Why We Need a Patient-Centered Innovation Renaissance: A Horizontal and Vertical Integration of Knowledge to Transform Care Pathways

Pieter Vandekerckhove, Delft Centre for Entrepreneurship, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands AND Erasmus School of Health Policy & Management, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The NetherlandsFollow
Benjamin H.L Harris, Department of Oncology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; St. Catherine’s College, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Cutrale Perioperative and Ageing Group, Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, UK; Institute for Liver and Digestive Health, Division of Medicine, University College London, London, UK AND Department of Psychosocial Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Lodz, PL
Louis J. Koizia, Cutrale Perioperative and Ageing Group, Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, UK
Ashok Handa, Collaborating Centre for Values-based Practice, St Catherine’s College, Manor Rd, Oxford, UK AND Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital Level 6, Oxford, UK
Chris Brainard, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Health System, USA
Steven Howard, Department of Health Services Administration, School of Health Professions, University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA

Abstract

We are at a pivotal moment. The future of healthcare innovation can no longer be defined solely by technological advancement or institutional efficiency. While digital tools, therapies and platforms continue to evolve, they must be embedded within a broader transformation, one that places the human experience at the centre of how we design, deliver and evaluate care. This patient-centred renaissance calls for the integration of both horizontal and vertical forms of knowledge: connecting services across the care continuum. From the literature and our experience, an unexpected byproduct of co-production with patients in health innovation and care delivery is a reduction in complaints, litigation and a significant increase in treatment compliance. 19 This results in a reduction in misdiagnosis, 20 over investigation and treatment, giving a reduction in costs in the overall healthcare economy. Empowering patients as innovators is not a symbolic gesture. It is a practical imperative if we are to create pathways that are not only clinically effective but also meaningful and responsive. Fragmented systems that overwhelm or disorient must give way to cohesive and compassionate journeys, designed with and for the people they are meant to serve. This is a call to rethink not only what we innovate, but how and with whom. Let us commit to building systems that honour not just the science of healing, but the individuals we treat. In doing so, we move closer to a future where innovation and empathy are no longer treated as separate domains, but as interdependent pillars of truly transformative care.

Recommended Citation

Vandekerckhove P, Harris B, Koizia L, Handa A, Brainard C, Howard S. Why We Need a Patient-Centered Innovation Renaissance: A Horizontal and Vertical Integration of Knowledge to Transform Care Pathways. Patient Experience Journal. 2025; 12(2):9-13. doi: 10.35680/2372-0247.2023.