Innovation should not be confused with inspiration. Good—or even great ideas—are often not enough. It takes work and time to achieve innovation. It takes treating innovation as a dedicated practice instead of simply an often-used buzzword. The good news: This is something companies are starting to realize and implement. The even better news—for our readers at least—marketers are often the ones leading this charge within their organizations.
According to Gartner’s Innovation Survey 2019, 91% of marketers surveyed are leading and supporting innovation initiatives at their companies—and 29% say marketing is the only department within their company responsible for innovation. Respondents also emphasized that unless companies are dedicating actual time and staff to innovation, their returns on any such effort will be minimal. That is why more than half of the respondents (54%) assign employees specifically to innovation. And those 54% of respondents are also twice as likely to invest in high-risk initiatives compared to marketers who do not prioritize having employees focused on innovation (either fully or even partially).
Innovation does not happen without taking some risks. In fact, the No 1. barrier holding companies back from innovating is an organization’s resistance to risk, according to 46% of respondents. That’s why a good idea is often not enough. It takes people who can push for innovation and get things done. It is like author, philanthropist, and public speaker Sarah Ban Breathnach said, “The world needs dreamers and the world needs doers. But above all what the world needs most are dreamers that do.”
PM360’s 8th Annual Innovations Issue is filled with dreamers that do. As always, we asked the industry to send us their best and most recent innovations. Below you can click on each of the selections for more information on the top innovators and innovations in six categories:
- Companies (any organization developing new ways to push the industry forward)
- Divisions (new sectors formed to address a particular problem facing the industry)
- Startups (companies less than five years old pioneering new avenues in healthcare)
- Products (software, apps, programs, and anything else designed to improve how those working in the industry do their jobs)
- Services (compelling offerings that help the industry tackle new challenges)
- Strategies (never-before-tried approaches that are changing how the industry operates)
We received hundreds of submissions in total, and after much debate our editorial staff selected the very best companies, offerings, and advancements that are helping those in our industry do their jobs better, which means offering improved experiences to the various healthcare stakeholders they seek to serve. These are 2019’s top dreamers that do.