Some of healthcare’s most promising innovations start with the people on the front lines. At Ascension, associates bring firsthand knowledge of the challenges patients and care teams face every day. The Clinical Innovation Institute (CII) helps turn those insights into practical solutions by bringing together clinical knowledge and innovation to improve outcomes, support clinicians, and elevate the patient experience.
The Clinical Innovation Tournament introduces a new way for associates across Ascension to submit ideas for addressing real-world clinical and operational challenges. In its inaugural year, the competition received 212 submissions from associates across nine Ministry Markets, including physicians, advanced practice providers, residents, nurses, pharmacists, and radiologic technologists. Ten finalists advanced to the next round, where they developed video pitches to explain their proposed solutions and receive feedback from judges.
Adam Lowry, MD, and Jodie Reed, APRN, pediatric cardiologists at Dell Children’s, part of Ascension Texas, were named the tournament winners. Their proposal focuses on helping families stay informed and connected to their loved ones during inpatient stays through clear, accessible daily updates about their prognosis and care plan.
Honorable mention recipients included Graham Carlos, MD, Chief Medical Officer at Ascension St. Vincent in Indiana, and Christopher Halvonik, Program Manager, Quality, at the System Office. Dr. Carlos’s proposal focuses on anticipating potential preventable patient harm and helping clinicians respond to possible safety risks, while Halvonik’s aims to make discharge instructions easier for patients to understand and translate into action.
Together, the finalists demonstrate how associates across Ascension are identifying opportunities to address healthcare challenges and improve the experience for patients and families. The tournament creates a new avenue for associates to share their ideas, while supporting Ascension’s broader commitment to continuous improvement and innovation.
