PHOENIX, January 14, 2009 -- The Arizona State University College of Nursing & Healthcare Innovation (http://nursing.asu.edu) will host the first national Healthcare Innovation Challenge® (http://healthcare.innovationchallenge.com/.) in partnership with Idea Crossing, Inc. (http://www.ideacrossing.com), a firm that helps organizations run idea competitions.
The online challenge that will be conducted from January 20 to May 1, 2009, features competition among university transdisciplinary student teams. Students will compete in three major categorical areas: 1. Information Technology in Healthcare, 2. Re-engineering Care and Use of Interdisciplinary Teams, and 3. Healthcare improvements using Internet Social Networks /Health 2.0 platforms.
The competition is open to teams of 3-5 graduate and undergraduate students for an entry fee of $125. After release of the specific challenge questions framed by major sponsors, teams will submit a three- page concept paper that will be evaluated online by 120 independent expert judges representing healthcare, academic, and business entities. The six top teams will receive an expense-paid trip to Phoenix for final presentations on May 1 with the winning team receiving an $8,000 prize.
Idea Crossing, located in Los Angeles, created the successful MBA Innovation Challenge® in 2002 and employs Challenge Accelerator®, a proprietary software platform to conduct the competition completely online. “The Healthcare Innovation Challenge differs from our previous partner challenges in two ways,” noted Garen Corbett, Idea Crossing Director of the Challenge. “The first is that it is cross-disciplinary and seeks participation from many professions. The second unique aspect of this initiative is that the strategic solutions generated by the student teams will generally be open to any innovator as publicly available intellectual property, rather than the sole intellectual property of sponsors.”
Linda Mottle, Director of the Center of Healthcare Innovation & Clinical Trials at ASU, said, “The purposes of the challenge are to foster inter-industry student collaboration, attract tomorrow’s leaders, and help solve real-world healthcare challenges from the ground up. Our partnership with Idea Crossing will synergize this effort with its vast expertise by bringing an Innovation Challenge® competition into the healthcare arena. The ultimate goal is to spur innovation and entrepreneurship in the healthcare field.”
Healthcare industry sponsors, expert judges, and higher education institutions and students are encouraged to participate. Visit the main web site for detailed information and registration at: http://healthcare.innovationchallenge.com/.
About Idea Crossing, Inc.
Idea Crossing helps organizations capture the world's imagination and use it to solve strategic challenges. Idea Crossing designs and produces idea contests or innovation competitions using its customizable software platform called Challenge Accelerator®. Over the last six years, Idea Crossing has designed, powered and supported several competitions for global brands, large foundations and academic organizations. Idea Crossing's competitions have been featured in leading publications like CNN Money, Business 2.0, Inc. Magazine, Chicago Tribune and others on the topic of open innovation, crowdsourcing, crowdcasting and philanthropic innovation prizes.
About ASU College of Nursing & Healthcare Innovation
The ASU College of Nursing & Healthcare Innovation is one of largest and most innovative colleges of nursing in the United States with more than 2,000 students and 8,200 alumni. Its Center for Healthcare Innovation & Clinical Trials serves as a recognized, national linchpin among clinicians, biotechnical organizations, scientists, collaborating healthcare institutions, and community partners to advance healthcare through the creation of evidence-based innovative products and educational programs.
ASU Editorial Contact: Editorial Contact for Idea Crossing:
Terry.Olbrysh@asu.edu Dan Chmielewski,
O: 602-496-0877, C: 602-281-5124 O: 714-832-8716, C: 949-231-2965
dchm@madisonalexanderpr.com
