Northwell Health is the largest health care system in New York, 38th in the country last year. Now the system operating 21 hospitals and 900 outpatient facilities is launching a production company with a purpose: transforming its staff (and patients) into TV stars.
“We recognize the immense power of storytelling to connect with audiences on a deeper level,” Ramon Soto, senior vice president and chief marketing officer at Northwell Health, said in a news release. “Northwell Studios represents a natural evolution of our commitment to purpose-driven and movement thinking, a framework we’ve pioneered to translate brand purpose into impactful real-world initiatives. Through entertainment, we can break down the walls of our hospitals, amplify the voices of our frontline heroes, and shed light on critical health and societal issues.”
With five projects already underway, Northwell partnered with production company CreativeChaos to develop scripted and unscripted content about “Northwell’s clinical expertise, one-of-a-kind patient-centered programs, innovative technologies and, most importantly, the brave and bold employees and patients who are at the heart of every story.”
Northwell will offer content creators access to its facilities, medical experts and consenting patients. This is not the first time the New York health care provider has broken into the entertainment industry.
The Netflix series “Lenox Hill” and “Emergency NYC” each documented aspects of the health care system, which was also a part of the COVID-19 documentary “The First Wave.”
“As New York’s largest health care provider, Northwell has a responsibility to lead not just in treating patients in our communities, but in addressing the critical social issues that impact our collective well-being,” Michael Dowling, president and CEO of Northwell Health, said in a news release. “Just as we’ve done with gun violence, mental health, and other urgent challenges, Northwell Studios will leverage the power of storytelling to change the conversation, spark dialogue and inspire action on a global scale.”
The studio has not announced where its current projects will be published or if they will be available through any streaming services. In a news release, Northwell Health said its studio is “committed to partnering with distributors to ensure these stories reach a wide and engaged audience.”
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