together to vet opportunities that make sense and also fulfill our obligation to humanity.”
For Bonnie, the goal is to ensure that marketing is never detached from the mission—it’s a vehicle for fulfilling it.
The Power of Data-Driven Storytelling
In an era dominated by analytics and automation, Bonnie maintains a clear conviction: data and storytelling are not separate forces—they are symbiotic.
“It is interesting to me that strategists and marketers talk about data and storytelling as two separate decision-making processes,” she shares. “I mentor my team to understand that your data should be driving the stories you tell, and for that matter, not to tell.”
Her philosophy transforms raw numbers into narratives that resonate deeply with communities. For instance, Bonnie explains how data can reveal patterns that help save lives. “Data tells us that there is a seasonality that can be tracked for several procedures, including aneurysms, due to factors such as temperature change and barometric pressure,” she says. “As marketers, we can use this data to ensure that the stories shared leading up to this seasonality are about knowing where to go in an emergency, signs of small brain bleeds, or what symptoms to watch for if you are traveling.”
Through this approach, CHI St. Vincent transforms statistics into storytelling with purpose—turning awareness campaigns into life-saving education. “Using data that is at a marketer’s fingertips strengthens consumer needs with community education,” Bonnie emphasizes.
Making Healthcare Communication Accessible to All
Healthcare marketing, at its heart, must speak the language of its audience. For Bonnie, this means ensuring clarity, accessibility, and trust across every communication channel.
“In Arkansas, the average reading level is about 8th grade,” she explains. “That is why we are diligent about ensuring patient educational materials, videos, Google search terms, and signage are all understandable at that reading level.”
But accessibility isn’t just about simplification—it’s about inclusion and collaboration. CHI St. Vincent actively engages patients to refine communication strategies. “We also interact with local patients through a patient experience team to showcase these types of materials and welcome feedback,” she says. “The key is to not work in silos but to garner feedback through small groups or focus groups and actually reflect your learnings in all that you do.”
This open, feedback-driven approach has allowed CHI St. Vincent to build genuine relationships with the community, reinforcing the organization’s identity as both a healthcare provider and a trusted neighbor.
Honesty and Integrity as the Foundation of Brand Trust
Leadership, especially in healthcare marketing, is often tested during moments of change. For Bonnie, one such moment came in 2017, when CHI St. Vincent made the difficult decision to discontinue labor and delivery services.
“My small but mighty marketing team at St. Vincent knows that my number one priority is honest communication—even with challenging information that you may have to share,” she recalls. “When our health system made the hard decision to no longer offer labor and delivery, we took an honest media approach.”
What made this approach exceptional was the organization’s choice to collaborate with a competitor. “This approach even included us openly partnering with a competitor of ours who had the strongest labor and delivery program in the area so we ensured no lapse of care for our patients or employees,” she explains.
The transparency paid off. “While we were met with some negative commentary, the support for our decision was overwhelmingly positive due to our transparency. The integrity of your brand must be reflected consistently or it falls short. Consumers are savvy and know when something is genuine.”
This philosophy has become a cornerstone of Bonnie’s leadership: authenticity builds credibility, and credibility sustains trust.
A Campaign with Heart: “A View from the Bed”
Among Bonnie’s proudest accomplishments is a campaign that perfectly embodies her belief in the power of storytelling: “A View from the Bed: A Patient’s Perspective.”
“I definitely feel blessed to be able to do what I love in the best field imaginable! No day is ever the same,” she says warmly. The idea for the podcast came after the height of COVID-19, when healthcare systems were facing a slow return to patient visits. Bonnie saw an opportunity to re-engage the community through authentic voices.
“I pulled my team together and we brainstormed a virtual ‘word-of-mouth’ campaign through this podcast,” she recalls. “No doctors are ever on the podcast. Instead, it is patients talking about the good, bad, and in-between of their diagnosis, treatment, and recovery. These patients are inspirational! They laugh and cry while knowing their story might help the next individual facing the same diagnosis.”
The response was overwhelmingly positive. “I never could have imagined how incredibly accepting our community would be of this podcast. Last year, it won eHealthcare’s Best Healthcare Podcast for 2024. We have over 5,000 video views each year just from 12 new podcast episodes.”
For Bonnie and her team, this campaign became more than a communication tool—it became a bridge of empathy and empowerment. “Hands down, it’s a fun and life-altering campaign,” she reflects.
Empowering Teams through Balance and Trust
Bonnie’s leadership philosophy extends beyond strategy—it’s deeply rooted in empathy for her team. She believes innovation thrives when people feel balanced, valued, and inspired.
“My team is so dynamic! Some days they probably empower me more than I do them,” she says with a smile. “They know that I consistently encourage life-work balance and ask them to leave work at work (when they can, of course) and to be present when at work.”
She practices what she preaches. “I’m not sending them after-hour emails or text messages about work over things that aren’t emergencies. We’re in healthcare after all and never close! Everything can’t always be an emergency. This life balance allows my team to refill their internal power banks so they have the energy to bring the best ideas and most positive spirits.”
It’s a leadership style built on mutual respect—one that recognizes that creative excellence is fueled by emotional well-being.
Listening to the Patient’s Voice
At CHI St. Vincent, the patient’s voice is not a metric—it’s a guide. Bonnie and her team ensure that feedback is embedded into every marketing and communication decision.
“My team incorporates patient and employee feedback into every aspect of what we do,” she explains. “Sometimes it is easy to forget that our employees are also our patients and often have the best insight because they know how a process or experience is supposed to go.”
The team leverages multiple feedback channels—from focus groups and social media comments to direct messages and annual surveys. “Google reviews are also an amazing repository of feedback we capitalize on because it is in real-time and doesn’t cost anything to access it.”
This real-time listening helps the organization stay responsive and relevant, strengthening both brand reputation and patient trust.
The Role of AI and Emerging Technologies in Healthcare Marketing
As the intersection of biotech and communication grows, technology is reshaping how healthcare organizations listen, engage, and educate. Bonnie views AI as a tool of enhancement, not replacement.
“We are already seeing AI influencing how marketing occurs, whether it is through audience listening on our social media channels or taking video transcripts and having AI help turn them into blog posts,” she explains. “As a strategist or marketer, you should never lean on AI to replace your knowledge but leverage it when it makes sense.”
AI also offers new opportunities for personalization. “AI can help create personalized medicine for marketing teams so you can more easily group types of patients together,” she says. “This not only allows for a more meaningful patient interaction but ensures you aren’t sending unwanted information to consumers who don’t want it.”
For Bonnie, the future of healthcare marketing lies in the balance—where technology empowers human connection, not overshadows it.
Wisdom for the Next Generation of Healthcare Leaders
As one of the most impactful voices in healthcare marketing, Bonnie has a message for emerging professionals navigating this dynamic field.
“In today’s healthcare landscape, it is imperative to continue learning every day to remain relevant,” she advises. “Strategies and marketing plans are only as successful as the current trends, data available, and consumer need.”
She encourages openness and cross-industry learning. “Don’t be afraid to look into other successful industries for ideas either. If a strategy or campaign can work in a retail environment, consumers likely will respond well in healthcare if it adds convenience to their lives.”
Bonnie adds a note of practicality and integrity: “Of course, always run ideas by your compliance officer to ensure privacy policies are met. But never be afraid to ask the question because it might just prove to be your best campaign yet.”
Conclusion
Bonnie Ward’s leadership at CHI St. Vincent exemplifies how communication, when guided by empathy and purpose, can transform not just how organizations speak—but how they serve.
In an era where healthcare feels increasingly digital and transactional, she reminds us that authenticity, compassion, and human stories remain the heart of every successful strategy. Through her work, Bonnie continues to inspire a new generation of healthcare leaders to innovate boldly, communicate transparently, and always lead with heart.