We often hear, "Seeing is believing," underscoring a basic truth: that belief is something that must be earned. But belief doesn't happen overnight. Whether we're talking about belief in a person, a religion, an institution, or a brand, belief takes time to accrue. Belief must be built. And once it's established, belief is a force that drives behavior at the deepest level.

Back in mid-2007, in the midst of conducting in-depth research and analysis of the evolving digital health landscape, Susannah Fox of the Pew Internet and American Life Project recommended I read a publication co-developed by the late Tom Ferguson, MD, titled ePatients: How They Can Help Us Heal Healthcare. This prophetic white paper introduced many of the digital trends we take for granted today, including the use of the Web and digital tools for health research, the rise of patient-powered social networks and more.

Many years ago I showed some draft copy to my creative director. I was very pleased with it and thought that it was great advertising copy. After he agreed that it was great advertising copy, he asked me to take out "all of the marketing." It made the copy a thousand times better and gave me an important lesson that has stayed with me: write like a real person. Be persuasive, but speak in the language of the customer - because if you talk like a door-to-door salesman, you'll be about as welcome.

It's a sad reality that, on a global basis, medical resources aren't allocated in any kind of organized or equitable fashion. Treatments and tools that are commonplace in many societies are virtually non-existent in others.

The healthcare industry is dramatically changing. It's happening because of technology, politics, economics, and empowered consumers. Today's consumers are connected, juggling multiple devices, on the go, and want their voices heard. They crave information and connections-practically in real-time. This is every organization's new business reality.

As PR professionals, we are experts in media relations. Having deep, entrenched relationships with key members of the media and knowing what makes them tick is what our clients expect from us. The fruit of these relationships often appears in the form of well-balanced, favorable coverage.

Is your campaign in the 50%?

We recently completed the first phase of a yearlong social listening project for one of our clients. It's a global project, spanning seven countries and includes "listening in" on all of the popular social media channels - Twitter, Facebook, Sina Wiebo (a hybrid of Twitter and Facebook in China), YouTube, and countless blogs and forums.

Whether you're taking medication, have started a diet and exercise program, or are involved in rehab and preventive health, there is one common thread necessary for successful results: commitment. Commitment is, of course, just another way of saying compliance, the Holy Grail of healthcare.

In my previous career, I, like legions of my health public relations colleagues, lived in a very structured world that was dominated by traditional media. We knew the major paths of influence - from media to consumer. We also had well-established methods of working the system so our messages and content would reach (and potentially influence) the masses.