title: Open innovation in health care: analysis of an open health platform.
abstract: Today, integration of the public in research and development in health care is seen as essential for the advancement of innovation. This is a paradigmatic shift away from the traditional assumption that solely health care professionals are able to devise, develop, and disseminate novel concepts and solutions in health care. The present study builds on research in the field of open innovation to investigate the adoption of an open health platform by patients, care givers, physicians, family members, and the interested public. Results suggest that open innovation practices in health care lead to interesting innovation outcomes and are well accepted by participants. During the first three months, 803 participants of the open health platform submitted challenges and solutions and intensively communicated by exchanging 1454 personal messages and 366 comments. Analysis of communication content shows that empathic support and exchange of information are important elements of communication on the platform. The study presents first evidence for the suitability of open innovation practices to integrate the general public in health care research in order to foster both innovation outcomes and empathic support.
authors.affiliation: University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Lange Gasse 20, 90403 Nuremberg, Germany. angelika.bullinger@wiso.uni-erlangen.de
authors.forename: Angelika C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Bullinger
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rass
authors.forename: Sabrina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Adamczyk
authors.forename: Kathrin M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Moeslein
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sohn
mesh_terms: D003142:Communication; D003256:Community Participation; D055812:Community-Based Participatory Research / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D005858:Germany; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D006302:Health Services Research / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination; D009936:Organizational Innovation; D010358:Patient Participation