Thank you for your interest. Applications to the 2024 Innovation Accelerator Program are now closed. Read about the projects selected for the 2024 cycle in the Penn Medicine press release, or learn more about the program by visiting the Innovation Accelerator Program webpage.
The Innovation Accelerator Program supports faculty and staff from across Penn Medicine in their efforts to develop, test, and implement new approaches to improve health care delivery and patient outcomes. Working closely with innovation advisors, teams selected to participate in the program work to validate solutions and bring successful innovations to scale at Penn Medicine and beyond. We are accepting applications for our 2024 class from October 16 to November 16, 2023.
Phase one supports include:
Training | Teams learn high-impact methods for rapidly validating solutions
Mentorship | Innovation advisors dedicate 40 percent of their time to the project
Funding | Teams have access to up to $10,000 to test and develop their concepts, with additional funding available based on evidence generated by initial efforts
Recognition and additional support | At the end of phase one, teams present to health system leadership for the opportunity to receive additional investment
Impact Areas
We seek applicants who believe their ideas can make a meaningful impact in at least one of the areas listed below.
Transforming care
Implementing novel changes to positively impact care delivery, outcomes, and experience
Efficiency and automation
Reducing inefficiencies and automating processes to ease the burden on care teams and reduce costs for Penn Medicine
Tasks that are done many times a day, repetitive, take too much time, and require little thought or are algorithmic are good candidates for automation.
Well-being
Introducing interventions that enhance clinician and care team well-being
Virtual Information Session
Individuals and teams interested in applying to the Innovation Accelerator Program are invited to attend a virtual information session on Wednesday, November 1, 12:30–1 PM. During this session, we will provide an overview of the program and answer questions. We will post a recording of the info session here for those unable to attend.
Evaluation Criteria
Our reviewers will assess submissions according to the following criteria:
- Alignment with the impact areas defined above
- Commitment of a passionate team lead with the capacity to push work forward
- Team willingness to rapidly explore multiple opportunities to achieve desired outcomes
- Potential impact if proven effective and deployed at Penn Medicine
- Potential to replicate and/or scale in other settings
Resources
- Register to attend a virtual information session on Wednesday, November 1, from 12:30 to 1 PM (View the recording)
- Review our frequently asked questions and tips for crafting a strong application
- Book an office hours appointment
- Download a PDF version of the application form (for review purposes only; applications must be submitted online)
- Learn about past winners and watch video from Pitch Day 2019
Timeline
October 16 | Application period opens
November 1, 12:30–1 PM | Virtual information session (watch recording)
November 16 at 5 PM | Application deadline
November 29 – December 1 | Select teams contacted and scheduled for interview
December 4–8 | Interviews conducted
Late December | Winner notification and onboarding
January 2024 | Phase one begins