Embedding innovation into the cultural fabric of an organization is frequently cited as a goal or value held by companies in the healthcare industries who are embarking on transformation journeys.
Beyond the intention of innovation, alignment of company culture with consistent innovation work results from the actual recognition of efforts in driving collective value and shared positive opinion of innovation among individuals and teams. Cultural acceptance of modernization represents the end goal, defining the sum of actions supporting the “roots and wings” approach to recognizing the value in innovation. The underpinnings of an innovative culture in the healthcare and life sciences industries involve significant and consistent effort towards the acceptance of an innovation mindset. It is a spark that occurs in the hearts and souls of individuals and teams. Support for innovation is a catalyst that can be found in the opinions, behaviors, and positive regard for innovation that is held by those who develop and use innovations in the work streams of planning, manufacturing, operations, and other core functions of healthcare delivery.
Innovativeness reflects the behaviors that enable innovation from efforts in ideation, feasibility, and piloting, through implementation, adoption, and acceptance¹. Innovativeness complements actions of innovation, instilling supportive behaviors that drive positive opinions, beliefs, and mindsets that make successful innovation happen. When positive behavioral factors that support innovation emerge, it creates synergies among ideas, execution of plans, and those acting as advocates in healthcare companies. When efforts to foster positive behaviors are not actively cultivated, those same individuals and teams can also facilitate the spread of opposing opinions, bias, and resistance to change. As discussed in our previous blog, Innovativeness in healthcare reflects the necessity for change in behaviors that accompany innovation¹,². Digital health solutions that support innovativeness can help drive innovation through creating and revising scenarios, rapidly deploying innovative capabilities, and providing robust and reliable technology that complements transformational efforts in care delivery.