Introducing… a chief innovation officer
Ted Scott is Hamilton Health Science’s (HHS) first chief innovation officer (CIO).
What made you enter the health care industry?
I became interested in health care when I discovered the complexity and beauty of anatomy and physiology in my grade 11 biology class. The systems approach to understanding the human body combined with the idea of discovering new ways to help people was something I found very appealing. I studied Radiography and Sonography at Mohawk College and started my career as an imaging technologist. From there, I knew that I wanted to work toward improving health care.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
There are lots of exciting dimensions to my work. Some of these include: participating in the development of innovative health technology, developing new private and public partnerships, collaborating with amazing HHS clinical teams and administrative staff, and learning more about how we serve and hope to serve our community.
What is one thing you wish colleagues knew about you?
I love to travel and explore, especially the ocean. I love being on the water. Whether I am surfing, diving, or on a canoe trip, it feels like I’m in the right place.
“I think there are some excellent opportunities to translate some of the research that is done here into clinical reality to benefit our providers and patients more quickly.”
How do you see your role as CIO now, and as HHS’ focus on innovation evolves?
My role right now is focused a lot on connecting people inside and outside of HHS. These relationships will help identify opportunities for developing new ways to deliver care. I think there are some excellent opportunities to translate some of the research that is done here into clinical reality to benefit our providers and patients more quickly. As my role evolves, I expect that I will be more focused on managing and scaling up new projects and initiatives.
How have your previous experiences prepared you for this role?
At the beginning of my career I worked on the frontline of health care as an imaging technologist in small and large hospitals and that experience has provided me with a deep understanding of how health care is delivered.
Beyond that, I was fortunate enough to lead the development of a highly technical and specialized digital innovation lab at Mohawk College. That experience provided me with quite a bit of technology and industry insight into how to develop solutions. I have also had some success in designing and developing large scale partnerships and health technology enabled solutions in Canada and other countries that will support the work that I will complete here at HHS.
Which projects are you looking forward to tackling and how will they improve patient care?
Some areas of great interest to me relate to the idea of extending care into the community. To do this we will need to leverage new clinical protocols and technology. I think home monitoring and e-visits are two great examples of new care models that could greatly benefit our patients.