2025 Nudge Request for Proposals

Our call for proposals closed on February 28, 2025. Please check back in 2026 if you would like to apply for the next cycle.

 

Submit an idea to improve care delivery and outcomes for the chance to get behavioral change support and expertise!

 

Illustration of a person with a light bulb over the hand

The Penn Medicine Nudge Unit is conducting a request for proposals to identify opportunities to improve care delivery and patient outcomes using a nudge. A nudge is a change in the way choices are presented or information is framed that is meant to guide or motivate decision-making.

We are seeking proposals that target situations in which a nudge can be applied to help patients, clinicians, or care teams make a choice that promotes optimal health or operational outcomes.

Have an idea for a nudge at Penn Medicine? Submit it by February 28 for the chance to get behavioral change support and expertise!

Submit a nudge!

Opportunity

Teams whose proposals are selected will collaborate with the Nudge Unit to design, test, and evaluate your nudge. The Nudge Unit can support problem definition, nudge design, implementation, data extraction and evaluation, stakeholder management, project management, and health system resource navigation. The Nudge Unit Executive Steering Committee can also provide executive sponsorship to facilitate project implementation.

We are interested in opportunities that implement nudges in the following target areas.

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

Wellness and engagement

Introducing interventions that enhance clinician well-being

Health equity

Reducing health disparities and racial inequities that affect marginalized groups

Eligibility & Requirements

Proposals must address one or more of the target areas above and be led by a member of the Penn Medicine community. We are open to both technology-based approaches (e.g., PennChart implementations, text messaging to patients via Way to Health) and process-based approaches (e.g., de-implement extraneous steps).

Here are our team expectations for a successful collaboration: 

  • Open and regular communication is key. We expect to meet with teams at least twice a month to ensure upward momentum. 
  • We value active participation. Teams should engage with the team, ask questions, and bring suggestions to the table. 
  • Drive progress forward by leading some of the efforts in collaboration with our team throughout the project. 

Timeline

Applications are due February 28, 2025, at 11:59 PM ET.  

We will invite finalists to a pitch event on March 26, 2025. We will announce winners in early April, and they will join us for a launch party on April 9, 2025. Please mark your calendars to ensure someone from your team will be able to be present for both events. 

Selection Criteria

Ideas will be prioritized if they have:

  • A strong evidence base 
  • Buy-in from key stakeholders 
  • Testable outcomes 
  • High proposed impact on patients, clinicians, and/or financials 
  • A scalable solution

Resources

Contact

If you have questions, email us at nudge.unit@pennmedicine.upenn.edu or check out our FAQ page.

Submit a nudge proposal

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