CommunicateHealth (CH) is a certified women-owned University of Pittsburgh supplier that offers full-service health communication tools. Opened in 2009, they have made strides in their field by ensuring easily accessible and understandable resources for health information for everyone. To learn more, we interviewed Henry Doherty, the Operations Coordinator to get the inside scoop about the innerworkings of Communicate Health. Read the interview below to learn more about this exciting and forward-thinking company. 
What products or services does your business provide, and are there any unique offerings that you have to highlight?
CommunicateHealth is a certified women-owned small business and a full-service health communication company composed of critical thinkers with expertise in strategic communication planning, content strategy, plain language writing, human-centered design, and digital product development.
We’re on a mission. CH strives to improve equity by creating health information that’s easy to access, understand and use. Drawing on deep expertise in health literacy and human-centered design (HCD), CH creates health communication materials that help level the playing field — by providing people with the tools they need to make informed decisions about health.
We strive for equity in everything we do. CH uses an approach outlined in the recently published Framework for Equity-Centered Health Communication. The company centers community voices to empathize with, understand, and involve audiences throughout the project life cycle and realize equitable outcomes: health information that’s clear, relatable, actionable, and inclusive. We understand that until we prioritize equity, our public health system will continue to benefit some people over others — and we’re committed to doing our part to achieve better health for all.
We’re health literacy thought leaders. CH worked with the CDC to co-develop its Clear Communication Index, an evidence-based tool to assess the clarity of health information. From 2019 to 2022, CH worked with the National Library of Medicine to develop, validate, evaluate, and refine the Health Education Materials Assessment Tool. And, we’re the lead author of Health Literacy Online, a guide to applying health literacy principles to digital health information.
For 15 years, we’ve been tackling the nation’s toughest health communication challenges with our signature mix of clear communication and human-centered design. Our work has received over 30 ClearMark awards from the Center for Plain Language, including the 2019, 2022, and 2024 Grand ClearMark Awards.
What work or special projects have you done for the Pitt community?
CommunicateHealth worked with the Network of the National Library of Medicine (NNLM) All of Us Program Center (NAPC), based out of the University of Pittsburgh Health Sciences Library System. The NAPC works with public libraries to help their communities participate in research programs and easily access and understand health information. In partnership with the NAPC at Pitt, CommunicateHealth developed a health literacy framework to inform current and future NNLM trainings and health literacy offerings. They also developed a research literacy framework to serve as a guide to address barriers and facilitators to meaningful participation in medical research.
What is the story or mission behind the business being what it is today? Has your company had to grow or pivot since you first launched?
We have held strong to the mission to improve equity by designing health information that’s easy to access, understand and use. However, what started as a content shop quickly turned into full-service health communication company — including transcreation in Spanish, research, design, and development.
Does your business have any special initiatives such as sustainability programs, volunteer work, etc. that you would like to highlight?
In 2022, CommunicateHealth’s end of year fundraising initiative focused on supporting migrants. It soon became our community volunteerism project for 2023. We raised over $15k and volunteered over 2,000 hours towards supporting the migrants arriving on buses to the DC metro area. We partnered with churches and community groups across the city, to implement warm clothing and food drives, bilingual legal sessions, community baby showers for pregnant moms, transportation to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for registration services, and more. In addition, we created a bilingual Spanish resource focusing on plain language guidance for important topics such as: how to change your address, and how to get your hearing dates changed, along with how and where to find basic social services and resources. In addition, our co-founders, Stacy Robison and Xanthi Scrimgeour, have long supported and advocated for humanity within our immigration system. They currently mentor several families and are active community sponsors for Rainbow Railroad, an organization that helps lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex individuals escape violence and persecution in their home countries.
Where are the owners of the company from?
President Stacy Robison co-founded the company by the age of 30 with her wife, Xanthi Scrimgeour. Stacy, a native Californian, and Xanthi originally from Massachusetts now spend their time going between Washington, DC and Cape Neddick, Maine.
What was the inspiration behind starting the business?
We wanted to make a difference. And we were personally confused by so much of the health information being shared - we knew that as a society, we needed to do better. Our mission both inspired and challenged us to improve lives by designing health information that’s easy to access, understand and use.
Does your business identify as diverse? If so, what does it mean to you?
CommunicateHealth proudly identifies as diverse. As an LGBTQIA+ and woman-owned company, we prioritize inclusivity and representation. Over 80% of our staff are female, 33% identify as people of color, and 19% identify as LGBTQIA+.
What is your affiliation with Pitt?
Ashley (Mayo) King - Class of 2013 graduated the University of Pittsburgh with a BS in Psychology and Leadership Certificate. While at Pitt, she served as a PantherWELL Peer Health Educator, Pitt Arts student event host, Pitt Freshman Programs teacher assistant, First Experiences in Research (FER) research assistant, and Career Development and Placement Assistance (CPDA) office marketing intern. She was also a member of TRIO SSS Program, Delta Epsilon Iota Career Honor Society, Psi Chi International Honor Society, Sigma Alpha Lambda Honor Society, and Pitt's very own OCC Honorary Society. As you can see, Pitt provided many opportunities for Ashley to learn and explore new things both inside and outside of the classroom. But above all, her time at Pitt introduced her love for health promotion, public health education, and research and equipped her for challenges she experiences today as a Project Director at CommunicateHealth.
Do you have any interesting information or details that you would like to share with readers?
Our blog, We Heart Health Literacy has been going strong for a decade! Since 2013, we’ve shared our thoughts on plain language best practices, inclusive communication strategies, current events in public health, and much more. We Heart Health Literacy has nearly 5000 monthly subscribers.