Perspectives on the forces shaping health
Reservoir Health experts share analysis and ideas on the dynamics shaping health care decisions.
Reservoir Health experts share analysis and ideas on the dynamics shaping health care decisions.
Health care decisions are shaped by policy, evidence, trust, market dynamics, public debate, and individual experiences of patients and stakeholders. We share our perspectives to help leaders make sense of those forces and identify what to do next.
Clarity in Complexity: Effective Communications Across the Product Lifecycle
Innovation in the life sciences is constantly evolving. But every major stakeholder — patients, caregivers, advocates, investors, clinicians, policymakers, payers — continues to ask some version of the same questions:
What does this innovation mean, why does it matter, and what should we do with it?
Answering those questions is a corporate imperative, particularly in today’s health care environment defined by scrutiny, fragmentation, and competition. A company’s ability to effectively define and position its innovation can ultimately help shape whether that innovation is trusted, valued, accessible, and adopted.
Every company operates within a complex stakeholder ecosystem that includes distinct audiences with different needs:
Against these demands, the strongest communications approach is translatable across audiences, grounded in science, and calibrated for the market dynamics that shape patient access.
Life sciences companies generate enormous amounts of information: preclinical and clinical data, lived experience data, patient preferences, clinician behaviors, health economics analyses, real-world evidence, market research, commercial adoption, and more.
The communications challenge is to turn this information into meaning so that it can be understood, contextualized, and acted upon. The strongest communications functions often position themselves as a “translator” across the enterprise — aligning every function around a clear, resonant story of unmet need, clinical benefit and value to patients, families, and society.
Crafting an effective, cohesive story across this complexity is the core challenge for an enterprise. And this is where communications can be the difference between innovation that is promising and innovation that is trusted, valued, and accessible to the people it is designed to serve.
Every stage of the product life cycle comes with different communications challenges. Communications must be an enterprise integrator connecting diverse perspectives a coherent narrative that proactively address these challenges:
Product lifecycle stages present new questions, new audiences, and new decisions. Effective communications connect the evidence, the narrative, and the stakeholder experience — from early development through commercialization and beyond. Organizations that approach communications as an integrated, end-to-end capability are better positioned to translate complexity into clarity and create value for patients, healthcare systems, and the enterprise.
In today’s health care landscape, companies undergoing rapid transformation face a common challenge: how to communicate effectively at each critical juncture, from onboarding new leaders to disrupting a category. Milestone moments – whether a funding round, regulatory approval, commercial launch, or reputational threat – bring high visibility, high stakes, and high complexity.
These are moments when communications need to go beyond fractional strategy. They require integration with business, policy, and commercial planning to ensure a throughline that reinforces your company’s value in a crowded and competitive space. Yet too often, communications are outpaced by or focused too narrowly on short-term execution, without laying the groundwork for a sustained value proposition.
For companies in execution mode, communications strategy becomes indispensable: connecting the dots between data and science, health policy, and commercialization; anticipating how audiences will respond; and articulating a clear, compelling story that resonates, and, ultimately, accrues value to your business and stakeholders.
Communications that Grow Corporate Value
Positioning through transformational moments is a public test of your company’s credibility, leadership, and strategic direction. And the expectations from investors, media, policymakers, patients, and partners are only getting higher.
When managing change to your corporate model, companies need to anticipate not only what to communicate, but how the communication will land and how stakeholder reaction can shape the next phase of your business. Often, this means standing up new capabilities to respond to breaking developments while simultaneously managing complex dynamics across political, regulatory, and legal environments. This is especially true for growth-stage health care companies, where communications teams are often lean or embedded within other functions.
Value Creation Across the Milestone Lifecycle
Communications shouldn’t just “turn on” during events that generate stakeholder interest. The most effective communications and issues management strategies are grounded in foresight – bringing consistency and clarity to a series of moments that are often anything but predictable. Here’s a checklist to help companies plan and execute across the milestone lifecycle:
Amplifying an Enterprise-wide Value Story
Major milestones are accelerators – not endpoints – and can be used to build momentum, reinforce positioning, and shift perception. Strategic communications in these moments can be an engine for enterprise value, aligning internal execution with external expectations and helping companies earn trust and shape how they’re understood by markets, the media, and the health care system at large.
Learn about Reservoir’s on-demand corporate communications.
The success of new product launches depends on more than just clinical merit—it also rests on provider autonomy—the ability to choose the right treatment, for the right patient, at the right time.
But provider autonomy is under intensifying strain and that risks stalling innovation where it matters most: in the exam room. Beyond administrative processes that are known to take time and resources, today’s clinicians also navigate emerging AI-powered decision systems, shifting patient-provider relationships and increasing private equity ownership, which are reshaping who makes decisions and how.
Biopharmaceutical companies preparing for launch and facing increasing provider constraints need strategies to uplift clinical expertise and navigate the ever-changing landscape. Here are several ways to respond to this urgent challenge:
Offer resources that empower provider autonomy.
The right launch strategies lighten the load for providers; they don’t just inform. Effective launch strategies should offer tools that make advocating for patients every day more sustainable and effective, such as:
Launch strategies should enable providers to prioritize optimal patient care, and that includes the ability to leverage new therapies. Market readiness efforts should equip providers to navigate reimbursement challenges and support patient access, which may require companies to engage with a broader set of stakeholders who support provider decision-making.
Anticipate trust challenges by supporting provider and patient relationships.
As patients arrive with more information and new questions, and providers work under increasing time constraints, even the most effective treatments risk being overlooked. The best product launch strategies prioritize concise clinical information that helps providers address patient concerns, maintain trust and make evidence-based decisions during even the shortest of appointments.
Providers are tasked with relaying complex information to patients in a clear manner. Launch teams can partner with providers to supply accurate and trustworthy information that builds both product knowledge and effective relationships—while building shared confidence in care decisions.
Include broad care teams in product launch strategies.
Today’s team-based care delivery extends beyond physicians in traditional clinic settings. Effective launch strategies recognize the growing influence of nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses and pharmacists—who are often the frontline decision-makers and health educators. Launch success requires reaching and respecting team-based care models and varied delivery settings, including group- and community-based care and telehealth.
Success comes by adapting to variables, especially in keeping pace with new channels of influence including online networks, cross-specialty forums and KOLs on social media. Inclusive care team strategies provide tailored resources to facilitate education, guide patients through the treatment process and connect them to support programs that bolster launch effectiveness.
Reframe success, together
Behind every prescribing decision is a provider working to deliver individualized treatments that yield the best patient outcomes. But system complexity, external pressures and metrics-focused protocols make that harder than it should be—often burying the human element of medicine. When biopharmaceutical companies present breakthrough therapies, and providers are equipped to use them with confidence, we create something powerful: better care for patients, product success for innovations and real support for providers.
Learn how Reservoir can support clients in market readiness.
In today’s health care landscape, FemTech stands out—not just as innovative products, but for showcasing innovative communicators. Short for “female technology,” FemTech refers to digital health products, services, and platforms designed to address women’s health needs, ranging from fertility and pregnancy to menopause and chronic conditions. While rooted in women’s health, its reach is broader—offering valuable insights for life sciences and public affairs professionals, and anyone shaping the future for health care advocacy and health policy.
Over the last decade, FemTech has evolved from a niche concept to a major force in health care innovation. More than 60% of FemTech startups were founded between 2017 and 2022, contributing to a 1,000% growth in the number of companies in the space. And with the market projected to exceed $1 trillion in the next decade, this is just the beginning.
Beyond the numbers, FemTech companies are delivering tangible, real-world impact—reshaping how patients experience care. They help to detect chronic conditions earlier, personalize treatment plans, and manage symptoms more easily. In doing so, they’re expanding access, improving health outcomes, and filling major research and service gaps in women’s health.
This growth is fueled by technology and smart communications. FemTech leverages health care branding that is resonant, audience-specific, and backed by science. It’s a playbook not just for product teams, but for health care communicators and corporate communications strategists. The lesson is clear: breakthrough innovation works when paired with effective communication.
From Taboo to Center Stage
FemTech has helped transform the public discourse around stigmatized health topics—menstruation, menopause, fertility, sexual health—bringing them into the mainstream of clinical research, policy debates, and employer health care campaigns. The evolution reflects the growing recognition of underserved populations and the rise of digital health platforms offering more inclusive, personalized care.
FemTech’s impact owes as much to how it connects as to what it offers. It has embraced a modern, multi-channel, trust-first approach. FemTech brands know that traditional health channels aren’t enough. These brands stay nimble—listening, iterating, and evolving in real time. They show up where their audiences are through social media, online communities, influencers, and employer wellness benefits.
In a space full of stigma and skepticism, authenticity is non-negotiable. FemTech brands build trust through:
And they elevate real voices—sharing lived experiences and humanizing clinical research—to create deeper connections. FemTech proves that the most effective messaging blends rigor and relatability, evidence and empathy. More than just branding, FemTech’s approach is key to earning trust and driving patient engagement, which ultimately leads to improved health outcomes.
Beyond FemTech: A Playbook for Transformation
FemTech’s rise is more than market momentum—it’s become a movement reshaping what health care can be. These companies have shown that it’s possible to build both market value and real-world value by improving the experience of care, making services more accessible, and challenging the way we think about healthcare delivery. It reminds us that change requires more than new tools. It takes a thoughtful strategy and a clear grasp of who you’re talking to and why it matters. To truly shift behavior, policy, and perception, innovators must lead with communication that is:
The takeaway is simple but powerful: to drive change—whether in policy, behavior, or investment—bold ideas need bold, strategic messaging and engagement. FemTech shows us that when innovation meets intention, real health transformation can happen.
Washington, D.C. – Patrick “Pat” Kannan joins Reservoir Communications Group as the firm’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO), helping to lead Reservoir’s continued growth strategy and financial operations. Reservoir also recently added Ashley Flint as a senior vice president. Ashley is a policy expert and strategist with nearly 15 years of experience advising life sciences companies on how to navigate a rapidly evolving policy environment to achieve business objectives.
Pat joins Reservoir from OPEXUS, formerly AINS, where he served as CFO and supported its year-over-year growth as a technology solutions-provider for federal, state and local governments. He also previously served as CFO for Exostar and held various financial roles at the company. He holds a B.A. in Accounting from Radford University.
“I’m excited to join Reservoir as part of its next chapter and continued growth in delivering the best insights and expertise for its clients,” Pat said.
Ashley leverages her deep expertise on federal and state policy issues, with a focus on Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) implementation, drug pricing, Medicare Part D, and the 340B program, to develop creative policy solutions and advocacy strategies for clients.
“I am thrilled to be part of the incredible team at Reservoir and help expand their policy and advocacy expertise during this pivotal time for our clients,” Ashley said.
Before joining Reservoir, Ashley was a Principal at Avalere Health, working with several life sciences and health plan clients. Previously, Ashley served as Director of U.S. Policy & Analytics at AbbVie, where she led a team responsible for analyzing proposed federal and state policies related to above-brand market access issues and developing policy positions and strategies to advance business priorities. Earlier in her career, she was a Senior Director for Policy & Research at PhRMA, where she served as the Part D policy lead.
Ashley holds a M.P.P. in health policy from the George Washington University and a B.A. in Political Science and Psychology from Emory University.
Reservoir also announced that Massimo Alicea had joined the team as an Associate, in addition to recent hires in corporate and crisis communications. Massimo had most recently been part of Reservoir’s internship program and supported a range of clients in the health care sector. Previously, Massimo held internships with the National Hispanic Medical Association, the House of Representatives and Keybridge Communications.
Massimo earned his B.A. in Political Communication, graduating Summa Cum Laude from the George Washington University, with minors in Public Health and Political Science. He is currently pursuing a M.A. in Strategic Communication & Media from the George Washington University.
Reservoir Communications Group is a leading health care consultancy focused on helping clients address their most important business, advocacy, policy and reputation challenges and opportunities. Learn more at https://reservoircg.com/.
Reservoir Communications Group recently held the 2025 Convening of Reservoir’s Advocacy & Alliance Network (RAAN), “The Future of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Health Care: Innovations, Equity and Impact.” The dynamic event brought together leaders and changemakers from across the health care spectrum to explore one of the most transformative forces in health: Artificial Intelligence.
From care delivery and diagnostics to data systems and equity, the conversation was rich with real-world insights centered on the questions: where is this technology taking us and how do we ensure everyone benefits? Here’s a recap of the conversation.
Artificial Intelligence is here today, evolving fast and reshaping health care. With the ability to learn, adapt and improve, AI is unlocking new doors in patient care and health research. With the FDA completing its first AI-assisted scientific review and rolling out an aggressive agency-wide strategy, it’s clear: the future of health care innovation will be powered, in part, by AI.
That makes conversations like the recent RAAN Convening timely and urgent. Whether it’s flagging hard-to-diagnose diseases, automating time-consuming tasks like charting, expanding telehealth access or generating new research insights in record time, AI holds immense promise. But like any powerful tool, it also demands thoughtful use—and that’s exactly what RAAN members came together to explore.
During the convening, RAAN members discussed the evolving role of AI in health care from their respective vantage points, its potential to transform care delivery, and the importance of using this new technology responsibly and equitably. Three key insights arose:
One of AI’s most immediate impacts is its ability to streamline health care operations. Its capacity to sort and organize data with speed and precision is already improving diagnostics and reducing administrative burden. As one RAAN member put it: “AI can help sift through data and help health care providers better use the results to better serve their communities. We can [also] use data to better identify the highest value providers and send patients to the highest value providers.” Ultimately, AI’s speed and power can give providers more time for what matters most—improving outcomes by caring for patients holistically.
Members stressed that if AI is to truly advance health care, it must do so for all. Described as “A Tale of Two Cities,” AI can represent progress for some communities while reinforcing structural barriers for others. One RAAN member noted, “There are certain biases that are implicit in the make-up of AI which allow for the intrusion of unfavorable aspects. Someone somewhere is going to be responsible for programming AI systems and historically underserved communities need to be included in that process.”
Others raised concerns about global inequity, noting that AI systems are trained on data from high income countries. “What about middle to low-income countries?” one member asked. “AI can help in detecting region-specific illness if it is tailored to specific populations.” The message was clear: equity, a guiding principle in health care, is about access as much as it is about design, development and deployment of AI tools.
While AI can optimize processes, it should not replace the human connection that defines health care. Members voiced a shared hope that AI will enable clinicians to spend more time building patient relationships. One RAAN member asked, “Is it saving us time, so we have more time to holistically care for patients? As AI grows, how do we get better at the human aspects of health care?” Another added, “AI has no self-defining quality other than what we give it. But we need to look at it purely as a tool. We need to preserve the human element and keep checks in the system.” The future of AI should enhance the compassionate side of medicine, not replace it.
As AI embeds across the health care landscape—from federal regulatory reviews to one-on-one care—its influence will continue to grow. That’s why gatherings like the RAAN Convening are so important. They provide space not just to react to change, but to shape it. If we want AI to promote health for all, preserve the human touch in care and unlock smarter, more sustainable systems, we must be proactive. The future isn’t waiting—and neither should we.
Learn more about the Reservoir Advocacy & Alliance Network here. If you would like to consult a member of the RAAN, reach out to Michelle Nealy, Lee Lynch or Chrystine Zacherau.
Washington, DC – Reservoir Communications Group recently welcomed eight new team members, including Casey Stavropoulos as Executive Vice President and Nicky Vogt Osborne as Vice President. Their distinct backgrounds in corporate communications, crisis communications, public affairs, research and media strengthen the firm’s existing expertise in these areas.
Casey joins Reservoir as an Executive Vice President following previous roles at JPMorgan Chase, Mastercard and McKinsey & Co., where she led external affairs teams that spotlighted technology, philanthropy and policy priorities. She began her career in Washington, D.C. working for the Justice Department, presidential campaigns and APCO Worldwide. Casey holds a B.A. from Loyola University Chicago and an M.A. in International Economics from Johns Hopkins University (SAIS).
Nicky joins Reservoir as a Vice President following her most recent role as the communications lead for Moody’s across a broad portfolio of sectors. Prior, Nicky served in the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), leading efforts for the COVID-19 Task Force and Operation Warp Speed. Nicky graduated from Wake Forest University with a B.A. in Politics and International Affairs and minors in both Spanish and Psychology.
Reservoir also announced the additions of Anthony DiFlorio, Tulsi Ratnam, Anisa Mok, Nikki Orsolini, Peris Tushabe and Kaylin Hewitt.
Anthony joins Reservoir as a Manager from the Tent Partnership for Refugees, where he secured top-tier coverage across the United States in his role as Communications Manager. Previously, he served as a Communications Officer at the Jesuit Refugee Service/USA and produced policy-focused videos for The Hill’s “Changing America.” Anthony holds a B.S. in Diplomacy & International Relations from Seton Hall University and an M.A. in Journalism & Digital Storytelling from American University.
Tulsi also joins Reservoir as a Manager with a background in mixed-methods research and data analytics. Prior to Reservoir, Tulsi was a Senior Research Analyst at APCO Worldwide, a global public affairs and strategic communications firm. Before joining APCO Worldwide, Tulsi was a Research Associate at Intermedia Survey Institute – a nonprofit organization that conducted surveys across Asia and Africa on behalf of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Tulsi earned her B.A. in Political Science & Government from Christopher Newport University and her M.S. in Data Science from the University of Virginia.
Anisa joins Reservoir as a Senior Associate, bringing a strong background in health policy and strategic communications. Previously, Anisa was an Associate at Rational 360, where she worked on drug pricing policies, including the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the 340B Drug Pricing Program, as well as barriers to patient access and the R&D pipeline. Anisa graduated from Skidmore College with a B.A. in Sociology and minors in both Political Science and Philosophy.
Nikki joins Reservoir as a Graphic Designer, bringing a strong foundation in design principles, combined with a passion for creative problem-solving. Through her current work in the health space, Nikki pushes the boundaries of design, bringing a fresh perspective to the field and striving to create impactful work that resonates with audiences. Previous graphic design roles include DesktopMetal, Berkshire Hathaway Shoe Holdings, and Stream Realty Group. Nikki holds a B.F.A. in Graphic Design from Virginia Commonwealth University – School of the Arts.
Peris joins Reservoir as an Associate, playing a key role in advancing the firm’s health equity and stakeholder engagement initiative. Before Reservoir, Peris was a program coordinator at PEN America, overseeing several of the organization’s youth initiatives and tackling a range of free expression issues in education, with an emphasis on equity and diversity. Peris graduated from Skidmore College with a B.A. in Political Science and a minor in French.
Kaylin also joins Reservoir as an Associate, with a background in health policy and public health. Most recently, Kaylin interned with Reservoir and supported client initiatives for stakeholders in the health industry. Prior to Reservoir, Kaylin interned at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, where she transformed complex Medicaid and Marketplace policy and advocacy topics into accessible content. Kaylin holds a B.S. in Global Health from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a M.P.P. with a Health Policy focus from American University.
Reservoir Communications Group is a leading health care consultancy focused on helping clients address their most important business, advocacy, policy and reputation challenges and opportunities. Learn more at https://reservoircg.com/.
This week we celebrated the 35th anniversary of the Society for Women’s Health Research (SWHR) at the organization’s annual gala. I also wrapped up 3 years serving as chair of the board and very much felt a sense of looking back and looking ahead.
The founders of the Society, women researchers at NIH, were not satisfied with the status quo. The stalwart organization they built has been central to ensuring the inclusion of women in clinical trials, the implementation of sex as a biological variable, the establishment of offices of women’s health across government, and, just last year, designation of $1 billion in new funding for women’s health research.
Today, as budgets are tight and uncertainty is high, it was all the more meaningful to spend an evening thinking about all we’ve accomplished and feel the energy and inspiration from the speakers and everyone in the room.
We heard from Representative Lauren Underwood who is leading efforts to improve black maternal health, Senator Shelley Moore Capito who is raising awareness and advocating for better support for women experiencing menopause, Kim Love who has worked behind the scenes on the Hill and beyond to advance major legislation to support women’s health and access to care, Dr. Teresa Woodruff who has made fundamental contributions to our understanding of reproductive health and Dr. Anita Ravi who is working at the vanguard of treating women survivors of gender-based violence.
The progress we’ve seen in women’s health research, policy and investment over the last 35 years has been bipartisan. As Kathryn Shubert, SWHR’s President & CEO, pointed out at the gala, women represent 51% of the population, so this is not a niche or partisan issue; supporting women’s health is not political – it’s good science. This is the case we need to make.
Just last week, the news came that the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI), a long-term study investigating strategies to prevent the leading causes of death, disability, and frailty in older women, was set for termination. But the women’s health community quickly raised its voice, and the story of the impending cut was covered on media outlets across the country. By sticking to our core message and sticking together as a community, the WHI was reinstated.
We cannot take women’s health for granted. I’m proud of SWHR’s role in promoting science and educating decision-makers. Until women’s health is mainstream, we cannot stop advocating.
Broad changes in politics and policy are disrupting the status quo and creating an increasingly dynamic environment for advocacy and strategic communications. The role of traditional news outlets is waning, as major publications take steps to reform and evolve. Add the rise in power of health care influencers and rollback of fact-checking on major social media platforms, and we have a very different picture of media consumption than we’ve seen before.
Tracking and understanding this evolution, spurred by an increasingly digital and interconnected traditional and social media environment, is essential to inform any communication strategy and ensure we effectively reach the audiences who matter most.
Here’s what we know about the current landscape:
Meeting audiences where they are has always been important – but where and how we show up is evolving. We must be willing to adapt and adjust to the latest developments in real time, study and stay ahead of the trends, and leverage innovative strategies to break through. While the tactics may shift, prioritizing authenticity and credibility remains paramount, ensuring we can reach audiences with the best messages and the right messengers.
This powerful mantra captures the essence of strong partnerships in policymaking. For individuals battling chronic and life-threatening illnesses—many of whom are racing against time to find the right treatment—policies and regulations that reflect their lived experiences can be the difference between life and death.
While it seems like a common-sense practice to include the voices of patients and providers in health care policymaking, their perspectives have historically been overlooked. This exclusion has shaped a health care system that requires strategic inclusion of the right voices at the right time when policymaking is taking place at local, state, and national levels.
While regulatory and policy decision-makers set the framework for health care, advocates add the color that brings it to life. Working toward a more effective health care system requires true partnership between all stakeholders—patients, providers, caregivers, and the policymakers who represent us.
With an ever-evolving health policy landscape, it’s more crucial than ever to stay focused on best practices for impact:
With this approach, we can ensure that policy reflects the needs of those it aims to serve.
