What is the Future of Health Care? Regional One Health doctors and patients are helping answer that question thanks to the Center for Innovation. Regional One Health’s Center for Innovation opened in 2016 based on the idea that thinking outside the box is uniquely important in health care, where finding a better way can improve how doctors care for their patients and reveal new ways to provide hope and healing. It was a bold move for a health care system to make, but it is thriving thanks to support from senior leadership and the Regional One Health Foundation. “It’s outside the norms to give access to innovators,” said Alejandra Alvarez, Center for Innovation Director. “Health care is typically a closed environment. But we believe care is not just about what’s good for Regional One Health, it’s about what’s good for the industry.” It’s a philosophy that is proving attractive to entrepreneurs. The center’s spirit of discovery first caught the attention of Cast21, a company that had created a new orthotic to heal bone fractures without the inconvenience of a traditional cast. Their sleek webbed sleeve — which is breathable, waterproof and lightweight — had earned certification as an FDA Class I medical device. The time had come to test and refine it. Cast21 CEO Ashley Moy said the Center for Innovation stepped up to the plate. Over the past year, Regional One Health has given her company a chance to not only see real doctors and patients use the orthotic but to also learn about everything from how hospitals vet and purchase products to how they train their staff to use them. regionalonehealth.org/foundation/change-a-life-donate-today/ 17
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