Innovation. It is one of the three core values of Harrison Healthcare. Interestingly, innovation is a word that many organizations claim to achieve although they can rarely define it. It is often an empty promotional word.
At Harrison, we define it as creative thoughtfulness and action that result in significant positive change.
It stems from another core value that I talked about before – compassion. As an organization, we work very hard to find people that have a compassionate nature, but also sharp, inquisitive minds that wonder about new ways of solving problems for clients. That may be a tireless effort to achieve a definitive diagnosis and treatment plan for an individual. But it may also be a larger idea that can assist in helping many clients that share a common problem.
Innovation has become a value at Harrison because it is intrinsically valuable and desirable for us. We are driven by finding more effective solutions for an increasing number of health issues and for an increasing number of people. I can say with complete honesty that making meaningful contributions to the effective, compassionate delivery of healthcare is far more important to us than anything else. This is where the value of innovation ties into the larger value of compassion. We are not just compassionate towards our clients. We are compassionate towards all people in our community, our country, and indeed the world.
How do we nurture innovation at Harrison? We simply offer our staff the “space” to imagine more effective ways of achieving optimal health outcomes in a safe and supportive environment. We then provide the time and resources to our people when there is consensus on pursuing a particular scientific or technological initiative. We recognize that not all efforts will result in the success that was imagined. What is important is that we pursued the innovation in a heartfelt effort to effect positive change.
Two major innovations are currently underway at Harrison. One is CareChart, a comprehensive personal health record that presents clients with their own health data, along with tools to assist in more effective prevention and disease management. Another is a precision mental health assessment tool (MHAT), that promises to achieve more definitive diagnosis of mental health conditions and therefore more effective and timely therapy. These initiatives deserve a greater description, and I will be happy to share that with you as they progress in development.
