Compassionate Innovation: Health Care's Magic Elixir? | Sarah Cox | TEDxMissouriS&T

TL;DR

The lack of innovation in fixing the healthcare system may be due to a lack of the right motivation, but compassionate innovators can help solve healthcare problems.

Transcript

[Applause] I want you to take a moment and think about the most frustrating experience you have had with our Health Care system now most of us can come up with a frustration very quickly those frustrations are due to problems with our health care System there are lots of problems with our healthare system hundreds thousands millions even maybe I'm ... Read More

Key Insights

• ❓ Frustrations with the healthcare system stem from systemic problems.
• 🖤 Lack of innovation in healthcare isn't due to a lack of digital health companies or investments.
• 😨 Many innovations prioritize shareholder interests over patient care.
• 😨 Compassionate innovators have successfully improved patient care through innovations.
• 🤔 Healthcare professionals can be trained to think creatively and solve problems with design thinking.
• 🥺 Innovative problem-solving can lead to faster, more accessible prescription services.
• 👨‍🏫 Schools and programs are incorporating compassionate innovation training for healthcare professionals.

Questions & Answers

Q: Why have we not fixed the healthcare system despite the abundance of digital health innovations?

The lack of solutions may be due to a lack of the right motivation driving innovation. Many innovations come from companies driven by shareholder interests, not patient care.

Q: Can healthcare professionals use their motivations to innovate and solve healthcare challenges?

Yes, examples of healthcare professionals partnering with software engineers and starting their own companies show that compassionate innovators can successfully solve healthcare challenges, such as improving prescription access and affordability.

Q: How do we cultivate the right motivation in healthcare professionals?

By training healthcare professionals to think outside the research box, encouraging compassionate innovation, and providing them with the tools and frameworks like design thinking, we can cultivate a new generation of compassionate innovators.

Q: What are some examples of schools and programs already teaching innovative problem-solving in healthcare?

The Health Design Lab at Thomas Jefferson University teaches medical students design thinking to solve problems such as restrictive IV lines, while the Rebel thinkers student research group at the University of Missouri Kansas City School of Pharmacy uses design thinking to address communication breakdowns in prescription access.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• There are many frustrations with the healthcare system, but the lack of solutions is not due to a lack of innovation. Tons of digital health companies have been created and invested in.

• The motivation driving innovation in healthcare may be the problem, as many innovations come from shareholder-driven companies.

• Healthcare professionals with the right motivation have successfully innovated and solved challenges within healthcare, improving patient care.