paving the way for economic growth - Henry Ford Health System

InnovationApplying Science to Innovate SolutionsGrowth and expansion don’t always come in form ofbricks and mortar. Sometimes they come in the wayof ideas. The Henry Ford Health System InnovationInstitute was developed to offer an environmentwhere scientific ideas can be applied to solve realproblems and improve technology, equipment andprocesses in health care.“Innovation strengthens when you have a criticalmass of creative thinkers and build an environmentthat offers support, enhances success andtolerates failure. Through failure, we discover,”explains Madhu Prasad, M.D., director of the Institute.The Innovation Institute brings together people withvarious skills who have unique design, engineering,technological and creative talents that enable them tolook at a problem and devise a solution, whether it’sa new piece of equipment, technology, or a process.Currently, the Education Building, located in thecenter of Henry Ford’s Downtown Campus, is beingrenovated to house the Institute.“We’re bringing together students and faculty fromDetroit’s College for Creative Studies, Wayne StateUniversity’s College of Engineering and SmartSensors and Integrated Microsystems Program, andengineers, physicians, nurses, and other professionalswho work together to identify opportunities wherethey can pioneer solutions,” says Dr. Prasad.More than 30 projects are in process, and includeinnovating new technology and procedures fortreating congestive heart failure and arrhythmias,diagnosing and treating cancer, and applying radiationto tumors. Advanced technologies, more commonlyfound in the aerospace, automotive, and informationtechnology sectors, are all being brought together todevelop devices into marketable products.“Our goal is multi-fold,” reveals Dr. Prasad. “Weare forming the center point of a new medicaltechnologicaleconomy in the city of Detroit. We’realso establishing an environment where intellectualproperty is valued and protected and can potentiallybe commercialized to become new scienceand technology to improve health care.”Henry Ford has partnered with TechTown and anumber of major donors to make a significantinvestment in the Innovation Institute and thecommunity.“We’re working to develop a technology transfercapability that will amplify the effect of new products,enhance development of spin-off companies,and have the potential for providing high-qualityjobs locally,” reveals Dr. Prasad. “Technology- andknowledge-based economic development is a frontierfilled with possibilities for a creative economy.”Henry Ford Health System in partnership with the Henry Ford Medical Group and other institutions such as Wayne State University andthe College for Creative Studies is launching the new Innovation Institute which will open in October, 2011 on Henry Ford Hospital’s MainCampus. The Institute will provide resources to foster collaboration, coordination and communication between physicians, engineers,designers and industry. By combining their talents they will develop, test, and market novel technology-based approaches in an effort tosave resources, time and ultimately – patient lives.10 Henry Ford Health System • 2010 - 2011 System Report