People, partnerships drive innovation in patient care

Apr 22, 2022 | Jennifer O'Hara | @jenohara

The Department of Medicine, which is the largest department at Mayo Clinic, is helping lead the transformation of health care. Important innovations include moving to digital and virtual care to meet patients where they are, and addressing health equity, all while keeping patients front and center.

"Patients are our North Star," says Dr. Vijay Shah, chair of the Department of Medicine at Mayo Clinic. "We're all about patients all day, every day. So all of our strategies cascade out of that."

Dr. Shah explains those strategies include practice innovations, digital transformation and internal and external partnerships. Internal partnerships include working alongside the Mayo Clinic Cancer Center, the Center for Digital Health, Mayo Clinic Platform and others focused on improving patient care and developing cures.

These partnerships are leading to innovations in teleheath and at-home care models, as well as new ways to use health data to improve treatments.

And at the core of it all?

"The most important pillar is our people and our culture," explains Dr. Shah. "Because our people are our greatest asset."

On the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Shah and Natalie Caine, associate administrator, discuss the innovations happening in the Department of Medicine at Mayo Clinic.

To practice safe social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic, this interview was conducted using video conferencing. The sound and video quality are representative of the technology used. For the safety of its patients, staff and visitors, Mayo Clinic has strict masking policies in place. Anyone shown without a mask was recorded prior to COVID-19 or recorded in an area not designated for patient care, where social distancing and other safety protocols were followed.