Create better healthcare services with Step Up
The future of healthcare requires effective solutions that truly work. Step Up is a way of working that increases the likelihood of success for innovation projects.
An ageing population and growing demand for healthcare require us to think smarter about the future of our healthcare services. For that reason, C3 Centre for Connected Care, a center for research-driven innovation (SFI), has developed Step Up. It is a method that helps health leaders to recognise potential benefits in the early stages of an innovation project.
Four steps towards innovation
With current methods, a solution needs to be implemented before its effectiveness can be measured. This has led to dubious and expensive innovations being implemented, whilst good innovations never reach patients.
C3 Center for Connected Care has researched how Early Health Technology Assessment (HTA) can be used to assess value along the way. This allows innovators to adjust their course and reject ineffective solutions at an early stage, saving time and resources and helping to choose the solution with the greatest value.
The research has resulted in Step Up, a publicly available method for anyone interested in innovation and service development in the healthcare sector. The method consists of four parts, which step-by-step take an innovation project from an idea to actual change. Each part contains activities that the innovation leader and the rest of the team complete together.
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The four parts of Step Up are:
- A solid foundation
To solve the right problem, the team examines all aspects of the problem or challenge so that decisions are knowledge based.
- A valuable solution
To make the right choice from many opportunities, the team compares solutions and selects the one with the greatest potential impact.
- A common roadmap
To stand united from start to finish, the team agrees on the milestones they need to reach during implementation. - A steady leader
To facilitate taking new steps, the leader reflects on their role in the process.
Read more about how to become a steady leader.
As the team completes the activities, they get step-by-step help in making a change or developing an entirely new service. Step Up’s step-by-step approach uncovers whether a solution will work or not, well before implementation.
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Getting started with Step Up
Step Up is a publicly available method that anyone can use without any prior knowledge. To get to know the method you can read the method handbook before starting with the activities. If it suits you and your team better to work digitally, you can use the digital workbook.
The activities can be done in the suggested order, but you can also go up and down the stairs as needed. The more you understand the problem and possible solutions, the easier it will be to choose Step Up activity.
Here are the Step Up resources you can use:
Method handbook
The method handbook describes what Step Up is and how to use it, both individually and with your team.
Download the method handbook (PDF)
Activity sheets
The activity sheets are A3 sheets that you can print and use in engaging workshops or meetings where you work together around a table.
Download the activity sheets (PDF)
Digital workbook
If you prefer to work digitally, you can use the digital workbook. Here, you will find both the theory from the method handbook and the activity sheets that can be filled out digitally.
The workbook is useful if you are going to present Step Up to others or use the pre-filled activities for documentation in applications, supporting materials in meetings, etc.
Download the digital workbook (PPT)