It seems these days, nearly everyone we meet across the Dutch health(care) system is building needed capacity for health innovation. They are creating innovation offices or labs, working with startups, participating in hackathons, going to conferences, attending masterclasses, etc. These are all indeed needed activities to build the “infrastructure” to enable and lead innovation.
By: Lucien Engelen, Director, Radboudumc REshape Center for Innovation and Core Faculty (Trainer), Health Innovation School
But it is not enough.
Having infrastructure alone is like building a human with the anatomy, but not the physiology. Culture, mindsets, behaviors and attitudes are the physiology of health innovation. And they are #1 reason why innovation either thrives or abysmally fails in any health system or organization, anywhere in the world.
And the Netherlands is no exception.
The REshape Center last year challenged the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport to join forces to develop a curriculum that teaches the ‘how’ of health innovation in a complex system like health and care, where there are so many different sectors, perspectives and approaches to innovation.
We launch today the Health Innovation School, an experiential training program tailored for building the future leaders of Dutch health(care) in the new era of innovation. It is a co-creation of the REshape Center of Radboud University Medical Center and The Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport.
The School builds mastery of the needed mindsets, competencies and knowledge to lead or enable innovation that “sticks” in our complex system of health and care. We are looking for 50 of the Netherland’s emerging innovation leaders from across all sub-sectors (including health professionals and patients!), to join us for Cohort I of the program starting June 2017. Applications open April 20th, 2017 and will close on May 15th, 2017.
This program was developed in response to pace of change happening outside of the Dutch health(care) system. Lots is new, and impacts every player in our system: New entrants, new business models, new conventions, new roles of traditional professionals, and new patient needs & expectations.
Innovation is now a necessary competency for everyone across health and care, no matter what role or level. More than ever before.
This advanced and highly specialized training program fills the gap in currently available HR systems and masterclasses by teaching emerging leaders “how” to enable and lead all types of innovation – process, service, financing, policy, etc. — across the Dutch health(care) system.
What do you work on in the Health Innovation School?
The program is organized around three connected streams of activity over a 5-month time frame (June to October 2017):
In-Person Sessions – where participants cover 5 knowledge modules during four days (2 days in June, 2 days in September)
Connections – strategic linkages and exchange between participants, from across all sectors of the health system throughout the program
Action Project – the participants work in cross-functional groups, with the support of a coach, to apply the behaviors, tools and concepts to a real and challenging innovation challenge of the health system
What will I learn?
By working through these three streams in parallel, you will master the following foundational competencies:
- Comprehend what health innovation is, who is involved, and why innovation is an imperative in 21st century health and care;
- Foster new connections to deeply understand health innovation from multiple lenses and perspectives within & outside your domain, including broader Dutch society;
- Recognize and avoid the old cultures, mindsets and behaviors that get in the way of health innovation, and start to embrace “The Innovator’s DNA”;
- Know where change is and will happen, and how to translate the tools and methodologies in the health innovator’s toolbox into practice and real impact
- Understand the technologies enabling a future of health and care that is democratized, connected and hyper-personalized;
- Practice and demonstrate your understanding of key concepts and new skills of human-centred innovation through an applied learning project;
- Be inspired with new possibilities and the ability to see opportunities to transform Dutch health(care) through innovation.
Who should apply?
If you are in middle management at an organization in the Dutch health(care) system, or you are a health professional or patient with the potential to impact innovation in our system, then the Health Innovation School is the place for you.
Applications are due May 15. More information is available on our website.
Along with my fellow faculty (trainers) from the REshape Center and the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport, and with a great group of guest faculty (trainers) from across the Netherlands and the globe, I look forward to you joining us on the journey to build the future of Dutch health(care)!