Alerts Sign-up
Ascension has announced the creation of its Clinical Innovation Institute (CII), an initiative focused on advancing technology and innovation in patient care and clinician experience. The institute will operate within Ascension, a large non-profit Catholic health system, to identify and implement new technological solutions across its network.
The CII brings together leaders from various disciplines to address healthcare challenges by improving both patient outcomes and the work environment for clinicians. According to Ascension, this move is part of ongoing efforts to enhance quality and support staff through innovative practices.
“One of Ascension’s core Values is Creativity, defined as courageous innovation,” said Thomas Aloia, MD, MHCM, FACS, FACHE, Executive Vice President and Chief Clinical Officer. "Innovation is how we create a better care experience for all — for our patients, caregivers, associates and the communities we serve. The work of the CII is a direct result of Ascension’s culture that elevates safety and quality while being a catalyst for growth through innovation.”
Leadership at the CII includes Dr. Mitesh Patel as VP and Chief Clinical Transformation Officer; Dr. Samit Desai as VP and Chief Medical Information Officer; Dr. Fred Masoudi as VP and Chief Academic Officer; and Jon Taves as AVP of Clinical Innovation.
"At Ascension, patient care and access are central to our mission. That’s why our clinical transformation team is dedicated to bringing together clinical expertise with digital innovation," said Dr. Patel. "True clinical innovation goes beyond incremental technology upgrades – it requires a fundamental reimagining of how we deliver holistic, patient-centered care.”
The institute aims to introduce secure tools that lessen administrative tasks for clinicians so they can focus more on patients. It will also seek to ensure that innovations align with existing workflows.
“It is crucial that all innovation efforts across our system are thoughtfully created and organized to align with workflows and the clinician experience in mind,” said Dr. Desai. “With the launch of the CII, Ascension will leverage cutting-edge and secure technologies to streamline workflows for our clinicians to provide more effective care.”
A research component within the CII will increase access to clinical trials while using data insights to improve medical practices.
“Clinical research turns challenging medical questions into life-changing answers, transforming evidence into impact that gives us hope for the future. It is the intersection of innovation and patient care,” said Dr. Masoudi.
“At Ascension, continuous improvement with a focus on our patients is at the heart of everything we do,” said Jon Taves. “We want to empower our clinicians to lead with confidence in the effort to innovate and adopt new models of care.”
