Just about every health system has an innovation program, but how do they know if it’s making a difference? That’s the question we set out to explore with the team from Houston Methodist Center for Innovation.
On this episode we talk with:
- Michelle Stansbury, Vice President of IT Innovation
- Brad Shaink, Administrative Director of Digital Innovation
- Josh Sol, Administrative Director of Ambulatory Innovation
They walk us through:
- Innovation Expectations: How do you set expected goals, OKRs, KPIs, etc.?
- Innovation Discovery: Where do you find solutions?
- Innovation Evaluation: How do you evaluate solutions before you pilot them?
- Innovation Pilots and Early Adoption: How do you pilot your solutions?
- Innovation Procurement: RFPs, templates, etc.
- Innovation Diffusion: Implementation, integration, etc.
- Innovation Recognition: How do you recognize teams that are doing things well?
- Innovation Failure: How do you know if an innovation has failed?
- Exnovation: How do you know when it’s time to stop doing something, or to turn off legacy solutions?
Key takeaways include:
- Right-sizing your pilots: Start small and keep your efforts in line with what you are trying to accomplish.
- Metrics can be qualitative or anecdotal, but they must exist and you must be honest with yourself about whether they are being met.
- Honesty and trust are key to innovation success. If you aren’t giving honest feedback and holding one another accountable then everything falls apart.
- Startups should focus on solving the customer’s problem first and avoid pushing their own agenda. If you invest in the customer’s needs first, you’ll get a chance to expand the vision later.
- Make innovation a priority and develop innovation habits: The Houston Methodist team schedules “Monday Demos” each week to ensure they always have new ideas and solutions entering the pipeline. Sometimes they find a solution for a problem they didn’t even realize they had.
Everyone loves to “innovate”, but only those with a sound plan tied to clear objectives will truly make a difference. The Houston Methodist Center for Innovation team will help you understand what it means to mindfully execute your innovation program.
Links and Resources
- Connect with Michelle Stansbury on LinkedIn
- Connect with Brad Shaink on LinkedIn
- Connect with Josh Sol on LinkedIn
- Learn more: Houston Methodist Center for Innovation
Mentioned on the show:
Related Episodes:
- Episode 149: How Health Systems Think with Neil Carpenter (Listener Favorite)
- Episode 137: The Novation Dynamic: 3 Pillars for Healthcare Innovation Success with Michael Ackerman
- Episode 133: Keeping Your Innovation Engine Humming During the COVID-19 Crisis w/ Karen Murphy, PhD, RN (Geisinger)
This episode is brought to you by:
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