Importance of Innovation in Healthcare

In healthcare, innovation isn’t just about shiny apps or breakthrough devices. The most impactful innovations can involve rethinking how an entire system works—while still keeping it running. That’s the challenging truth facing large US health systems like Advocate Health and Sutter Health. With mounting pressures—rising costs, staff shortages, and digital-first competitors—these organizations are finding that focusing only on incremental change won’t cut it. They’re building enterprise-wide innovation ecosystems designed to unlock creativity at scale. I explore what they’re doing in a new article for Forbes (a link is in the Comments below). At Advocate Health, for example, this means going beyond pilot projects or siloed innovation labs. Their approach includes: - Strategic partnerships with startups and accelerators - Internal investment funds and innovation districts - Tech transfer capabilities to bring discoveries to market - Leadership development programs built around tools like Jobs to Be Done, human-centered design, and the business model canvas It’s a significant shift—embedding innovation not just in strategy decks, but in the day-to-day work of solving persistent pain points. Teams aren’t just testing new tech. They’re tackling the real “struggling moments” for patients, clinicians, and administrators alike—from vendor inefficiencies to emergency room backlogs—and redesigning care delivery around those needs. One key lesson? Change happens when innovation teams forge close ties with operational leaders and treat them as co-creators, not gatekeepers. That approach opens the door for adoption and scale—critical in a sector that can be both risk-averse and in dire need of reinvention. In a future where innovation methods are as standard as EHRs and MRIs, standalone “innovation departments” may become obsolete. But, until then, health systems that build these capabilities now will be better equipped to navigate uncertainty—and lead the industry transformation already underway. The takeaway for innovators everywhere: When facing entrenched systems and high stakes, don’t just think different—build systems that work differently.

When Mariano Bendersky and I meet up, the conversation isn’t if #healthcare will transform — it’s how soon. Healthcare is poised for an unprecedented #transformation, and the opportunity for #innovators has never been more profound. We stand at the precipice of a monumental shift from reactive disease management to a proactive, self-driven predictive healthcare model. Imagine a world where we don't just treat illness, but intelligently anticipate and mitigate it, empowering individuals to navigate their health journey with foresight and precision. This isn't just a vision; fueled by advanced #AI and vast, emergent health data – from genomics to behavioral insights – this paradigm shift is now #technologically within reach. The chance to dramatically lower healthcare costs, profoundly improve quality of life, and genuinely extend human longevity is not just an aspiration, but a tangible horizon for those bold enough to seize it. However, realizing this future demands more than just brilliant ideas; it requires tenacity and strategic navigation of significant challenges. #Innovators must confront the complexities of data ownership, ensuring #patient trust and seamless, secure access to fragmented information across disparate systems. We must also overcome the inherent inertia of established healthcare practices and actively work to realign financial incentives that currently favor reactive care over proactive prevention. These aren't roadblocks to despair over, but rather pivotal challenges that, when addressed with ingenuity and collaboration, unlock immense value and redefine the very fabric of healthcare delivery. Our call to action? The rapid pace of digital advancement and its widespread adoption in our daily lives provides an unparalleled context for scaling truly transformative healthcare technologies. For healthcare innovators, now is the time to #lead. Let's channel our efforts into prioritizing impactful use-cases and meticulously tackling deployment hurdles, ensuring that the promise of predictive medicine translates into tangible, life-changing benefits for every patient and community. The future of health is not just coming – it's being built by all of us that engage in this discussion, right now, and the opportunity to shape a healthier, more vibrant tomorrow is unequivocally ours. #doseofinnovation Read more here - https://lnkd.in/eQqPFagn

"Move fast and break things. Unless you are breaking stuff, you are not moving fast enough." Mark Zuckerberg’s famous quote may work in #tech, but in healthcare, breaking things comes with deadly consequences. Losing funding, shutting down supply chains, abruptly changing processes, or removing key people from critical roles isn’t just disruption—it’s destruction and it's deadly. Healthcare isn’t a collection of widgets or code that can be patched in the next update. It’s a system built on infrastructure, expertise, and human lives. You only need to see what happens to operational flows in hospitals when the EHR goes on "down time". When funding disappears overnight, medications stop flowing. When staffing cuts hit, patients are left waiting—or worse, they never get seen at all. When leadership eliminates roles without understanding the full impact, entire systems collapse. Innovation in healthcare isn’t about breaking things—it’s about fixing, improving, and strengthening what keeps people alive. Because in this industry, mistakes don’t just crash servers. They end lives. #HealthcareLeadership #HealthcareInnovation #PatientSafety #HealthcareFunding ABIG Health

Confession - I used to think the only way to #innovate in #nursing was to be at the bedside and develop new and creative products. While this certainly is an innovative approach, there are other ways #nurses can embrace innovation and disruption within healthcare. Disruption and innovation are essential qualities for nurses who want to make a real difference in the lives of patients; they are not just buzzwords. Nurses are uniquely positioned to identify problems and develop creative solutions. We have a deep understanding of #patient needs and the challenges facing our #healthcare system. We make data-informed decisions to improve patient outcomes every day. So, how can you disrupt and innovate, even if you aren't at the bedside? 1. Use critical thinking to identify problems and develop creative solutions. 2. Redesign nursing #curricula to incorporate innovative teaching methods, simulations, and technology-based platforms. 3. Collaborate with other stakeholders to create novel ways of doing things. 4. Advocate for policy reform that benefits patients, nurses, and other healthcare colleagues. 5. Stay up to date on the latest trends and best practices by participating in educational opportunities. #nursesonlinkedin #healthcareonlinkedin #nursinginnovation

As #healthcare continues its digital transformation and evolution, clinical informatics physician leaders have emerged as essential catalysts for meaningful change — not just during #EHR #implementation but across the entire lifecycle of clinical innovation and quality improvement. Below is a very insightful white paper by HIMSS. During EHR implementation, #physician #informaticists bridge the clinical expertise and technical execution. We ensure that systems are designed around effective and impactful clinical #workflows, not retrofitted to old workflows. Through user-centered design and change management, we provide a comprehensive and continuous evaluation of the existing workflows to mitigate clinician burnout and drive sustainable adoption from day one. Post-implementation, the work is not done; in fact, it has just begun with continuous #optimization. Clinical informatics leaders act as stewards of usability, patient safety, quality, and innovation, constantly identifying opportunities to improve efficiency, reduce cognitive burden, and elevate the patient and clinician experience. In operations and strategy, we unlock organizational value by turning data into actionable insights. We leverage advanced analytics, predictive models, clinical decision support (#CDS), and social determinants of health (#SDOH) data to reveal hidden opportunities for better care, #health equity, and cost containment. In patient safety and quality, our multidisciplinary lens ensures that #IT #innovations are rigorously evaluated for impact on outcomes, regulatory compliance, and provider satisfaction. Clinical informaticists are essential for advancing personalized #medicine, health equity, and operational excellence. Healthcare innovation is no longer just about technology — it's about how technology is applied to improve outcomes. Informatics leaders must have a seat at the executive table to shape strategy, drive value-based care and champion continuous improvement. #Clinicalinformatics #HIMSS #HealthcareonLinkedin #HealthIT #Healthinnovation #Valuebasedcare

Today, innovations in technology and people's ability to adapt are moving faster than the age-old processes which power our day-to-day lives. Healthcare, more than most industries, relies on many intertwined processes that limit the adoption of technological advances and are contributing to clinician burnout.   The challenge of reaping the benefits of AI innovations, in particular, will be gated by the ability of organizations to unwind their process debt. This recent Harvard Business Review article highlights the good news "that because AI inspires us to rethink the very nature of what we’re able to do […], it can give organizations a fresh chance to get out from under antiquated process debt. And even better, we can now redesign these fundamental processes with the power of AI and many other tools ready to help transform how we can work." All the technology in the world won't have a significant impact on the healthcare industry unless we commit to the paradigm shift and change management required for AI-enabled care. Innovative organizations understand this issue at its core. Kudos to Roberta Schwartz at Houston Methodist for recently appointing a Physician Innovator-in-Residence to the Center for Innovation team to help overcome the challenges of process debt and highlight the important roles that physicians play in the innovation journey. We are honored to work with innovators across the industry leading the way in not only introducing technology but also tackling the changes in process that are required to turn ideas into action. Khurram Nasir, MD MPH MSc Thomas Mroz, MD Sundar Subramanian Mohib Yousufani #HealthcareonLinkedIn #generativeAI #healthcareAI #processdebt #burnout https://lnkd.in/e_ivXKUW

Personalized, systems-based healthcare isn’t a trend—it’s a market imperative. We often hear things like: “Systems health is just a buzzword.” “It’s too complex to implement.” “Our patients don’t need personalized care.” But here’s the thing about systems health: It’s not just a matter of choice; it’s a necessity for improving patient outcomes and healthcare efficiency. Here’s why healthcare providers can’t afford to ignore the shift towards systems health: → Improved Outcomes & Efficiency: Systems-based approaches integrate disparate data sources, such as electronic health records and social determinants of health, to enhance patient care and reduce operational costs (as seen in the integration efforts in 2025. → Market Demand & Competitive Advantage: With the global healthcare industry facing challenges like staffing shortages and rising costs, providers who adopt systems health strategies can differentiate themselves and attract patients seeking personalized care. For instance, AI and automation are expected to drive efficiencies in diagnostics and patient engagement in 2025. → Regulatory Compliance & Risk Management: As healthcare systems face regulatory pressures and workforce challenges, embracing systems health can help mitigate these risks by optimizing resource allocation and improving workforce well-being. → Innovation: Neglecting systems health means missing out on opportunities to leverage technologies like AI, telehealth, and advanced analytics, which are transforming the healthcare landscape The takeaway? Systems health isn’t optional anymore—it’s essential for your healthcare organization’s future. Embrace it, or risk falling behind your competitors.

🚨 Healthcare is approaching a breaking point, and both patients and clinicians are feeling the stress: Philips' 2025 Future Health Index reveals the average wait time for specialist care is as long as 59 days—at a moment when staffing is a challenge, costs are rising and clinical time is declining.   With that systemic stress, there is also great opportunity... Innovation in healthcare #AI is emerging as a powerful accelerator, with the potential to alleviate administrative burdens and improve clinical #diagnostic speed/accuracy, which in turn helps our amazing clinicians spend more time treating patients.   Most clinicians are now seeing AI's promise as a way to give them time back, yet many patients remain cautious. Without building trust in #healthcare AI, it won't scale…and without scale, we all face further strain and longer wait times.    I got to the chance to discuss this with Jill Kalman, M.D. of Northwell Health, David Reich of Mount Sinai Health System and 20 other top industry minds on Wednesday. Our takeaways? As healthcare leaders, we can help by: 🔹 Ensuring innovation in healthcare AI advances with patient-centric design and clinical grounding so it delivers results (faster, better access, more time with patients) 🔹Building trust with clinicians by producing tangible, evidence-based benefits (improved outcomes) 🔹Establishing robust standards and governance; collaborating across disciplines and institutions (clinicians, innovators, policymakers) to ensure strong safeguards (remove bias) 📢 Tell me what else is missing from our list and check out the full 2025 #FutureHealthIndex report: https://lnkd.in/e2wVWQzj Shez Partovi, Kristine Mullen, Joe Shanahan, Leslie McGibbon, Ken Peters