Medical research is pushing new ideas fast into healthcare.
These ideas need a landing place to be discussed, designed, modeled, and experimented with before reaching patients. This is where innovation labs start to become significant. There are hundreds of outstanding examples of world-class incubators dedicated to enabling patients. I pulled together some of the most exciting innovation labs on the fridge connecting medical research with patient outcomes.
- A.I. Innovation Lab: Novartis and Microsoft are combining data sets and A.I. solutions. They tackle the most demanding computational challenges in life sciences and use machine learning for personalized treatments for patients with related macular degeneration (eye disease) to prevent irreversible vision loss.
- Health2047: this is the innovation arm of the American Medical Association (AMA). They focused on chronic care, healthcare value, and physician productivity. Two impressive projects are the First Mile Care and Akiri. First Mile care – personalized support for prediabetes, offering access to coaching, tools, and resources to live healthier. Akiri – network as a service health data platform (previous was called health2047 Switch), focuses on safe access to information for patients, physicians, providers, pharma, and other healthcare enterprises.
- VSP Global Innovation Center: recently founded in 2020, is dedicated to getting eye care and eyewear to the world. They promise to deliver eye care for their members. A member that has reached nearly 90 million in their global network. The innovation center has delivered two fascinating projects, blue light, and sustainability effort. VSP blue light-reducing eyewear to address digital eye strain and spearheading sustainability efforts to bring new materials to the market.
- GSK Warren Innovation Lab Suites and Digitisation Lab – GSK, based out of the U.K. with innovation multi-labs. The Warren innovation lab is located in New Jersey and has consumer panelists testing products and performing shopper science. Open Lab is based in Tres Contos, Spain, and brings together scientists and academics to tackle topics like malaria and T.B. leveraging GSK’s resources and networks. At the GSK Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst campus, they offer space and partner with early-stage biotech startups to commercialize their technology. Also, they have an R&D Open Lab for African NCDs (non-communicable diseases) like cancer and diabetes in Africa
- Center for Innovation (CFI): located in the Mayo Clinic, started in 2008. I love their tagline, “Think big, start small, move fast.” The Innovation Exchange is a Mayo Clinic platform for members to access scientists, facilities, and their network focusing on greater patient access.
- FUSE: is led by Cardinal health and integrates engineers with medical professionals and digital design experts. MedSync Advantage is a web-based in-house developed tool focused on pharmacists for medical synchronization to simplify patient prescription fulfillment.
- The Innovation lab: is the child of AARP with a passion for health, wealth, and self. The Embleema platform allows rare disease patients to own and share their data. Ianacare, based in Boston, is a platform to enable caregiver coordination. Community Connections launched in March of 2020 addresses social isolation facing seniors amid the COVID-19 pandemic. This powerful platform helps community members receive emotional, financial, and physical support.
After reading all the fantastic innovation lab stories and learning of the new partnerships happening today, I came to a single determination; we still care about the patient.