Innovation in Healthcare: Harnessing New Technologies

This article provides a health information technology practitioner’s perspective on how the healthcare industry is harnessing emerging technology for research, discovery, and enhanced healthcare delivery. It draws conclusions and insights regarding the balance between innovation and investment in IT with reduced budgets and the uncertainties of the healthcare regulatory environment. Four specific case studies are briefly summarized of innovative applications introduced to improve healthcare delivery. The case studies include 1) Electronic Health Record (EHR) Early Sepsis Patient Identification and Alert System, 2) Bed, Patient Flow, and Transportation Management, 3) a Telehealth Initiative, and 4) a Mobile Stroke Unit. The final section briefly discusses and proposes relevant research questions that should be addressed