The Innovation Center focus areas include:
- Commercialization of new devices or methods created by employees/collaborators/peers
- Serving as an entry portal for small startups to access and navigate the broader healthcare system
- Consulting with departments in the organization to help discover new approaches to solving difficult problems
- Creating a culture of innovation across the whole organization
Our projects come to us through four channels:
- Ideas submitted by Roper St. Francis Healthcare doctors, nurses and teammates
- Innovation Center outreach – connect with Roper St. Francis Healthcare doctors, nurses and teammates
- Ideas submitted by collaborators/partners
- Collaboration on mature projects with external sources
As part of our outreach program, our center’s Idea Extractor meets regularly with Roper St. Francis Healthcare medical professionals to discuss and identify needs they glean from working with patients. Our goal is to give doctors and staff tools to help them become creators of new technology as well as users of it. The Innovation Center also evaluates ideas and promising research that could be turned into viable businesses, including seeking seed funds to cover prototypes and other start-up expenses.