Novant Health Unveils New Innovation Initiative
According to a Feb. 6 press release, Charlotte, N.C.-based Novant Health announced it will be partnering with Innovate Carolina and the Digital Health Institute for Transformation (DHIT) to launch a new program. The new initiative—called the NC Health Innovation District—aims to increase digital health innovation capacity and drive social impact across North Carolina and beyond.
The press release states that “Through the NC Health Innovation District (NCHID) initiative, DHIT, Innovate Carolina and Novant Health Innovation Lab will partner with leading organizations, experts and communities to deliver and evolve a state-wide collaboration platform including digital health masterclasses, roundtables, workshops and real-world challenges in order to facilitate readiness and adoption of digital health innovations. By leveraging the latest technologies and social innovation approaches, this initiative will create new partnerships and models of engagement across North Carolina that will help improve access to healthcare, enhance patient outcomes, decrease healthcare costs and reduce health inequities. These innovations can also be scaled beyond the state to help other communities both nationally and abroad.”
The NCHID plans to combine virtual and physical programming and facilities to accelerate innovation in the digital healthcare space and drive population health improvement, focusing on underserved communities. Additionally, the NCHID will join health innovation districts across North Carolina, including Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Charlotte, Winston-Salem, and Wilmington to share their learnings.
Paula Kranz, vice president of innovation enablement, Novant Health and executive director, Novant Health Innovation Lab was quoted in the release saying that “By working collaboratively across a diverse ecosystem, including payers, consumers, providers and researchers, we can support innovation that will improve public health, support digital enablement and reduce health inequities.”