Lurie Children's Hospital Launches First-of-its-Kind Innovation Think Tank

The IGNITE PICU Innovation Center will bring together diverse non-medical experts to help solve problems affecting the healthcare of this unique patient population.

CHICAGO, IL., February 26, 2016 - It truly takes a village to care for the children at the Lefkofsky Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. Doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists, art therapists, music therapists, child life specialists, nutritionists, pharmacists and more all work together to provide the best care possible to every child that walks through the door.

The IGNITE PICU Innovation Center is now adding non-medical experts to that list. Specifically, the hospital is looking for inspired Chicago creators and innovators across industries to lend their unique perspectives in IGNITE “Think Tank” sessions.

“This is truly open innovation, bringing together industry leaders and thinkers from all backgrounds to help create new ideas that can impact our special patients. It’s a way to be personally involved and learn from each other in the most open way possible,” said Marcelo Malakooti, MD, Director of IGNITE PICU Innovation.

Think Tank groups meet approximately once per quarter and brainstorm ideas around PICU challenges such as integrating family members into patient care, improving the quality of staff and patient life and creating innovations - including research and technology -for cost-savings, waste elimination, and enhanced patient care. Recently, an IGNITE Think Tank with participants from over 10 industries was able to generate unique innovations to conserving blood transfusions for critically ill children.

“We have persistent and new problems in the PICU, and this is a novel opportunity to identify new solutions for these problems by breaking down walls. The reality is medicine is quite insular, and we tend to approach things the same way, but that approach doesn’t always yield results. For me, IGNITE is the response to this challenge,” said Craig Smith, MD, Medical Director of the PICU.

The Think Tank is just one aspect of IGNITE PICU’s larger initiative to creating solutions to provide cutting-edge care. The Center is hosting Innovation lecture series to support a culture of creativity and open ideas, with a recent lecture from IDEO being the catalyst for a new initiative to support PICU staff well-being. Exploring opportunities to incorporate new technology that can enhance patient care is also part of the Center’s mission.

For more information on the IGNITE PICU Innovation Think Tank, attend the hospital’s interactive event at MATTER on Tuesday, March 1st, or email Marcelo Malakooti at MMalakooti@luriechildrens.org.

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About IGNITE PICU Innovation

IGNITE PICU Innovation brings together diverse non-medical experts to help solve problems affecting the healthcare of this unique patient population.

About the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago

Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago is consistently ranked the top children’s hospital in Illinois and among the top in the nation by U.S. News and World Report. It receives patient transfers from almost all Illinois hospitals that serve children, and 9 out of 10 parents would recommend the hospital, according to patient surveys. Lurie Children’s market share has doubled over the past 10 years.