Chief Innovation Officer Of $9B Healthcare Firm Reveals Transformation Strategies

I not too long ago had the opportunity to sit down with Mohan Nair, Senior VP &amp Chief Innovation Officer at Cambia Health Options, to request some direct inquiries about his function as adjust agent in a huge organization. I also read through his book, Strategic Enterprise Transformation (Wiley, 2011), which outlines the 7 deadly sins, or common errors leaders require to conquer in buy to transform their organizations.

In excess of the past couple of many years, Cambia Well being Solutions has redefined itself from a conventional wellness insurance coverage company to a cause-oriented total well being options organization with innovation as a core value. In the previous three many years alone, Mohan’s staff has launched three new businesses including to Cambia’s portfolio. This degree of innovation warrants a closer look. Probably there are lessons to be discovered that may possibly lead to innovative breakthroughs in your company. Following are excerpts from the interview.

Larry: Can you give a quick overview of Cambia Well being Options and your function as Chief Innovation Officer?

Mohan: Cambia Health Solutions is a nonprofit mother or father and holding business head-quartered in Portland, Oregon, that oversees a diverse portfolio of wellness care firms, such as 4 well being insurance companies, and investments united by a common cause: to serve as a catalyst to transform wellness care, creating a particular person-focused and economically sustainable program.

Even though my position has changed in excess of the many years, from operating Advertising for 7 years, and HealthPlans for two years, the consistent that has kept me engaged and motivated has been Cambia’s dedication to the result in in every little thing from the way we retain the services of, to the way we determine on new investments. I joined Cambia, then referred to as Regence Group, 10 many years in the past and nevertheless carry with me the coffee-stained notes from our early meetings in which we redefined the firm to target on a widespread lead to. Our result in needed us to develop beyond just currently being a health insurance business.

As Chief Innovation Officer, I along with my staff (the Innovation Force) serve as a lightning rod encouraging all employees to dwell innovation as a worth. Personnel have their own methods of residing the result in, and we support them carry people interpretations to daily life by innovating in their jobs although developing a transformed potential state.

Larry: Define innovation. What does it mean in a overall health care setting?

Mohan: Invention is creation. Innovation is organizing creations into a remedy that is useful. Both incremental and transformative, innovation lives within us all. My work is to create the situations inside of Cambia so that we all perform at our highest degree. Healthcare has been innovative in the previous but the technique has misplaced its way. Innovation brings us back to why we do what we do.

Larry: What are the steps that readers can consider to encourage a culture of innovation?

Mohan: There are no fast fixes. For me, this journey began more than ten many years ago. I was portion of that transformation preparation. Innovation was a necessary ingredient for transformation. We imported innovators as properly as encouraged those within to layout and construct the future state. We protected people teams, guiding them to present fast final results on daring suggestions. One particular of individuals tips fostered transparency for clients to see and determine on healthcare fees and high quality. Nine many years later on, this innovation has become HealthSparq, a top provider of transparency and social technology.

Nowadays, we are at the next phase of innovation the place we engage and inspire inner tips utilizing social technology. We formed Innovation Force, a varied, multidisciplinary team devoted to encouraging and accelerating concepts into options as properly as creating and launching businesses.

Larry: What are you most thrilled about?

Mohan: I am thrilled about the long term.  Healthcare needs to adjust its lens from the program to the client. This will demand a new orientation from all of us. I have the opportunity to lead Innovation Force, a Navy Seal-sort innovation staff that views the healthcare planet in terms of possibilities rather than obstacles, and they have the talent and discipline to obtain what several take into account to be only dreams.

Larry: What advice do you have for other people who are in this position? How can they overcome resistance to new concepts?

Mohan: Very first, if you are not reporting to a committed, values-primarily based CEO, rethink your position!  I am fortunate to have this reporting connection. 2nd, you should set up the whybehind the whatof innovation. Modify efforts succeed when tied to core values. Only then can the highest-benefit targets for alter reveal themselves. Third, reexamine the technique of individuals who invest solely in emerging startups, simply because that is only half of the solution. Many attempt to get innovation rather than be innovation.  Being innovation, the 2nd half of the solution, demands a change of culture from inside of. As for overcoming resistance, as well often we blame other people for inertia, but for us to move forward we should be the modify we want to see in other individuals.

If you know of leaders who are fostering innovation within their organizations allow Larry know. He would like to compose about them. Larry Myler is an adjunct professor at the Rollins Rollins Center for Entrepreneurship and Engineering at BYU. lmyler@bymonday.com

Chief Innovation Officer Of $9B Healthcare Firm Reveals Transformation Strategies