Celebrating Health Innovation at SXSW Online 2021
SXSW was one of the first industry conferences cancelled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 global pandemic. But SXSW was back and W2O, a part of Real Chemistry, was a proud sponsor. Although we couldn't be eating BBQ together in Austin, did surface meaningful conversations about digital transformation, health equity, vaccine confidence, and the long-term impact of COVID-19.
For the first time ever, we hosted a Healthcare Media Lounge, a two-day virtual event that featured industry experts from Pfizer's Judy Sewards and Sumitovant Biopharma's Myrtle Potter to Merck's Gregg Szabo. You can view a recording of each session below.
#RealChemSXSW

The Dynamics of Increasing Vaccine Confidence in the US and Around the World
Communication Platforms' Role in Creating COVID Vaccine Confidence
The Current and Future State of Healthcare: A Conversation with Myrtle Potter
Five Things to Know About Digital Transformation in Healthcare
COVID Innovation and the Pandemic's Impact on Healthcare Delivery and Access
Intersection of Healthcare, Gender, Race and Social Media
Science Will Win: A Behind the Scenes Look at Pfizer's Digital Communications Landscape During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Making Wellness and Mental Health Accessible and Engaging to All Employees
It's Up To You: How the Ad Council is Collaborating to Educate Millions of Americans About COVID-19
Winning the Hearts and Minds of Healthcare Heroes
A Matter of Black Life or Death: Black Mamas on Maternal Health
Science, Data, Influence and Humanity: Lessons We're Learning (in Real-Time) About Earning Vaccine Confidence
Clinical Trial Diversity in Recruitment/Identification
The Renaissance of Digital Health: Plague, Technology and Capital
Targeting Patients When They Don't Know You Exist
Breakthroughs in Health Innovation
Culture Care: Addressing Disease Stigma and Bias Through Culture (Part One)
Culture Care: Addressing Disease Stigma and Bias Through Culture (Part Two)
How Healthcare Communication is Creating Confidence in Chaos
SXSW Official Sessions
We were proud to present four official sessions which were accessible to those with an official conference pass. You can view a recording of each session below and join us as we go deep on understanding what's next in healthcare and how patient lives have improved as a direct result of breakthrough elements of health technology.

COVID-19: The New Reality with Dr. Michael Osterholm and Real Chemistry Advisor, Jane Sarasohn-Kahn
We are proud to have earned a featured session with Dr. Osterholm and our advisor and health economist Jane Sarasohn-Kahn, to speak to the SXSW community about what is next in the fight against COVID-19. From the immediate concerns around new variants to the “collateral damage” we face from this pandemic, Dr. Osterholm and Ms. Sarasohn-Kahn will share insights to help navigate public health in 2021 and beyond.
- Dr. Michael Osterholm, Director, CIDRAP, University of Minnesota
- Jane Sarasohn-Kahn, Health Economist, Advisor, Real Chemistry

Tech-Enabled Health Solutions and Patient Outcomes
In the year since the COVID-19 global pandemic changed life as we know it, virtually every sector of the economy has adjusted to a new reality of customers stuck at home, unable to travel but still needing services. Healthcare professionals did what other customer-focused sectors were doing: they turned to technology.
Tech-enabled health solutions, such as robotics, wearables, and mobile applications, have been fueled by this increased level of consumer comfort using technology to address their healthcare needs. This panel explores examples of how patient lives have improved as a direct result of breakthrough elements of health technology. The panelists will also discuss challenges that have come from this new ecosystem.
- Terri Sanders, Senior Vice President, Enterprise Marketing and Communications, HIMSS
- Ivan Tornos, Group President, Global Businesses and the Americas, Zimmer Biomet
- David Cassak, Co-Editor-in-Chief and Managing Partner, MedTech Strategist

@Doctor @Patient: Healthcare Trends on Twitter
On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic, ushering in the most profound change in medical care in the modern era. In-person interaction with the medical system—outside of treatment for SARS-CoV2 infection— disappeared nearly overnight, fundamentally altering physicians' relationships with their patients, and their peers. Twitter sits at the intersection of relevant conversation from patients, caretakers, HCPs, and public health officials. At Real Chemistry, we observed a 93% increase in patient engagement with physician content on the platform from March through August of 2020. Using Symplur, an analytics platform purpose-built for healthcare, we explored how connections between physicians, their patients and their peers on Twitter impacted the delivery of healthcare and medical information. This panel will share those findings and explore future social media trends in the healthcare industry.
- Lisa Bookwalter, Director, Twitter Client Solutions, Health
- Austin Lee Chiang, MD, MPH, Chief Medical Social Media Officer, Jefferson Health
- Seth Duncan, Chief Data Officer, Real Chemistry

Patient-Centricity Reduces Healthcare Inequality
The CDC has reported increasing evidence that some racial and ethnic minority groups are being disproportionately affected by COVID-19. Factors such as poverty, lack of access to healthcare and poor housing conditions contributed to this inequity. Patient-centric solutions in healthcare have the power to help reduce this inequality. Looking holistically at a patient's journey requires navigating the impacts of race, gender, ethnicity and religion. This deep understanding of the patient experience supports development of innovative solutions and behavioral drivers of care. This panel will explore the importance of involving diverse patient voices in conversations around clinical trials, drug development, and advances in specific disease areas.
- Mary Stutts, Senior Vice President, Corporate Relations, Sumitovant Biopharma
- Mary Michael, Vice President, Patient Advocacy and Stakeholder Management, Otsuka
- Anya Harry, MD, PhD, Global Head, Demographics and Diversity, GlaxoSmithKline
- Abby Hayes, Practice Leader, DEI Engagement, Real Chemistry
Event Speakers

Internal Communications Manager
Hawai'I Pacific Health

Senior Director, Head of Clinical Trial Diversity
Pfizer

Executive Director, Health Innovation
HIMSS

Founder & Chief Executive Officer
The MINDS Foundation

Chief Medical Scientist
Microsoft Research

Chief Digital Transformation Officer
UCSF Health

Chief Product Officer
Signify Health

Founder, The AAKOMA Project, Inc.
Host, Couched in Color

Global Head of Employee Engagement and Corporate Communications
Real Chemistry

Vice President, Strategy & Evaluation
Ad Council

Co-Founder
Equity Quotient

Senior Communications Specialist
Oregon Health & Science University

President
Media Empathy Foundation

Family Nurse Practitioner, OBGYN
Georgetown University Hospital

President & CEO
PanCAN

Senior Director, Content Strategy & Engagement, Corporate Affairs
Pfizer

Chief Operating Officer
Real Chemistry

Global President
Real Chemistry

Senior Director, Communication Strategy
Dynamic Signal

Program Manager
Sutter Health

Founding Partner, Editor
PharmaVOICE

VP and Director of Public Opinion and Survey Research
Kaiser Family Foundation

Practice Leader, Integrated Intelligence & Activation
Real Chemistry

Chief Executive Officer
Citius Pharmaceuticals

Chief Commercial & Strategy Officer
Parexel

Global Practice Leader, Executive Communications
Real Chemistry

Senior Manager, Internal Communications
Oregon Health & Science University

Executive Fellow
Yale School of Management

SVP, Head of Polling
Ipsos

Senior Director, Corporate Affairs
Real Chemistry

Chief Executive Officer
Clarim Media

SVP & Chief Technology Officer
Merck

Founder and Principal Consultant, PopWorks Africa
Co-Founder, The Black Doula Project

Co-Founder What's Trending, Peace
Inside Live

EVP & General Manager
Hū

Director of Patient Care – Critical Care
Long Island Jewish Medical Center, Northwell Health

Healthcare Influencer

GM, Editor-in-Chief, MM+M
Haymarket Media

CEO & President
ARF

President, Life Sciences
emids

Chief Technology Officer
Real Chemistry

DVP, Global Marketing, Structural Heart
Abbott

Chief Executive Officer
CALYX

Industry Analyst & Founding Partner
Kaleido Insights

Producer and Former President of Motion Picture Production
Lionsgate Films

Practice Leader, Executive Communications
Real Chemistry

Chief Executive Officer
Sumitovant Biopharma

Vice President, Trial Diversity & Inclusion
Hū

Chief Community Officer
Doctorpedia

Global Chief Digital Officer
Real Chemistry

President, twist
Real Chemistry

Chief Marketing Officer
Swoop + IPM.ai

Head of Clinical Affairs
Real Chemistry

Vice President, Head of Clinical Trial Experience
Pfizer

Executive Editor
PRovoke Media

Group President, Managing Partner
Real Chemistry

Board Member, Advisor, Speaker and Former President
American Express Global Commercial Services

Global Innovation Evangelist
Salesforce

Group President
Real Chemistry

Vice President, Innovation and IT Corporate Business Systems
Houston Methodist

Chief Marketing Officer
Real Chemistry

VP and Global Commercial Leader, Virology/Immunology
Merck

Co-Founder
Black Coalition Against COVID

Executive Editor, PRWeek
Haymarket Media

Founder & CEO
Real Chemistry

Editor-in-Chief, Campaign US
Haymarket Media
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