---

Head of Service – Clinical Engineering, Cleveland Clinic London, UK; Member Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine, Biomedical Engineering Division – IMechE; Women in Cybersecurity (WiCyS)

Qualities of innovative thinkers? Curiosity is not only beneficial for individuals but also for teams and organizations. A curious mind encourages teams to think collaboratively and creatively and explore unconventional ideas. Having a curious mind leads to the development of modern technologies or processes that can revolutionize patient monitoring, improving outcomes and saving lives.

A curious culture also fosters innovation and excellence in healthcare organizations, promoting continuous improvement, experimentation, and learning from failures. By creating an environment that supports and rewards curiosity, healthcare organizations can enhance their performance and competitiveness, as well as their impact and influence on society.

Curiosity can be cultivated and demonstrated by reading widely, actively asking questions, actively listening, experimenting, testing, collaborating, and networking. It is the most important quality for an innovative thinker because it leads to knowledge, creativity, collaboration, and motivation. Curiosity is also a skill that I improved with practice and intention.

Making the most of an invention or innovation? The Team of Teams (ToT) approach brings together multiple teams to solve complex and dynamic problems that drive innovation. It allows teams to leverage their diverse skills and resources while being flexible and autonomous. The benefits of this approach include better uptake and faster innovation, greater adaptability and resilience, stronger alignment and engagement, fewer silos and barriers, and more empowerment and local decision-making. 

By bringing together a diverse group of teams within the complex environment, innovative solutions can be developed and implemented that address real-world challenges and meet the needs of all involved parties. In addition, as healthcare is constantly evolving, with advanced technologies, treatments, and regulations emerging rapidly, healthcare organizations must be willing to adapt to change, embrace new ideas, and continuously improve their processes to effectively leverage innovation. By taking this ToT approach to bring in innovation, the departments can leverage the collective expertise of professionals (teams) including vendors to deliver quality patient care, drive positive outcomes, and increase adoption of the innovation.

Biggest challenge in pathology? Cybersecurity in healthcare is a growing concern, as medical devices are becoming increasingly connected and vulnerable to cyber threats. Addressing these threats could be particularly challenging and cannot be eliminated. There is, therefore, the need to manage these risks to balance protecting patient safety and continuous development and improvement of healthcare technology. These challenges are not insurmountable. However, they require coordinated and collaborative efforts from all stakeholders to address them effectively and efficiently. As technology advances, it is important to remember the vital role clinical engineering plays in ensuring the safety and security of healthcare technology systems. These challenges are not insurmountable. But require coordinated and collaborative efforts from all stakeholders to address them effectively and efficiently.