Accenture Innovation Challenge Seeks Solutions to Improve Healthcare's Triple Aim

As startups and digital health innovators seek to break into the healthcare industry, Accenture is giving them a platform to highlight their solutions.

The company kicked off its fourth annual Accenture HealthTech Innovation Challenge this week, aimed at finding solutions to improve the way people access, manage and finance healthcare in North America.

“One can quickly see the opportunity that exists to create new sources of collaboration, to drive positive change in the healthcare sector, to find innovations in health systems that can enable breakthrough solutions and even performances,” Brian Kalis, managing director of digital health and innovation at Accenture, said in a statement to Inside Digital Health™.

Since the contest’s inception, Accenture has received more than 2,200 applications and invited more than 90 startups to compete. The challenge brings together startups with prominent health companies to tackle some of the greatest health challenges, Kalis said.

Accenture is looking for applications focused on healthcare organization buyers. Key criteria include solution innovations and design quality, disruptive business models and solution scalability.

“The Accenture HealthTech Innovation Challenge helps us discover and engage with the very best digital health startups — companies that are helping tackle some of the key challenges healthcare faces today,” said Jonathan Slotkin, M.D., associate chief medical informatics officer at Geisinger Health System.

The challenge connects healthcare leaders and companies to shape the evolution of the industry, Slotkin added.

Through the contest, Geisinger selected analytics company Jvion as an artificial intelligence asset for the health system. This decision stemmed from the successful pilot and validation of Jvion’s solution with industry peers, Kalis said. In last year’s challenge, Jvion was the top innovator out of more than 700 startups.

“That demonstrates how the HealthTech Innovation Challenge creates connections and solutions for the industry,” Kalis added.

Accenture’s challenge highlights three categories this year:

• Operational efficiency: Solutions that increase efficiency and core day-to-day processes
• Increased access: Solutions that expand access to services and treatments for healthcare organizations, like virtual care and digital therapeutics
• Consumer experience: Solutions that focus on creating a positive consumer experience

These three categories focus on the Triple Aim of enhanced outcomes, improved quality of care and lower costs, Kalis said.

“These areas continue to show promise as healthcare organizations advance their transformational agendas,” he continued.

Roughly 10 applicants across North America will participate in the final round in Houston, Texas, in February. Judges will choose two top innovators and one innovation champion.

The winners may work with Accenture to develop a joint offering., They could also receive the chance to partner with health systems.

“We serve as a bridge-maker, bringing these startups, for example, to increase awareness of their solutions directly with our clients and externally with the market,” Kalis said.

“Ultimately, we want to build and advance the future of healthcare, and the Accenture HealthTech Innovation Challenge serves as a vehicle to connect the next generation of startups with an ecosystem of organizations and individuals that can make a meaningful difference in bringing fresh ideas to fruition and to help startups push the boundaries of healthcare technology,” Kalis concluded.

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