Transforming healthcare UX with storytelling, data, and AI

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What’s the secret to driving change in healthcare? According to industry leaders, it’s not just data—it’s storytelling. “Our superpower is storytelling,” said Amy Stillman, VP of Design at Cedar, during the Insights Unlocked podcast, recorded live at October’s The Human Insight Summit (THiS).

Amy was joined by Logan Hartline, Senior Director at HCA Healthcare, to share how they use storytelling to bridge the gap between user insights and organizational decision-making. By pairing compelling narratives with hard metrics, they create alignment across stakeholders and drive urgency for UX initiatives.

Amy recounted how Cedar leverages patient narratives to highlight critical issues. “We package highlight videos that show the pain points directly from patients’ perspectives. When stakeholders see these real stories, it creates an emotional connection,” she explained. But emotional appeal isn’t enough. “Healthcare speaks quant,” she added. “We need to tie the story to metrics—whether it’s savings, user acquisition, or retention rates. That’s what moves the needle.”

Logan agreed, emphasizing the importance of timing and tailoring the narrative. “It’s about letting the customer’s voice lead. When you bring real user stories to a meeting where stakeholders are ready to listen, it’s incredibly powerful,” he said.

“When you bring real user stories to a meeting where stakeholders are ready to listen, it’s incredibly powerful.” — Logan Hartline

The speakers also noted the importance of creating urgency. “We focus on aligning stakeholders around the problem first,” said Amy. “When everyone sees the issue clearly—and hears it from patients—it’s easier to act.”

For UX practitioners, the lesson is clear: storytelling isn’t just about being persuasive; it’s about being strategic. “Combine the emotional weight of a good story with the undeniable logic of metrics,” Amy advised.

Learn more about how providers are transforming healthcare experiences.

Summing it up, she said, “Our job is to bring patients to the front of the conversation. When we do that, we create real change.”

Listen to the full episode to hear more of their conversation.

We’d love to hear your thoughts—how have you used storytelling combined with metrics to drive meaningful change in your work? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments.