Today the Innovation Center announced a new initiative – the Innovation Advisors Program. Innovation Advisors will support the Innovation Center in testing new models of care delivery, use their knowledge and skills in their organization in pursuing the three-part aim, work with local organizations and groups to drive delivery system reforms, and gather new ideas for possible testing or diffusion by the Innovation Center. The Innovation Advisors Program consists of face-to-face national and regional meetings, training sessions, seminars, presentations by subject matter experts and individual coaching. A fellowship stipend of up to $20,000 is available to support the activities of individuals selected for the program.
Further details were provided on a conference call hosted by the Innovation Center earlier today. A summary of that call is provided below.
Acting Administrator Berwick provided opening remarks stating that the Innovation Center hopes to engage as many as 200 people across the country in the next year to 18 months to participate as Innovation Advisors. Dr. Berwick stated that the Innovation Advisors will become leaders of national change.
Joe McCannon then summarized the Innovation Advisors program. He said that committed leadership, thoughtful management, and hard work are necessary components to developing the type of change the Innovation Center hopes to achieve. He said that although the Innovation Center can set a theme for change with initiatives and regulations, implementation requires local knowledge. Therefore, the Innovation Center has to invest in skills and capabilities at the local level to stimulate transformation.
Individuals selected to participate in the Innovation Advisors Program will participate in an intensive 6-month orientation phase. During this time, the Innovation Center will assist the Innovation Advisors in developing skill sets in various areas, including: health care financing, economics, public health, systems analysis, process analysis, dynamics of local systems, operations research, and spread of behavior change. Mr. McCannon stated that the Innovation Center hopes that the Innovation Advisors will then support the Innovation Center by bringing improvements and innovations to their home organizations and bringing ideas from their home organizations to the Innovation Center for potential testing.
Teresa Titus-Howard then spoke more specifically about the application process. Ms. Titus-Howard stated that applicants may include any professional employed by a public health or health care facility, institution or department. She said that applicants can be doctors, nurses, allied health professionals or non-clinicians. She said that the Innovation Center is looking for applicants with career achievements and pre-existing skill sets that show their ability to transform the delivery system. The Innovation Center will also look at what the home organization is doing to meet the three part aim. In addition, the home organization’s commitment to this process will be considered as part of the application.
Applications are due by November 15th. The Innovation Center anticipates that it will have selected participants by mid-December. The first meeting of the Innovation Advisors is anticipated to occur in January 2012.
For specific questions about eligibility, interested organizations were encouraged to send an email to iap@orau.org.
More information about the Innovation Advisors Program, including the application materials, is available at:http://www.orise.orau.gov/IAP/index.html
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