This article was written by Jessica Levco, Healthcare Writer & Event Strategist.

You can read blog after blog after blog about how to add AI to your marketing team. 

But you might overlook one of the most powerful partners: a clinician.

We recently talked to Pamela Landis, senior vice president of digital engagement at Hackensack Meridian Health, about how she formed a partnership with a board-certified pediatric endocrinologist, who is also board certified in informatics. The duo talks daily, and the clinician dedicates 25% of her time to the projects that Landis and her team spearhead.

“The best thing digital leaders can do is work on building great teams,” Landis says. “Partnering directly with clinical leadership can fundamentally change how digital healthcare initiatives are developed and implemented.”

Let’s take a look at why adding a co-lead can benefit your marketing or digital team:

Your C-suite will like this (should we stop with the list right now?)

Having a physician co-lead transforms how digital initiatives are received throughout the organization.

“When we say she’s our partner, senior leaders understand that,” Landis says. “People trust doctors. Having her on our team gives us more credibility. Instead of our projects being seen as ‘another IT directive,’ the C-suite knows it’s important because it has the clinician’s input and approval.”

Gain a comprehensive understanding of clinical workflows

Rather than “consulting,” a physician co-leader can work side-by-side with you in the trenches to make sure digital solutions are designed with clinical workflows in mind.

“Our physician co-lead becomes instrumental in making sure that what we’re thinking and doing makes sense from a clinical and workforce point of view,” Landis says. “If it doesn’t work in the clinical space – no matter how awesome the project – it’s not going to make a lasting impact.”

Landis shared how the physician co-lead helped navigate the complex territory of Open Notes in MyChart. She identified issues around teen sexual health or behavioral health that needed special consideration under state laws while still maintaining the principle of openness. This nuanced understanding prevented potential compliance issues while supporting patient access.

Improve change management

Project implementation becomes smoother when clinical leadership is involved from the beginning. Landis shared another example of where bringing pediatric specialties into a patient access center could’ve been a complex project but went much better because the physician co-lead worked with the practices on their standardization and centralization of their work.

Bridge patient experience and clinical reality

Digital healthcare often focuses on the patient experience, sometimes at the expense of clinical usability. A physician co-lead ensures that connection is maintained. In addition, the physician co-lead benefits from understanding the viewpoint of the consumer and the patient.

“We know how to build these tools, but she makes sure that the clinicians will adopt, embrace and understand the value of what we’re doing,” Landis says. “Because if there’s no value in it for them, it’s going to be hard for patients to benefit from the tool.”