Innovation Space sparks ideas, creative solutions from front-line care teams
MaineHealth Pen Bay Hospital
Rockport, Maine
Front-line team members at MaineHealth Pen Bay Hospital are turning practical ideas into meaningful improvements for patient care and daily operations, thanks in part to the Innovation Space opened in 2024.
During its first year, the Innovation Space supported several changes that improved care and patient experience. For example, emergency department teams added measuring tapes to triage doors to quickly capture a patient’s height and reorganized medication rooms based on staff input to improve efficiency. Other initiatives include creating a mobile patient library and having hearing aids and reading glasses readily available for patients.
The Innovation Space, located along the hospital’s central hallway, includes meeting areas, flexible workstations and a small kitchen. It was envisioned by Barry Howe, M.D., and Nir Harish, M.D., as a place where staff could collaborate, test ideas and address challenges facing the health system. Care team members staff the area part-time and encourage colleagues to bring forward issues and brainstorm solutions.
“Front-line staff have the best view to what’s working and what isn’t,” Harish observed. “When we trust front-line staff to name the problems they see, and actively participate in solving them, we not only find better solutions — we build a culture where people feel valued and engaged.”
Partnerships have expanded the Innovation Space’s reach. Collaborative work with the Knox Clinic Dental Program has increased access to oral health services, and a similar collaboration with St. George Workforce Development introduced middle school students to health care careers at the hospital through a site visit and hands-on learning.
Practical solutions are meeting patients’ immediate needs. The hospital now keeps warm, dry clothing on hand for patients arriving in bad weather and provides prepaid cell phones to patients without reliable communication. An online “swap shop” helps departments share unused supplies, reducing waste.
The team at MaineHealth Pen Bay Hospital has many activities underway to turn concepts into innovative solutions that have impact. Harish noted an overall goal is making innovation a routine part of daily work across all departments.