INNOVATION IN COMMUNITY HEALTH SERVICE

In the first Edition of Community Health Service Nuggets, we explore what is a Community Health Service organisation, what they do, and I challenge you to go and find out the type of Community Health Service available in your locality.

This edition of Community Health Service Nuggets we will be talking about innovation in Community Health Service. Before we dive in to talk about innovation in Community Health Service, I think it is important to definition what we mean by innovation and to debunk some myth around innovation.

 There is a myth that innovation is about the big things however that is not true, innovation can be big or small.  The key thing is that did it bring about a change that makes a difference to the way a service was delivered and did it transform service user’s experience.

Innovation talks about a new way of doing something, new idea, device. Health innovation enhances the efficacy, efficiency, quality, sustainability, safety, and/or cost of healthcare, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Innovation is seen when there is an update on a healthcare policy, procedure, a new system implemented, and there is review and upgrade to delivery strategies that lead to better healthcare.

INNOVATION PLANNING: Innovation planning is about identifying opportunities and setting up a structured process to turn ideas into reality. Here are some steps to consider:

Spot Opportunities: Look for problems that need solving or areas for improvement.

Prioritize Ideas: Not all ideas are equal; choose the ones with the most potential impact.

Test Innovations: Start with small experiments to validate your ideas.

Build Support: Gather feedback and refine your concept based on real-world interactions.

SKILLS OF AN INNOVATOR

An innovator needs a diverse set of skills to bring new ideas to life:

Curiosity: A desire to learn and explore new possibilities.

Creativity: The ability to think outside the box and generate novel ideas.

Critical Thinking: Analysing and evaluating information to make informed decisions.

Networking: Building relationships that can provide new insights and opportunities

A FEW IDEAS FOR INNOVATION

Process Innovation: Finding more efficient ways of doing business.

Product Innovation: Developing new or improved products that meet service user’s needs.

Business Model Innovation: Changing the way business is done to create value for customers.

Technology Innovation: Leveraging new technologies to enhance business operations.

BARRIERS TO INNOVATION

 Mindset: To be an innovator you need to have a growth mindset because mindset is everything. “We’ve always done this way” altitude will struggle with innovation. You must be able to see beyond yourself and see the bigger picture.

Manpower: It is great you have an innovative idea however you need to have right number of staff and skill set to make it work. This is where collaboration comes in, you need to consider who needs to be involved in the project, role and how you can get them involve and get them to buy in to the project. This people become your change champion and they push forward the innovative idea in their area of influence.

Timing: timing is important in planning an innovation. innovation process will be difficult during a restructuring process because the anxiety level is high and people, so you need to review the organisation culture and present situation.

Funding: innovation can be challenging just before the end of a financial year because finance team are trying to balance the demand and expenditure of the organisation and may not be excited about your new idea.

Time: Innovation is not an overnight wonder it takes time depending on the level of the innovation being proposed. Running an innovation process can give birth to a pre-mature idea which will not last so don’t be in a rush, do all the groundwork so that your innovation will truly last the test of time.

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If you missed the Community Health Service LinkedIn Audio event for the month of April, you could catch up via the YouTube Channel: https://youtu.be/3KanOZjAwOo?si=TWQjQd5D-Cyzne-J

The next Episode of Community Health Service LinkedIn Audio event will be on the 14th of May @ 6.30pm, mark it on your calendar, don’t miss it.

Remember, innovation is not just about having a single great idea; it’s about cultivating an environment where ideas can emerge, be tested, and be implemented effectively.