CommonSpirit Health supports our employees’ Innovative spirit
We evaluate and protect the intellectual property rights of employee-generated innovations, provide early-stage support to prototype or validate these inventions, and partner with others to commercialize them.
We also help to negotiate the licensing of IP, and build relationships that can lead to sponsored research or collaborative opportunities.
Over the last 10 years, we have helped employees bring forward many inventions, some of which have evolved from concept to prototype and finally into products that serve the public good.
Examples of commercialized employee innovations include:
- Disposable electroencephalogram (EEG) net (EEGNet) designed to expand access to electroneurodiagnostic testing
- Specialized toothbrush for patients on ventilators to improve oral care and to reduce the risk of infection
- Virtual oncology-related physician collaboration platform to crowdsource treatment recommendations
- Anonymous aggregation of patient information using biometrics
- Image-guided, minimally invasive robotic system
- Eye movement based methodology to diagnose neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, and conditions such as ADHD, traumatic brain injuries and concussions, and to determine fatigue and impairment due to drugs and alcohol use
- Process to 3D-print anatomical models for use in medical education and new device demonstration
- Illuminated surgical patties to enhance a surgeon's field of view
- Vagus nerve stimulation technology for treatment of different disease conditions, including epilepsy and drug resistant depression
- Maternal early warning trigger tool
- Traumatic brain injury education and prevention tool for athletes called Brainbook
- Novel pharmaceutical-based method for treating hot flashes in menopausal women
We believe that one of the most powerful ways we can fulfill our mission and demonstrate humankindness is by fostering an environment where innovative minds are encouraged and rewarded for expanding the promise of modern medicine. We are not only supporting the advancement of translational innovation that could lead to patient-centered benefits, but we are also contributing to professional development of our employees and stakeholders.