Innovation means taking an idea and turning it into something helpful for people.
It can be easy to get ideas. I’m sure everyone has at least one idea every day. But then you have to think about the next step, which is the gateway to innovation.
Is the idea unique? If someone else had the same idea and they were successful, then you move on. But if they weren’t successful, you need to figure out why. What can you do to change the process and transform the idea into reality?
If it is unique, then you think about if it’s an incremental advance or a game-changer. If it’s an incremental advance, you have to consider more questions. Is there a market for it? Is there competition? If it’s a game-changer, then you go for it with all your effort.
It’s important to talk about your ideas with other people, especially people from different fields. One of the projects that we’re working on is a sunscreen to prevent skin cancers. That idea came from talking to Dr. Edward Maytin, a colleague who’s a clinical dermatologist. My PhD is in materials science and engineering.
I’m inspired by all the medical professionals and researchers here at Cleveland Clinic who work so hard. They’ve dedicated their lives to coming up with new solutions for patient care. Basically, we’re always working toward preventing people from becoming patients.
For me, early morning is a good time to think about ideas. If you’re thinking about a problem in the evening, sleep on it. The next morning, you might get some new ideas.
Wrong turns and dead ends are part of the process. There’s no way to avoid it. If everything goes smoothly from day one, there’s something not right there. You’ll always have challenges to overcome.
