In this episode of Advancing Health Care Through Simulation, we sit down with Patty Wickson, a transformative leader with over 30 years of experience in health care innovation, clinical operations, and strategic systems. Patty shares her fascinating journey leading Alberta Health Services’ Innovation Office, where she and her team developed an “Innovation Pipeline” to accelerate health solutions from idea to system-wide implementation.
She reveals how her team brought groundbreaking projects to life—like a wound-healing gel that sped up recovery by 56%—and explains the fine balance between agility and evidence in large systems. Patty also shares her approach to cultivating “intrapreneurs” inside health organizations and how to foster frontline-led innovation.
From AI’s future in clinical workflows to the power of virtual care in remote communities, this episode explores the key ingredients behind meaningful health transformation—and what health innovators, clinicians, and system leaders can learn from it.
Key Topics:
- How to build a sustainable innovation framework inside large health systems
- The Innovation Pipeline process for rapid adoption
- Lessons from real-world projects with strong patient outcomes
- The role of “intrapreneurship” in driving workforce-led solutions
- Advice for early-stage health innovators
- The growing opportunities in AI, automation, and virtual care
About:NAIT Centre for Advanced Medical Simulation –
VisitThis series was produced by Road 55 in Edmonton, Alberta – Learn more at:
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What is Advancing Healthcare Through Simulation?
Welcome to Advancing Healthcare Through Simulation, a series exploring the critical role of simulation in shaping the future of healthcare. This series highlights NAIT's Centre for Advanced Medical Simulation (CAMS) as a hub for healthcare simulation, workforce development, and innovation.
Through conversations with experts, industry leaders, and educators, we’ll explore how simulation is transforming patient care, medical training, and healthcare innovation. Each episode is designed to enhance awareness and understanding of CAMS while positioning it as a leader in this rapidly evolving field.
Join us as we share strategic insights, compelling stories, and forward-thinking perspectives on the power of simulation in advancing healthcare.
To learn more, please visit: https://www.nait.ca/centre-for-advanced-medical-simulation