Samaritan Health’s Innovation Program empowers staff to make organization-wide change
Encouraging employees to voice concerns and identify needed improvements across an organization leads to a culture of shared responsibility and enhanced operations. In 2023, Samaritan Health launched its Innovation Program to identify new and better ways to serve patients, visitors and employees. Samaritan was assisted with guidance from Cornell University’s College of Business Senior Lecturer Neil Tarallo, a professor of innovation and entrepreneurship.
Through an easily accessed online form, staff across the organization can submit problems they encounter. The Innovation Team is comprised of employee ambassadors from across the organization who regularly review submissions and serve as mentors, educators and facilitators to staff as they work to address issues.
Once an issue is identified, the Innovation Team works through a six-step process. First, the problem is researched in depth, including looking at how other industries handle similar issues. The team then brainstorms potential solutions and hypothesizes how that solution would work in practice. The potential solution is then brought to the affected department to get their perspective and see if it would work for them. If the department agrees that the potential solution could work, the Innovation Team and the staff member who submitted the idea, presents the solution to the senior team for buy-in. If approved, the senior team then provides the necessary resources to implement the solution.
Several projects have already made a meaningful impact. One completed in 2024 improved the process for submitting biomedical work orders, which not only benefited caregivers by streamlining their workflow but also improved patient safety and experience. Another ongoing initiative focuses on senior team rounding to help strengthen communication and engagement throughout the organization.
Most recently, a project addressed the physical challenges faced by the laundry team. After a physical therapist at Samaritan noticed an increase in shoulder, back and wrist injuries, the team sought an ergonomic solution. They identified a spring-loaded cart system that keeps laundry at waist height, reducing the need to bend or lift awkwardly. This improvement has made the job safer, easier and more efficient, with no further injuries recorded after implementation.
Through these initiatives, Samaritan’s Innovation Program promotes a culture of collaboration, continuous improvement and creative problem-solving that benefits caregivers, patients and the organization at large.
For more information, contact Kathy Montgomery, marketing specialist, at kmontgomer@shsny.com or 315.779.6675.
