CoxHealth employees pitch ideas to leadership

CoxHealth employees this week pitched ideas to improve the health care system to its leaders with the help of a panel of business coaches.

Spokeswoman Kaitlyn McConnell said during the fourth-annual Innovation Accelerator held Jan. 30-31, 50 pitches were narrowed down to seven.

“A couple of the ‘winning’ projects focused on employee safety and shift scheduling,” she said via email. “However, it’s believed that several of the other projects initially pitched will also be developed as time goes on.”

Final pitches were made yesterday afternoon to CoxHealth President and CEO Steve Edwards, General Counsel Charity Elmer, Chief Financial Officer Jake McWay and Chief Hospital Officer Ron Prenger. Board members Hal Higdon and Jack Prim also participated, according to a news release.

Employees were coached by businessmen Rob Fulp, Dennis Heim, Kurt Hellweg and Bob McDowell, who all are CoxHealth board members, according to the release.

Previous accelerators have led to CoxHealth implementing delivery service to health system employees through its pharmacy and the addition of new hand-scanning technology, among other initiatives, according to Springfield Business Journal archives.