The innovation imperative in healthcare: an interview and commentary

Abstract

This two-part submission draws on Len Berry’s lead article in this Special Issue on Innovation in Healthcare. The first part includes an interview with Robert G. Riney, Chief Operating Officer and President, Healthcare Operations at Henry Ford Health System. The second part, a brief commentary, supplements this interview and points to three fertile avenues for marketing research. Specifically, it proposes (1) that more empirical research is needed on the effects that dedicated innovation units have in service organizations, (2) that the customer participation literature in marketing can benefit from expanding its current research lens, and (3) that marketing research can contribute to the discussion of how to use robots in healthcare and other service industries.