Executive Q&A: Dr. Danielle Kelvas on Elevating Health Content with Clinical Credibility and Storytelling

Dr. Danielle Kelvas stands at the rare intersection of clinical expertise and narrative precision. As the Founder and CEO of DKMD Consulting, she leads a growing team of physicians, pharmacists, and nurses who are reshaping how the healthcare industry communicates.

With more than a decade of clinical experience, Dr. Kelvas recognized a growing disconnect between the innovations in medical technology and the way those advancements were being communicated to providers and patients. What began as a flood of writing requests during the COVID-19 pandemic evolved into a mission: bring medical accuracy, emotional intelligence, and clinical credibility to every piece of content in healthcare.

Danielle Kelvas, MD, Founder and CEO, DKMD Consulting.

At DKMD Consulting, Dr. Kelvas brings a physician’s rigor to marketing, research, and thought leadership, producing content that not only resonates with medical professionals but also earns their trust. Her team specializes in translating complex medical concepts into compelling, accurate, and accessible materials—ranging from peer-reviewed white papers and case studies to patient-facing education and digital campaigns for AI-powered health technologies.

In this exclusive interview, Dr. Kelvas shares her journey from the ER to the editor’s chair, how she balances the science of medicine with the art of storytelling, and why she believes physician-led content is essential in the AI era.

Q: Can you share a bit about your journey from practicing medicine to founding a medical writing company?

During the pandemic, I received an enormous amount of medical writing requests to review materials posted online. There was no way to keep up with them in a timely fashion with my medical workload. I realized there’s a desperate need here to get physicians more involved with content and new ideas. Doctors are drowning trying to care for patients, but we don’t have time to advocate or be a part of the online conversation.

We’re seeing more doctors with YouTube channels, which is great, but it’s not necessarily helping medical device and/or research companies bring their ideas to life. I was in the trenches seeing patients during the pandemic, but I felt at such a loss. I knew if I wanted to make a difference, I had to think bigger. And that meant stepping out to get involved in research. I loved caring for patients. But healthcare as a system is failing, and I wanted to be a part of the solution, instead of perpetually throwing cups of water out of a sinking ship with a hole in the bottom.

Q: What inspired you to start this business — was there a particular moment or need you saw in the industry?

Many of the start-up biotechs, medical device, and healthcare software companies I talk to have revolutionary and brilliant ideas that can save healthcare billions and save lives, and doctors need a seat at the table.

Even if it’s just reviewing and helping them to write content, that’s huge. So, I created my company with the goal of bridging the gap between marketing and medicine in a trustworthy, sustainable manner. I wanted to bring a physician’s consultative experience and value to the new technology that’s brewing. Create a platform where they can still see patients if they want, but also bring their knowledge to companies who need them part-time.

We don’t need doctors to quit - we have such a significant physician shortage - but we desperately need them in research and content development as well.

Q: How does your experience as a physician shape the way you approach medical content creation?

First of all, I make sure everything is accurate and trustworthy by using evidence-based medicine. I had 12 years of training in how to review materials and sift through poor research vs is this statistically significant research. This is critical now with AI hallucinations.

Second, physicians have a deep responsibility to first do no harm and to alleviate suffering, not just sell a product for a profit. Fall in love with your audience, not your product. We bring a fresh perspective to content creation that helps companies differentiate themselves from just another sales pitch. Medicine is overwhelmed with fluffy, boring, and empty content.

A great example is a new AI-assisted ultrasound device that we created content for. AI can help providers learn ultrasound quickly, get more accurate measurements, and process more patients faster, which has so many benefits. We wanted to help benefit others, so we created educational content for their blog that educates other providers in all the great ways you can use ultrasound to skip unnecessary tests.

As physicians, we have a deep understanding of ultrasound, and we bring this experience when we meet with the marketing team. The content that comes out now is powerful, dense, valuable, and like I said before, improves the system of healthcare instead of just pushing for another sale.

Q: Did you always have an interest in writing, or did that passion grow alongside your medical career?

My family got our first IBM computer when I was 7, and I started writing a book at 9 years old. Sadly, the hard drive died, and I lost it. I’ve always been passionate about language, vocabulary, - and the hidden meanings in poems. There’s a power in writing someone a note or journaling. When you journal, you process your thoughts twice - that’s why it’s so effective in treating mental illness.

During the pandemic, everything went virtual, and I was emailing and texting patients, which was new. Those emails can really make or break someone’s day, and I learned to be much more intentional with my words to them. And this led to the creation of the boutique medical writing firm.

Q: What were some of the biggest challenges in transitioning from clinical practice to entrepreneurship?

It was definitely a steep learning curve! As a physician, you don’t have to worry about getting patients in the door, whereas in business, that’s your primary directive - sales, and getting clients.

I realized, too, how I had the privilege of working alongside like-minded medical professionals. I was used to leading teams of medical providers, but in business, you work alongside people from many different professions (finance, accounting, bankers, etc), and they think in a totally different way. I had to grow into a better leader and listener. Everyone brings their expertise to the table, so I had to learn how to lead each person differently - lead instead of manage. And be humble enough to admit I don’t have all of these skill sets.

I have a phenomenal team that has expanded and sharpened the way I interact with others who think differently. I was used to viewing problems with a narrow scope, but in business, the ways in which you can solve a problem are infinite. It feels amazing to be able to solve a problem for a client, and not be strapped down with so much red tape that it strangles how we care for patients.

Q: How do you balance the science of medicine with the art of storytelling in your content?

Hold space for both facts and feelings - precision and humanity. Science is our foundation: diagnosis, physiology, treatment plans, labs. Storytelling is how I connect with people, make them feel seen, heard, and understood. When you can marry medicine and marketing to tell a story, it’s engaging and inspiring.

As a physician, I learned to be a master storyteller, to translate complex medical jargon into a way that someone can understand. To me, it’s about capturing the moment when chemicals meet the physical. Biology, chemistry, and the physics that operate within the body tell a beautiful story. And somehow, within all of those molecules, we have consciousness. It’s a mystery.

The best healers I’ve ever read about or spoken to are the ones who can hold a stethoscope in one hand and share a story in the other.

Q: Can you tell us more about the types of content your company produces?

The bulk of our work centers around website content (blogs, articles), and research materials, like case studies, reports, white papers, and marketing materials. We help companies get published in peer-reviewed journals, and we can translate medical information across the major languages.

We also bring enormous consultative value when creating content. For example, we had a client who put together a large campaign of materials to target ER doctors and trauma surgeons. But after we reviewed it, I explained to the marketing team that this content actually resonates with radiologists, not their initial target audience. In the end, I helped them adjust their language so it resonated with their actual target audience.

Q: What industries or sectors do you primarily serve — is it healthcare providers, pharma, health tech, patient education, or a mix?

We specialize in medical devices, biotech, telemedicine, and AI-powered software for healthcare. We are seeing an uptick in pharma clients who want to differentiate themselves. People lost a lot of trust in pharma during the pandemic. In essence, we are helping repair that trust with honest, reliable content.

Q: How important is it to you that all content is physician-written and vetted? What does that add to the final product?

I am so lucky to have such a great team. We’re a group of physicians, pharmacists, and nurses that bring our boots-on-the-ground experience to our writing.

Anyone can research and write an article about a stroke, for example, but the content sings when it’s written by someone who has actually diagnosed, treated, and cared for a patient during/after a stroke when the hospital is full, there’s no beds, not enough neurologists to go around, and your resources are tight.

A bland article will describe different types of strokes, for example, but with us, we know the kind of questions stroke patients ask.

“Will I ever be able to speak clearly again?”

“Why am I so angry/depressed all the time?”

“Will I be able to drive again someday?”

“I’m frightened now, and anxious in a way I never used to be.”

 We’ve had these conversations with patients, so our content is much more relatable. It’s medically based, not fluffy.

When reviewing higher-level documents, like research, we bring a fresh perspective. If you’re trying to get a study published in a peer-reviewed journal, we know what kind of redlines you’ll receive from the journal’s medical reviewer. So we help reduce the number of revisions to help you get published faster.

Q: How do you ensure accuracy and trustworthiness in every piece of content you produce?

We only use peer-reviewed, vetted sources. And even then, we still have to scan things to make sure it wasn’t written by AI. Nature had to pull over 10,000 papers in 2023 after finding that much of the content was pure AI hallucinations. If you cite fake statistics in your marketing materials, it could severely damage your credibility and reputation.

Everything is then reviewed by a licensed professional in that field of medicine for an added layer of protection.

Q: Can you walk us through your typical content development process, from client brief to final draft?

Everything we do is custom. We tailor our process to the client’s needs. This means sitting in on marketing meetings, reviewing their competitors, and having a demo of the product. Lots of brainstorming sessions where we ask things like, “Have you ever thought about this?”

For example, I sat in on a marketing meeting with a medical device company that was targeting cardiologists. After reviewing the device, I helped them realize that Afib is more and more diagnosed in the ER setting, so creating content for ER doctors could open up an enormous market for them. We don’t just identify options, we do the work to reach them.

Everything they put together was brilliant, but unless you’ve worked in medicine, it’s difficult to think creatively and distinguish yourself from your competitors.

Q: Are there any particular formats of content that you find especially impactful, like patient education guides, white papers, or scientific publications?

White papers are definitely my favorite. We’re creating a way to make them interactive to increase retention and engagement. There’s such fascinating technology coming out now, but it’s tricky getting traditional medicine to adopt these. We know how to communicate this message that translates into conversions, instead of being just another drab white paper.

Healthcare systems don’t like to be sold to, but they do like to buy. We excel at tailoring the message in a way that directly resonates with the pain points in medicine today.

Q: How do you tailor your writing style when the audience shifts — for example, from a peer-reviewed journal to patient-facing materials?

Patient material needs to be written in a conversational style, while taking great care to break down complex topics into easy-to-understand language. It needs to have an air of empathy. When patients are sick, and they Google their symptoms, they shouldn’t walk away feeling hopeless or frightened. We want to avoid sending people down this scary internet spiral. We want them to feel heard and understood, and most importantly, cared for.

We’re experts at talking to patients and also writing content that other medical providers will enjoy reading. They read things thoughtfully and critically. If there’s any incorrect information, you’ve immediately lost their attention, sometimes permanently. Doctors are very good at knowing when they’re being sold to, versus reviewing a product that can genuinely make their lives easier.

There’s a deep responsibility when it comes to publishing peer-reviewed literature. Clinicians will read this and change how they care for patients based on that science. So it’s critical to write in a way that guides them and equips them with the knowledge to conduct their own research and make more informed, important decisions. It needs to be backed up with robust evidence, and not just salesy claims to push a product.

Q: What role does evidence-based medicine play in your content creation process?

We’re at a critical point in medicine where I think you have instant access to information online, but it’s becoming increasingly difficult to sift through misinformation and disinformation. EBM is the foundation upon which we write. We take great pride in being stewards of communicating accurate, trustworthy information.

Q: What does your team look like? Are all your writers physicians, and how do you select them?

We’re a group of clinicians who are passionate about writing and communicating ideas. Many doctors want to be a part of the conversation, and they need to be. We need their career perspective, and the doctors/pharmacists on our team are such gifted writers. Regularly, I am blown away by how well one of our providers will write something, introducing a new perspective or way of constructing a thought or argument. It’s an honor to work alongside them.

First, I ensure that everyone is credentialed, licensed, and has enough clinical experience. Unfortunately, this excludes students.

I try to select providers that are humble enough to receive feedback. Writing is an art, so being able to not get defensive and adjust the writing as needed is important to me. You can’t take feedback personally.

Q: How do you collaborate with clients to ensure their voice and objectives come through in the content?

We have an onboarding process to ensure we’re aligned with their objectives, voice, and brand. We put together thoughtful content maps and outlines and have regular check-in meetings to ensure we’re on the right track. We offer our ideas as well, to bring a fresh perspective.

If content isn’t performing well, then we’re quick to pivot the language as needed. We use Google Docs to track changes, so it’s an ongoing conversation, and you can see how we’re editing/writing content in real time. Clients appreciate this, so they know exactly when things will be finished, and they can see how we’re incorporating their feedback.

Q: Do you work with external medical experts or specialists for niche topics?

Yes! This is one of the favorite parts of my job, when I can reach out to a specialist and ask for them to review something. I get to learn new things about medicine every day, and connect physicians with groundbreaking research. I genuinely want my clients to succeed. So, having a specialist lay eyes on something in the beginning can help avoid content falling flat or being incorrect.

A great example - I recently had a radiologist write an article about the crystals inside an ultrasound probe. I used ultrasound in practice for years, but didn’t realize all of the science behind it, and why the crystals matter so much in providing a clear ultrasound image. Now that article is up on the medical device’s website to help educate other providers. It’s deeply satisfying for everyone involved.

Q: With so much misinformation online, how do you see your company’s role in promoting accurate health communication?

My dream is for the firm to be recognized as stewards of writing trustworthy, accurate information online and beyond. People are overwhelmed with fluffy content, and the collective anxiety in the U.S., I believe, partially stems from them never really knowing if what they’re reading online is accurate. Everything feels like another sales slogan.

Hospital executives read a report and need to be able to trust that the stats are real. They have an enormous responsibility to balance precarious budgets, and so when they read about a new device or software, and see that it was written by us, my hope is that the brand of TRUST will subconsciously be there.

Q: How have you seen the demand for medically accurate, physician-led content evolve over the years?

The demand is enormous. Medicine has become so specialized and complicated. Unless you have medical experience, it’s become borderline impossible to write about it.

So your company has developed a new type of cardiac stent? Let’s get the word out. But at the bare minimum, a cardiologist needs to review the written material, and honestly probably write it, because when communicating this to a cardiothoracic surgeon, they will know immediately if someone with no experience wrote it. You’ve lost the sale at that point and their trust. I’ve seen brilliant ideas burst because they weren't written properly.

Q: Are there any health topics or trends you’re seeing more interest in right now?

AI-assisted devices for sure. It’s a powerful tool that is going to help in immense ways. I’m really excited to be a part of this conversation. AI can’t replace human interaction or human experience, but it certainly can challenge us to be better in many ways.

Q: How do you see AI tools impacting medical writing — as a threat, a complement, or something else entirely?

As a complement, for sure. If you have resistance to this technology, then you run the risk of being left behind. AI can help with generating outlines, for example. I just caution against using AI to do all of your research. We’re seeing a lot of AI hallucinations, which is where AI will simply make up statistics or a fake study. A regular writer may not know how to investigate whether what the AI has generated is true, but we do.

A white paper used to take 3 months, but with AI, we can shorten this down to a few weeks. It still needs to be polished and reviewed, but being able to get ideas and content out faster will expedite how long research takes.

Q: What has been the most rewarding project or moment for you since starting the company?

I’ve had the privilege of working with and meeting brilliant people from all over the world.

We’re writing their ideas down, getting things published, helping their companies grow, and it ultimately improves healthcare. That’s what makes everything worth it. Relationships. I have friends now from Seattle to Cairo. When we hop on video calls, I’ve met their kids and their pets. We prioritize having long-term relationships with our clients, and I treasure those.

Q: If you could give advice to other physicians thinking about pursuing entrepreneurial paths, what would it be?

If you think it’s going to be less stressful than working in medicine, it’s not. Running a business comes with no guarantees and has just as many highs and lows.

Be humble and get used to relying on others with new skillsets. If your staff comes to you with feedback, listen. As a physician, I was used to being the expert, and I quickly learned that it’s ok to ask for help, and I don’t have to be the expert at everything.

Someone I deeply admire is John Deere. He developed the first commercially successful, self-scouring steel plow in 1837. But when the first engine came along, the company had a critical decision to make. They could dissolve and call it quits, or reinvent themselves. So they created the iconic tractor, and the name John Deere is now internationally renowned.

In business, flexibility is key. You’re going to fail daily. Problems arise; it's just the nature of the beast. But fail forward and never give up. John Deere could have given up, but he persisted. When I feel like quitting, which is at least once a week, I choose not to give in to fear, but to stand back up and keep going.

Q: Where do you see your company heading in the next 3–5 years? Are there any new services or areas of growth on the horizon?

I’m humbled to say how well the company has grown. We will 3x our profit from 2023 to 2024. We’re expanding our medical translation department with the use of AI and currently inventing a new way to display white paper information in a more engaging, interactive way.

We’re hiring new specialists in various medical fields. My team gets all the credit, though.

Their dedication to writing and sharing accurate, trustworthy medical information is admirable.

Q: Finally, what keeps you motivated every day in this work? What’s your "why"?

I remember all of the patients that passed, or who I couldn’t help back then, either due to a lack of resources or outdated technology. The projects we’re working on are going to genuinely improve the practice of medicine, and that’s what keeps me motivated. I’m a part of the future of medicine, and it all starts with getting those ideas into written content.