Creating, improving, and innovating.

Abstract

Technological innovations have fundamentally changed the science and practice of medicine. Increased awareness of the need to enhance processes and systems supporting delivery of safe, accessible, affordable health care has sparked an interest in creativity and innovation as essential skills in quality management. This article considers four points regarding the role of creativity and innovation in health care quality management: Creativity and innovation are essential skills in improving and enhancing health care processes and health care delivery systems; creativity is a personal characteristic that can be enhanced; innovation, the legacy of creativity, begins with values-centered design; and innovations emerge in many sizes and forms.