Innovation as a Magnet: Drawing Talent and Growth to Springfield (Sponsor Letter)

SBJ file

John Myers, Mercy Springfield Communities

To everyone who has been following along with this year’s Economic Impact Series, I hope you’ve learned about the current and future economic state here in Springfield, and I hope our team at Mercy has shared some insights and lessons learned that you can apply to your own industry.

For this last segment, we are focusing on innovation and the impact it has on workforce retention and recruitment as well as on our community at large. It feels obvious to say that innovation is crucial if you want to stay competitive in business, but I’ve seen it happen too many times that leaders resist innovation because they are comfortable with the status quo. The best leaders and the best companies know that what works today likely won’t work tomorrow, so you should always be searching for ways to improve.

In health care, we are constantly innovating. Mercy was an early adopter of electronic medical records, and we’re always testing new technology and devices that improve outcomes for our patients. One of the most surprising things we’ve learned by being open to innovation is it makes us more attractive to prospective hires when they know they’re joining a team that is striving to be the best. We’ve also seen it make an impact on our community. For example, our eagerness to innovate has resulted in us launching the only burn unit in our region and building one of the most robust cancer centers in Missouri.

It has allowed us to become a hub for orthopedic care and to support professional and student athletic programs across the Ozarks, and it has meant that we’ve brought the latest technologies to our patients including the only robotic lung surgery program in the area.

You’ll read more about how innovation within health care is improving patient outcomes, and I hope it inspires you to welcome change within your own industry. I firmly believe that we never stop learning, and that means we never have to stop improving, so enjoy this final segment of SBJ’s Economic Impact Series and start thinking of how you could innovate next.

Sincerely,
John Myers, President
Mercy Springfield Communities