Innovation Translates Into Action With the Innovation Xchange

Illustration: Lee Sauer

Innovation. The word is everywhere these days, and it would be difficult to find a company that isn’t “committed” to innovation. It would be a shame if the term went the way of other buzz words like “synergy” and “optimize” — catchy and exciting, but devoid of any real meaning.

Is it too late? Has the word “innovation” already lost all significance? I can recall a conversation with a relative about how innovative he was. He still harbors a resentment against bottled water (yes, any bottled water). According to him, he had the idea to bottle clean water and sell it long before anyone else did. He also harbors a resentment toward me because I replied to his frustration by saying, “Yeah, but you didn’t do it.” The execution is the part of innovation that matters, but also where the process gets stalled. Doing it is what innovation really requires. This is particularly apparent in the field of healthcare where technology and scientific advances need to be translated into high-quality patient care amidst roadblocks like staffing shortages, regulatory rules, and budget and coding considerations, to name a few.

At MedAxiom, we are intentional about emphasizing that innovation is action. Over the years, we have seen some innovations succeed and some fail. Regardless of the outcome, our members’ perspectives and communal sharing have helped to advance the industry and improve cardiovascular care delivery. This is the inspiration for our latest community-driven initiative, the Innovation Xchange.

The MedAxiom Innovation Xchange is a member group that strives to influence readiness for change in cardiology by organizing perspectives around cardiovascular innovation more deeply through the following pathway:

1. Identifying the cultural and structural characteristics that make an organization innovate effectively.
2. Define the challenges and pathways for implementing change.
3. Facilitate peer-led discussions about novel solutions that are at the forefront of creating that change.
4. Foster the environment for new collaborations that accelerate the adoption of modern technologies.

Too often, promising ideas fail to launch. The Innovation Xchange and MedAxiom are driving the cardiovascular community toward meaningful change through actionable knowledge based on the exchange of ideas, experiences and shared learnings. We aim to prepare our community so that when that next big idea comes along, we are ready to take action.  

The power of MedAxiom is defined by the real-world experience and expertise of our community. If you are interested in participating in this community and learning more about the Innovation Xchange, contact us.