The Human Story Behind the Data: How Aurora Elevated CIHI’s Impact
The Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) needed a compelling way to communicate the real-world value of their health data tools to frontline workers, policymakers, and the public. Recognizing the unique sensitivities and trust requirements that come with healthcare communications, Aurora leveraged their deep expertise in the healthcare and mental health sectors – where fact-based messaging, high sensitivity to diverse demographics, and public trust are critical. Aurora partnered with CIHI to produce “Data in Action,” a powerful video case study highlighting how CIHI’s data transformed wound care at Perley Health, in Ottawa. Aurora played a key role not just in the creative vision but also in bringing stakeholders together, encouraging open dialogue, and advocating for authentic storytelling by purposely avoiding the use of a voiceover. The result was a video that translated complex data into an emotional, human-centred story, strengthening CIHI’s position as a trusted health data leader and driving greater awareness and adoption of their tools.
Why Data Needs a Story
The Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) provides standardized, actionable data and information that drives improvements in health care, health system performance, and population health across Canada. CIHI’s team of health care administrators, data scientists, and policymakers works tirelessly to transform raw data into valuable insights. However, data alone rarely tells the whole story. To truly resonate with audiences, organizations must connect the numbers to the human lives they impact.
The Challenge
While CIHI’s data tools, specifically the InterRAI Assessment and InterRAI Reporting System (IRRS), offer immense value, CIHI faced a significant communication challenge. They needed to clearly demonstrate the tangible impact of these tools to a diverse audience, including frontline health care workers, health system leaders, policymakers, and the general public.
Raw statistics and technical reports often fail to capture the emotional reality of patient care. CIHI needed a way to bridge this gap. They wanted to inspire participation and build confidence in their tools by showing exactly how data leads to better health outcomes and system improvements in long-term care settings. They needed a story that proved data isn’t just about numbers; it’s about people.
The Approach
To bring their data to life, CIHI partnered with Aurora to create the “Data in Action” video. Aurora brought their expertise in visual communication and human-centred storytelling to highlight a specific success story: Perley Health’s use of CIHI tools to revolutionize their skin and wound care program.
Guided by Gerard as Creative Director, Aurora managed the entire production process – from creative narrative planning and on-site logistics to filming and accessible post-production. Gerard brought the creative vision to the project, ensuring the storytelling would be both authentic and impactful, rather than merely executing a pre-determined plan. Championing authenticity, Gerard advocated for avoiding a voiceover, instead shaping the video around direct, powerful testimonials from both staff and residents who experienced the change firsthand.
The video captured the reality of the situation before CIHI’s tools were fully utilized. As one Perley Health staff member noted in the video, “We had been monitoring worsening pressure injuries for our residents for quite some time… our data showed that we were more than double the provincial average.”
Aurora also captured the resident perspective to highlight the human cost. JP, a resident at Perley Health, shared his experience: “Those two wounds took a long time to heal and since the nurses only came twice a week, nobody noticed that they weren’t healing.”
By showcasing how Perley Health used CIHI’s data as their “primary source of information” to train staff and implement a structured assessment process, Aurora crafted a narrative that moved from a clear problem to a data-driven, life-changing solution.
To truly resonate with audiences, organizations must connect the numbers to the human lives they impact
The Impact
The “Data in Action” video delivered exceptional results, both for the subjects of the film and for CIHI’s broader strategic goals.
By capturing the story on film, Aurora helped CIHI highlight incredible, measurable improvements in patient care at Perley Health:
- Massive reduction in pressure injuries: Staff reported a drop from an average rate of around 6% to consistently being under 1%.
- Fewer infections: The facility cut the rate of infectious wounds by 50%.
- Improved quality of life: Residents experienced less pain, fewer emergency department visits, and a greater ability to participate in daily activities and hobbies.
For CIHI, the video served as a highly effective communication tool that achieved its primary objectives:
- Strengthened credibility: The video reinforced CIHI’s position as a trusted, vital source of health data in Canada.
- Improved partner relations: Highlighting Perley Health’s success fostered stronger relationships with long-term care partners.
- Enhanced awareness and support: The clear, human-centred narrative successfully demonstrated the value of CIHI’s data tools, generating vital support among health system leaders, frontline workers, and policymakers.
By partnering with Aurora, CIHI successfully transformed complex health system data into an engaging, accessible, and deeply human story. The “Data in Action” video proves that when you pair accurate data with powerful storytelling, you can inspire real change and improve the lives of Canadians.
As CIHI continues to develop innovative tools and frameworks to support Canada’s health care systems, visual storytelling will remain a crucial strategy for driving adoption and showcasing success.
