ALDER HEY
Echoing this , Liddy outlined how innovation is embedded into every aspect of the hospital : “ Having that dedicated team with expert resources has enabled us at Alder Hey to create almost like a system of innovation . So rather than innovation being a nice thing to have , innovation now is embedded as a core function and service in everything we do at Alder Hey . It ' s part of operational delivery . It ' s part of the strategy . Anybody at Alder Hey is given permission to innovate . I think having the innovation centre has been the secret to that success .”
One of the centres earliest success stories was created using AI technology where Alder Hey co-developed the first deployed hospital chatbot in the world . Originally named Ollie , now Artie , the chatbot is embedded within Alder Hey ’ s children digital play environment .
“ We also invented a technology called Alder Play . When the hospital was opened the place was not designed to be like a hospital . It ' s designed to take the fear away from children when they arrive . In doing that , the children told us they wanted digital friends . We developed the Alder Play app , which is there for children to use , to distract , to educate and to reward . The app is still live and has gone from strength to strength ,” explains Liddy .
With a dedicated innovation team driving forward the hospital for the past eight years , Hennesey notes there are too many examples of innovation to note , but does add : “ It is nice to look at the things which went from crazy sketches on board to the final product that is being deployed now . With the neonatal virtual visiting , I ' ve still got the picture of the first sketch . It went from this little drawing and now you ' ve got the unit set up with it .”
Partnering with the correct organisations to drive success What has been key for the Innovation Centre and its development is the support from external partners . Having previously worked within the Finance team at Alder Hey , this was a new challenge for Liddy to overcome .
“ Partnerships just didn ' t cross my desk as something that was really critical . We saw industry as suppliers , some people who sold us stuff . Innovation ' s totally different . The success of healthcare innovation is about having the right partners who have the brightest and the best technology and the
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