Brittany Batell

Brittany is a lifelong wolverine who received her Master of Public Health and Master of Social Work degrees, as well as her Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in English, from the University of Michigan. Before joining the team at Michigan Medicine, she worked as the Program Director for the Michigan Organization on Adolescent Sexual Health, a statewide nonprofit which supports young people's sexual health, identities, and rights. Her love of health communications and patient experience grew through her collaborative medical improv work, which began in 2017. This emerging discipline uses theatre and improvisational exercises to build healthcare professionals' interpersonal skills – such as empathy, listening, and teamwork - in clinical settings. She has completed the rigorous Medical Improv Train-the-Trainer Workshop, published a research article, and presented at multiple conferences on applications for this teaching methodology. Brittany is a current member of the Medical Improv Collaborative (MIC), a professional group of medical improv educators and researchers with national scope. Brittany brings this same sense of clear, compassionate, and accessible communication to her role with the Patient Education and Health Literacy team through Michigan Medicine’s Office of Patient Experience. As a Plain Language Specialist, she helps develop, edit, and publish patient education materials. She cares deeply about health literacy and its role in promoting health equity and enhancing the patient experience. In her free time, Brittany can be found participating in community theatre productions like Shakespeare in the Arb, playing D&D, watching Shark Week, and indulging her love of brunch.