Innovation in health care has never been more essential, or more challenging. As health systems continue to navigate clinical workforce shortages, rising patient complexity and the rapid evolution of digital tools, leaders are rethinking how to safely and effectively bring new ideas to scale.
This month, Forbes published an article titled “19 Barriers To Scaling Innovation In Health (And How To Overcome Them)”, featuring insights from health care executives and innovators nationwide. We’re proud to share that Cheryl Dalton-Norman, president of Conduit Health Partners, was among the leaders highlighted.
Cheryl’s Perspective: Guardrails That Empower Innovation
In the Forbes article, Cheryl spoke to one of the most persistent challenges in health care innovation: a deeply rooted, risk-averse culture. Clinicians are trained to protect patients at all costs, a mindset that is both necessary and admirable. But as Cheryl noted, this same caution can unintentionally slow progress.
“The biggest barrier is a deeply rooted, risk-averse culture, especially among clinicians who fear causing harm. That caution is valid, but innovation can’t wait. We must build guardrails that allow us to test and scale new ideas safely with checks and balances that protect patients while enabling progress.”
— Cheryl Dalton-Norman, Conduit Health Partners
Cheryl’s message echoes a core tenet of our philosophy at Conduit Health Partners: innovation and safety can, and must, work together. The solution isn’t to push past clinician concerns, but to thoughtfully design systems that inspire confidence while enabling transformation.
Creating the Right Conditions for Change
At Conduit Health Partners, we see every day how structured, nurse-led approaches help health systems introduce change without compromising patient safety. Whether we are implementing a new Nurse-First Triage model, optimizing Patient Transfer workflows or standing up technology-enabled services, we apply these approaches to support safe transformation and care.
We’re honored to have our president included in this national conversation about the future of health care innovation. Cheryl’s perspective reflects what our clients experience every day: when you pair expert clinical leadership with intentional guardrails, meaningful change becomes both possible and sustainable.
We’re proud to champion innovation that puts patients, clinicians and communities first and to continue supporting health systems as they transform care delivery with confidence. Contact our team to learn how your health care organization can scale innovation by partnering with Conduit Health Partners.
