Dr. Tian Ying of Beijing Tiantan Hospital: Building Trust through Warm-hearted Medical Science Communication

On an ordinary day in 2013, Director Tian Ying had just finished the morning handover when a thought occurred to her:"WeChat is just gaining momentum; leveraging WeChat Official Accounts for science popularization will surely yield excellent dissemination."

This was not a whim. Over the more than ten years that Director Tian Ying has been seeing patients, many have repeatedly asked similar questions: “Doctor, why did I get this disease?” “Why do I need a pacemaker?” “Does a 70% surgical success rate mean my condition will recur even after the procedure?” Each time, Director Tian patiently explained these concerns to her patients. In her view, only when patients understand the rationale behind a physician’s treatment plan can they fully trust their doctor and adhere to the prescribed therapy. Although she has long engaged in public health education, such information typically reaches only those who come for consultations. Repeatedly providing the same explanations is exhausting for physicians, while the general public often fails to retain the information.“Medical science popularization should not be confined to hospitals; it should reach the broader public via the Internet, enabling healthy individuals to acquire basic health knowledge and thereby promoting preventive health concepts.”

▲ Scene from the third session of “Joy of Interaction,” a cross-disciplinary exchange event for physicians, hosted by Boston Scientific’s IAS Innovation Training Academy

In September 2013, Director Tian Ying launched a WeChat Official Account to help more patients access reliable and useful popular science knowledge about heart health.“Chaoyang Arrhythmia Channel”, regularly publishing popular science articles on heart disease through this platform. Later, the platform gained increasing recognition from clinicians and industry experts, who joined in succession.

The “Chaoyang Rhythm Channel” has now been renamed to"Harterium Cardiac Science Popularization", has become a comprehensive brand offering holistic cardiology knowledge covering arrhythmias, coronary artery disease, cardiac surgery, heart failure, and hypertension.

▲ HeartRhythm Cardiology Science Popularization Official Account

Over the past decade, “Heart Rhythm Cardiology Science Popularization” has cumulatively published popular science articlesMore than 2,400 articlesDirector Tian Ying has also served as the “chief reviewer” with unwavering dedication for ten years, consistently taking on the role of article editor and proofreader for the official WeChat account. Looking back on the early days of creating content for the account, Director Tian couldn’t help but reflect, “It was indeed very difficult at that time, but fortunately, we persevered.”

At the outset, Director Tian Ying also went through a prolonged “slump.” During the first year, her official WeChat account had only a little over 100 followers, some of whom were her friends and family. To attract a broader audience, she experimented with various formats—including articles, videos, and infographics—while closely monitoring trending topics of interest to her readers. Both the presentation and content remained at the forefront of industry developments, adapting swiftly to changing times. Today, the account is supported by a professional operations team, yet one thing has remained unchanged: the consistent delivery of high-quality content.“Content quality is more important than any form of promotion. Therefore, I have always adhered to producing accurate and substantive content.”She said so, and she did so.

Director Tian Ying was among the first cohort of clinicians to engage in science popularization, distilling her decade of “hands-on experience” into"The Three For's"and"The Three Don'ts"。

▲ On-site of the 3rd Session of “Joyful Synergy,” a Cross-Disciplinary Exchange Event for Physicians, Hosted by Boston Scientific’s IAS Innovation Training Academy

“The Three For’s” are:The language is simple and easy to understand, the content is closely related to daily life, and the tone is warm and caring.

First, medical science communication targets the general public, who lack specialized medical knowledge. Its purpose is to help laypeople understand basic medical concepts and develop a correct perspective on health. Therefore, directly copying obscure and complex language from textbooks fails to serve the purpose of science communication. Only by breaking down knowledge into language that is accessible to the general public can we truly enable understanding, retention, and further dissemination of this information.Simple and easy-to-understand language is the foundation of science popularization.

Secondly,The public has always been most concerned with medical knowledge that is closely related to daily life and commonly encountered in everyday situations.Indeed, Director Tian Ying’s public science education efforts have also focused on this aspect.

Take pharmaceutical science popularization as an example. Director Tian Ying has delivered a series of educational talks on medications for various types of heart disease, including guidance on which drugs to take for specific symptoms and which medications should not be taken concurrently. The decision to develop this content series stemmed from Director Tian’s observation that many patients lack adequate knowledge about medication use, despite the fact that pharmacological treatment is indispensable for managing heart disease. She aimed to create a special educational feature on “Medication Guidelines” to help patients avoid potential pitfalls.

Finally,Warmth and compassion define Director Tian Ying’s approach to public health education.Whether on screen or in the hospital, Director Tian Ying always wears a warm smile. She often jokes about herself, saying, “I’ve always loved to smile, which might be why my expression lines are so deep.” This signature smile has become a hallmark of her approach to building rapport with patients. It allows them to feel the doctor’s “warmth,” thereby fostering a more compassionate and trusting doctor-patient relationship.

In addition to the three essential principles that must be followed, Director Tian Ying has also established a personal red line for herself, namely the “Three Don’ts”:Avoid clickbait headlines, refrain from chasing trends, and do not prioritize "traffic above all."。

In this era of information overload, web traffic appears to have become the cornerstone for self-media platforms. However, Director Tian Ying is unwilling to garner attention through clickbait headlines or by chasing trending topics. In her view, medical science popularization is a serious endeavor; as she puts it, “Once you choose to engage in medical science communication, you must be prepared to endure solitude.”

Director Tian Ying has always adhered to the principle of creating practical, patient-centered health education content that resonates with daily life, remaining unaffected by societal impetuousness.

Director Tian Ying set standards for her own science communication efforts, yet she never confined them within rigid boundaries. She has always been exploring new possibilities.

In addition to her official WeChat account, she has also published popular science content on major websites, such as her Sohu account.“Tian Ying, Department of Cardiology, Chaoyang Hospital”Cumulative Views Exceeding78 million, consecutively won for three years"Sohu Self-Media Physician Leader"Title. In 2016, she created an original short-video science popularization column““Tian Yan Mi Yu”, providing popular science education on heart disease through videos, with illustrations and text that are easy to understand.

▲ “Tian Yan Mi Yu” Popular Science Video

Now, many patients have become devoted fans of the “Tian’s Whispers” column, tuning in regularly each week and occasionally urging for new episodes. Occasionally, Director Tian Ying is even recognized by people while walking on the street. The health education initiatives are beginning to show results, giving Director Tian a greater sense of accomplishment.

Given the distinct audience demographics of each platform, Director Tian Ying tailors her content formats accordingly across major channels. She aims to leverage this multi-platform presence to extend the reach of health education.

Although Director Tian Ying has already gained a modest reputation in the science popularization community, she has never forgotten her original aspiration as a physician. When offering advice to clinicians who are new to the field of science communication, she continues to emphasize:“Treating diseases and saving lives is the primary duty of doctors; popularizing medical knowledge is merely an added bonus. As physicians, we must clearly recognize our core identity: exceptional clinical expertise is the foundation of our profession.”