Doc Hollywood?

The doors to the emergency room swing open. Doctors rush in with a patient on a stretcher, shouting details about injuries and vital signs. Nurses scramble to load up syringes and get surgical tools ready.

What goes on between doctors, nurses, and their patients has long intrigued Hollywood—enough to result in many shows and movies. Now, one hospital chain wants in on the action. Instead of outsourcing development and production to film and television studios, the hospital system is launching its own in-house studio. The move, believed to be the first of its kind for a hospital, underscores how healthcare systems are rethinking the role they play in the community and culture, says Greg Button, president of the Global Healthcare Services practice at Korn Ferry. “The attention from the pandemic positioned hospitals very differently in the public,” he says, “and it’s smart to try to capitalize on that.”

To be sure, healthcare is just the latest industry to get into the content game. Companies in such areas as retail, technology, real estate, and government have been developing films and TV shows on their own, or in partnership with Hollywood studios, for years—some have even won Oscars and Emmys. “Hospitals are brands, too, and they need to be more connected to the consumer,” says Button.

It won’t be easy, though. Experts say healthcare firms face higher standards of privacy and ethics than other industries. “Healthcare is based on trust and transparency, and anything that undermines communications and care for the patient could be damaging,” says Kae Robertson, a senior client partner in the Healthcare practice at Korn Ferry. By way of example, she cites presenting science or disease in an incomplete, inaccurate, or inauthentic way. Similarly, as other brands have found out, criticism can be fierce, and the public backlash can cause more reputational harm than good. Moreover, in the age of streaming and social media, where content is king and everyone has the potential to be an influencer, having a film crew around could cause doctors and nurses to pay more attention to the camera than to their patients.

At the same time, however, the visibility gained by producing film and TV shows could help smaller regional hospital chains compete for talent with larger competitors with deeper pockets, says Katie Bell, a senior client partner and global account lead for the Healthcare practice at Korn Ferry. Many hospitals are still facing severe shortages of doctors and nurses, and burnout continues to drive people from the industry. Bell says the recognition that hospitals receive from shows could create a “sense of pride and purpose” that attracts young healthcare professionals. Producing content in-house can also help hospitals raise visibility for their capabilities and educate and attract new patients. Healthcare is a complex, often misunderstood business, and creating digital and video content could help demystify what happens in hospitals for prospective patients. “If people could see what needs to happen during a colonoscopy or breast cancer exam, that could make them less afraid and encourage them to seek treatment,” says Robertson.

There are other, less altruistic reasons for starting an in-house studio. Hospitals aren’t immune to the cost-cutting pressure other companies face, for instance. Over time, producing their own content will cost less than outsourcing it, while allowing for faster turnaround time and more control—two important considerations in an industry where the level of regulation is high and speed to market is critical. Consolidation, competition, and a steep decline in elective surgery (a major source of revenue) are forcing hospitals to diversify revenue streams, says Button. He anticipates that more mid-tier and small providers will start exploring content partnerships. “Health is becoming a bigger part of people’s lives and hospital systems want to tap into that,” he says.

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