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“Physicians and entrepreneurs are passionate about transforming health care, and by engaging collaboratively they can advance innovation that makes the health system work better for everyone,” said Michael Tutty, PhD, group vice president of professional satisfaction and practice sustainability at the AMA.
“Through our collaboration with Sling Health, the AMA is helping physicians and medical students take on a greater role in driving technology forward that responds to real clinical needs. Gaining insights from physicians will help make medical technology an asset, not a burden,” Tutty added.
The Physician Innovation Network includes more than 3,000 physicians and medical students, as well as roughly 1,800 entrepreneurs. Physicians matched with entrepreneurs through the network have consulted in a range of areas, such as improving clinical workflow, assisting to eliminate the guesswork for spinal punctures, piloting emerging solutions and identifying developers to co-develop solutions for pressing needs.
“The best medical technologies directly tackle pressing clinical needs, enabling higher quality, less expensive, and more efficient care,” said Sling Health President Stephen Linderman.
“Working with the physicians nationally through the AMA, teams of innovative students across the country are able to create new medical technology to address problems impacting providers on the front lines of patient care. We look forward to expanding our collaboration with the AMA and enabling students everywhere to advance clinical care,” Linderman noted.
AMA Forms Physician Innovation Network in 2017
AMA launched the Physician Innovation Network two years ago to offer physicians the change to work with health IT vendors in developing new technologies.
The network is an open online forum for physicians to explore paid and volunteer opportunities to collaborate with health IT companies. It allows companies to search for physicians with specific expertise who are interested in and can offer feedback on their solutions.
The platform also provides both physicians and health IT entrepreneurs with opportunities to learn from innovators and medical professionals, including access to virtual panel discussions with experts.
In launching the network, then AMA President David Barbe, MD, commented: “The AMA is committed to shaping a future where digital health tools are evidence-based, validated, interoperable, and actionable to ensure patients are receiving high-quality care. To make this a reality, the AMA is working with leaders across health care who are keenly focused on technologies that work better for patients and physicians and seeking ways to bring the physician voice into the innovation space.”
Barbe added: “We know that when physician expertise is aligned with input from partners on the leading edge of health technology, we produce meaningful results. The Physician Innovation Network will help ensure that physicians play a greater role in leading digital health innovations that expand the bounds of science, enhance patient care, and shape a better health care system, and improve the health of the nation.”
AMA said it would continue to expand its efforts to advance digital health innovation by providing physicians with additional opportunities to engage in innovation and share their ideas, expertise and real-world perspective on the effectiveness of technology in medical practice settings.
