{"id":7459,"date":"2015-12-09T23:27:09","date_gmt":"2015-12-10T04:27:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/digital.hbs.edu\/platform-rctom\/submission\/building-an-innovation-engine-in-healthcare-hospital-for-special-surgery\/"},"modified":"2015-12-09T23:27:09","modified_gmt":"2015-12-10T04:27:09","slug":"building-an-innovation-engine-in-healthcare-hospital-for-special-surgery","status":"publish","type":"hck-submission","link":"https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/submission\/building-an-innovation-engine-in-healthcare-hospital-for-special-surgery\/","title":{"rendered":"Building an Innovation Engine in Healthcare: Hospital for Special Surgery"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) is an example of a successful hospital that aligns its operating and business models through structured innovation and design thinking methodology.<\/p>\n

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HSS is a nationally top-ranked academic medical center dedicated to orthopedics.1<\/sup> By launching the Innovation Center<\/strong> in 2014, HSS has pioneered innovation in orthopedics through research and commercialization of technologies with external partners. In the first few months since its inception, the center has seeded its fund with $1 million and is planning to raise additional funds.2<\/sup><\/p>\n

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While academic medical centers have significant advantage for developing innovations with\u00a0high patient volumes and clinicians with deep understanding of complicated workflows, innovation management is particularly challenging in healthcare due to the high degree of variability and uncertainty. Moreover, there aren\u2019t sufficient incentives and funding available for employees to participate in the innovation process. HSS tackles these issues with the Innovation Center, offering development infrastructure both for its clinicians and start-ups.<\/p>\n

In a time of increasing consolidation, HSS has managed to remain independent and to grow by employing innovation as a key driver to distinguish itself.3<\/sup> The key factors of HSS’ success are its focus on one area of specialty (orthopedics)\u00a0<\/em>and systematic innovation approach<\/em>.4<\/sup> The hospital has successfully addressed the industry void in identifying and evaluating innovative medical solutions. While the hospital opened Innovation Center last year, it has been collaborating with commercialization partners since 1979.5<\/sup>\u00a0As an academic institution, the hospital recognizes that discovery of ideas is an essential outcome of the research performed at the hospital by its physicians and that these ideas have the potential to turn into products with commercial importance.6<\/sup> The portfolio of products supported by the center encompasses not only traditional biomedical science products such as implants, but also new care delivery process innovations, wearable and digital technology solutions and telemedicine.<\/p>\n

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Organization structure<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The center invites its staff and start-ups to test, pilot and advance ideas that are aligned with the business model of the hospital.8 <\/sup>By having a clearly defined strategy, the right processes, and by building a team of dedicated resources, HSS created an ecosystem of researchers and commercial partners that convert concepts into feasible products. 6<\/sup><\/p>\n

The center is structured around key resources including engineers and business advisories that provide support from inception of ideas to building business plans and ensuring regulatory compliance of products. Governance of the center is supervised by the Innovation Senior Executive Team including hospital CEO, Surgeon-in-Chief and Chief Scientific Officer.<\/p>\n

Innovation process<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

HSS employs lean methodology and design thinking in the innovation process. There are 4 key steps followed in this process:3<\/sup><\/p>\n