Healthcare in evolution: motivation, education, innovation

Abstract

We are witnessing now the rapid pace of innovation in all domains and healthcare is no exception. However, we see innovation in healthcare moving slower than most of the other fields and despite the fact that we see so many problems that new technologies and new understandings could solve the progress is rather deceiving. A number of innovation management methods have been also expanded from the business and technical fields towards healthcare, and are now extensively implemented, with variable results. Having worked in the last 3 years with healthcare innovators in startups or research institutions all across Romania and all over Europe I would like to summarize my personal observations as well as propose a process focusing on finding the most relevant people in terms of motivation and attitude, providing them with the right set of skills, growing them in a supporting and challenging environment and then exposing and empowering them gradually. We will review the arguments and the decisions to be taken at each step, and focus on handling the inevitable obstacles. As much of a slogan this can sound, innovation in healthcare is done by people, with people, for people, and impactful innovation in healthcare keeps this in mind. Always!