Health Innovation Classes

Teacher(s)

Geens Pierre; Germany Morrison Enrique Ignacio;

Language

English
> French-friendly

Prerequisites

Students are invited to apply to the professors responsible for the course by sending a CV and a cover letter by email on the date specified by the teaching team. They will only be able to register for this course after receiving authorization.

Main themes

Design thinking, innovation, creativity, user-centered development
Organization of the health care system, financing of care, regulatory and clinical aspects
Business modeling and scaling
Desirability, feasibility and viability of an innovation

Learning outcomes

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :

AA 2.1 Position your project in relation to the context and local and global challenges in health care2.2-2.3 Identify / evaluate / improve innovative / relevant / realistic ideas by demonstrating leadership in an uncertain environment in the field of sustainability or transition. AA 2.3-2.4 Develop and/or improve a health product/service/process/technology by following a rigorous innovation method that takes into account all externalities. AA 3.2-2.3 Evaluate, iterate and validate this concept in relation to factors specific to health care (financing, regulation, organization of the health care system). AA 4.1 Identify, mobilize and manage the resources and networks necessary for the development of an innovation project (team, partners, consultants, resources, etc.). AA 5.2 Convince your audience of the viability of the concept. AA 5.3 Communicate, evolve, work in a team and develop a project in a multicultural and multidisciplinary context. AA 6.2 Recognize and integrate the contribution of other disciplines.   This course contributes to learning outcomes 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 of the targeted skills framework for EPL students.

Content

The course introduces and applies methods for health innovation through real-world projects. Topics include human-centered innovation and Design Thinking; stakeholder analysis and user research; problem framing; structured ideation and value innovation; rapid prototyping, testing and iteration; healthcare ecosystem, organization and financing; regulatory and clinical constraints; business modelling and scalability; and assessment of desirability, feasibility and viability.

Teaching methods

The course follows a learning-by-doing and project-based approach. Students work in multidisciplinary teams on authentic healthcare challenges and apply innovation methods through workshops, practical exercises, a hackathon, field interactions, stakeholder interviews, prototyping and user testing. Seminars and coaching sessions with teachers and external professionals support project development.

Evaluation methods

Assessment is based on three complementary components. The group innovation project accounts for 50% of the final grade and is assessed on the quality and progression of the work, including intermediate deliverables and reviews, and the final project defense pitch. Individual contribution to the group project is taken into account on the basis of self-assessment, peer assessment and observations by the teaching team. An individual oral assessment accounts for 30% of the final grade and evaluates each student's understanding of the main concepts and methods covered in the course, as well as their ability to explain, select and apply them in the context of health innovation. Regular assessments conducted during the semester account for 20% of the final grade and consist of short assignments and practical activities aimed at assessing the progressive acquisition and application of the course concepts and methods. The final grade is calculated as the weighted sum of these three components. During an examination session, when continuous-assessment activities cannot reasonably be reproduced, an individual oral examination replaces the corresponding assessment component(s). A project grade already acquired is retained.
Language for evaluations: English

Other information

Enrollment is limited and subject to prior application and authorization. Active participation in teamwork, practical sessions and project activities is expected. Some activities may take place outside Louvain-la-Neuve in healthcare organizations or partner institutions.

Online resources

Course information, schedule, learning resources, assignments, and project instructions are made available through Moodle. Additional online resources may be provided during the course according to the topics and projects addressed.

Bibliography

A selection of references on Design Thinking, health innovation, business modeling, healthcare organization, and regulation is provided during the course. / Une sélection de références sur le Design Thinking, l’innovation en santé, le business modelling, l’organisation des soins de santé et la réglementation est fournie pendant le cours.
Resources are provided through Moodle / Ressources complémentaires disponibles via Moodle.

Teaching materials

• Slides / Supports de présentation
• methodological guides / guides méthodologiques
• templates / canevas
• case studies / études de cas

Faculty or entity

> EPL