Healthcare innovation requires curiosity
Curiosity is a critical yet underrated skill for 21st century healthcare innovation, according to a post on the HL7 blog authored by a writer known as HealthIsCool.
New ideas represent uncertainty so people shy aware. But, people in healthcare can drive more innovation by developing their curiosity, she wrote.
Building the capacity for inquiry can help develop the skill of curiosity. Asking questions is an opportunity to learn. In fact, a love of learning is vital for the new age, she wrote, citing Vivek Wadhwa, an author, academic, researcher and entrepreneur. Wadhwa says everyone needs to have a passion for continuous learning. “The sense of empathy that comes from music, arts, literature, and psychology provides a big advantage in design.”
The post also cited researchers at UC Berkeley who found that when doctors were genuinely curious about their patients’ perspectives, they significantly improved decision-making on both ends, and increased the effectiveness of treatment. Team-based healthcare can benefit from curiosity because “we need to cross-pollinate ideas and not be afraid to ask questions. When you start with a question, you can take a complex problem to small, actionable steps.”
Editor
Editor Beth earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and master’s in health communication. She has worked in hospital, academic and publishing settings over the past 20 years. Beth joined TriMed in 2005, as editor of CMIO and Clinical Innovation + Technology. When not covering all things related to health IT, she spends time with her husband and three children.