The second edition of the International Health Communication Congress kicked off this Thursday at Vall d’Hebron with three main areas of focus: communication in contexts of war and emergency, managing social media presence, and the transformative role of the arts in health. Under the theme “Challenges in a Changing World”, the congress brings together international experts in institutional communication, journalists, and healthcare professionals to analyze how to adapt to a global scenario marked by uncertainty, conflict, and the digital revolution.

Dr. Albert Salazar, CEO of Vall d’Hebron University Hospital; Johan Van Eldere, Secretary General of the European University Hospital Alliance (EUHA); and Dr. Antoni Pujante, Director of International Relations and Health Cooperation of the Catalan Government, welcomed nearly 500 participants to this 2nd edition. At the opening session, which also featured Daniel Soto, Director of Strategic Accounts and Integrated Health Solutions for Spain and Portugal at Medtronic, speakers highlighted the importance of agile, expert, and above all, human communication in a global context defined by uncertainty.

Johan Van Eldere emphasized the value of cooperation among university hospitals: “No hospital can advance alone; together we build knowledge and innovation,” he said, reinforcing EUHA’s commitment to sharing strategies and experiences that help transform healthcare.

Before giving the floor to the speakers, Fran Garcia, Director of Communication, Corporate Strategy and Citizen Services at Vall d’Hebron University Hospital, expressed gratitude to the European University Hospital Alliance, Medtronic, the Vila Casas Foundation and Blanquerna – Ramon Llull University for their support in making the congress possible. This year, he underlined the strategic role of communication in the healthcare sector: “Health communication is not just about sharing information; it’s about shaping the future. Our congress aims to be a space for reflection, analysis, and anticipation,” he said, stressing the need to adapt to a world of constant change and uncertainty.

The opening day began with the roundtable “Health communication in wars and emergencies”, focused on how communication strategies are developed and implemented in war zones or humanitarian crises, where information can literally save lives. Moderated by Bhanu Bhatnagar, Head of Press and Media Relations at the WHO Regional Office for Europe, the session featured exceptional testimonies such as that of Egyptian-Palestinian journalist Youmna El Sayed, awarded for her coverage of the Gaza conflict; Ukrainian journalist and documentary filmmaker  Angelina Kariakina; Rachel Pounds, head of the Emergency Health Unit at Save the Children; Niina Kauppinen, Head of Communications at Helsinki University Hospital; and Dr. Taras Petryk, Medical Director and Head of the Opora Orthopedics and Trauma Clinic in Kyiv.

Youmna El Sayed delivered a moving account of the challenges of reporting from Gaza, where communication can be as vital as medical care. Speakers agreed that in conflict settings, communication is as essential as healthcare. Speed, accuracy, and cultural empathy are tools that can save lives and ensure information reaches those who need it most. “In a war, a clear message can mean the difference between life and death”, said El Sayed and Dr. Petryk.

According to the Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate, Gaza has become the deadliest conflict for media professionals in modern history: since October 2023, at least 246 journalists have been killed, more than 500 injured, and 650 journalists’ homes destroyed. The death toll surpasses that of journalists killed in both world wars and the conflicts in Vietnam, Yugoslavia, and Afghanistan combined. As El Sayed reminded the audience, “when the bombs stop falling, life continues and so do needs. There is malnutrition, poor physical and mental health, and if journalists aren’t there to report, aid doesn’t arrive and people die”. She closed by urging the media to humanize victims, striking a balance between visibility and dignity, without sensationalism.

Equally poignant was the testimony of Dr. Taras Petryk and his son, Vladyslav Petryk, who shared the challenge of maintaining patient trust in spaces like hospitals — places that should be safe — when they no longer are.

To be or not to be on social media
The debate on communication in times of crisis gave way to another major challenge of our time: managing social media presence. The session “Social media: where to be or not to be” analyzed how healthcare institutions assess the risks and benefits of having a digital presence, aligning it with their mission and values in a constantly changing world. Moderated by Fred Balvert, strategic science communicator at Erasmus University Medical Center in Rotterdam, the session featured Víctor Puig, Director of Zinkdo Agency, who presented a report on social media use by healthcare institutions, An Schreurs, Scientific Communication Officer and Media Relations Coordinator at UZ Leuven;, and Kathrin Schneider, Social Media Advisor at the Corporate Communications Division of Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, who shared their institutional experiences.

When asked whether to be present on social media or not, Víctor Puig offered some guidance: TikTok and Instagram continue to grow, while LinkedIn is consolidating its role as a platform of credibility. X (formerly Twitter) is declining, with users largely over 30, whereas YouTube remains a strong option for short videos. Facebook, meanwhile, retains relevance among older demographics and local communities connected to hospitals, making it a valuable tool for fostering engagement.

To delve deeper into this theme, the debate “Digital Communication with Patients: New Opportunities, Better Outcomes”, supported by Medtronic, explored how digital environments can strengthen relationships between professionals and patients, build trust, and contribute to better health outcomes. Every minute, one European turns 60, and hospitals are losing capacity to serve their populations, but as Medtronic’s Germán Gutiérrez noted, digitalization offers solutions. Extending care beyond hospital walls allows for more agile, far-reaching, and patient-centered services. Programs such as large-scale digital home hospitalization demonstrate that communication is key to transforming technology into improved clinical results, greater efficiency, and a more human experience.

Art against pain
The first day of the congress concluded with a session of a different yet complementary nature: “Arts in Health”, an invitation to explore the positive impact of art on the health and well-being of patients, families, and professionals. The roundtable is part of the Healing Arts Barcelona program, held from October 20 to 26 to promote public policies that integrate culture and health.

Guillem d’Efak, Head of Community Action, Public Programs, and Communication at the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya (MNAC), moderated the session, which featured Stephen Stapleton, co-founder of the Jameel Arts & Health Lab; Rachel Even, Artistic Director of Art dans la Cité; Laki Vazakas, Art Specialist at Boston Children’s Hospital; Louis Gustin, writer and lecturer specializing in disability; and Dra. Anna Fàbregas, Head of the Child and Adolescent Violence Care Team at Vall d’Hebron, who coordinates a music project with adolescents who are victims of sexual abuse, alongside singer Mushka. 

“Art reaches where doctors sometimes cannot”, shared Dr. Fàbregas. Arts applied to health have consolidated as an emerging field that integrates theater, music, painting, and dance as tools to promote physical, emotional, and social well-being. This approach, already present in the hospital, has growing scientific support demonstrating its positive impact on quality of life and recovery processes.

Seemingly contrasting sessions, one addressing fast-paced communication on the frontlines of war, and another turning art into a tool to ease pain, converge on the major challenge facing health communication today: to inform, connect, and transform in a world changing at great speed.