Innovations Corner: A new column in the Journal of Hospital Medicine

Abstract

The Journal of Hospital Medicine (JHM) is dedicated to advancing the practice and science of inpatient medicine. As part of our commitment to supporting hospitalists in their pursuit of excellence, we proudly introduce Innovations Corner, a new article type in the journal. We designed Innovations Corner to provide a forum to share inventive solutions to vexing problems encountered by clinicians or patients in the inpatient setting. These short reports are structured to highlight the innovation and its impact and to provide readers with tools to accelerate change in their institutions (Table 1).

Hospitalists innovate locally and transform globally. JHM's Innovations Corner celebrates the ingenuity of hospitalists while serving as a platform for scalability and shared innovation. Reports in Innovations Corner describe care improvement interventions, emphasizing the process of progress. We welcome submissions that address common challenges for patients, teams, and institutions. We seek reports on innovations in any aspect of care delivery that have the potential for adaptation or scalability. We anticipate that published articles will use a wide array of methodological approaches and apply them to the quotidian issues that arise during the provision of care. Topics of particular interest include common systems challenges that affect patients or clinicians, resource stewardship, patient safety measures, and innovative care pathways. Submissions showcasing interdisciplinary teams or patient involvement are encouraged.

In this issue,¹ Sanders et al. describe their efforts to improve inpatient glycemic control through a multifaceted intervention. Their sustained and safe improvement methods can be adopted by other institutions.

Each article will also be accompanied by a graphical summary, “Driving Change: Keys to Innovation.” This summary visually communicates key components of the innovation and was designed for sharing with administrative stakeholders. This section of Innovations Corner prioritizes readability and visual appeal to convey the salient messages. We understand that frontline clinicians need to communicate succinctly and effectively about complex problems with those who may lack medical training or a nuanced understanding of the care system. In titling this graphical summary, “Driving Change: Keys to Innovation,” we signal that hospitalists are in the driver's seat, accelerating improvement and paving a path of progress.

Sharing these innovations allows hospitalists to leverage peer wisdom to improve patient care, enhance outcomes, and make meaningful advancements in the field. We seek to foster collaboration and knowledge-sharing among inpatient clinicians to help them work smarter, build upon successes, reduce redundancies, and ensure that the wheel of innovation turns towards benefiting patients, healthcare providers, and the entire healthcare system.

The authors declare no conflict of interest.