Great work is happening in healthcare every day, however it does not always get the attention it deserves. The Healthcare Innovation Innovator Awards Program was created to change that, and submissions for 2026 are now open.

At its core, this program is about recognizing the teams doing the real work of improving healthcare through IT. That includes hospitals, medical groups, integrated health systems, clinics, payers, ACOs, HIEs, and more. If your organization is using technology in a thoughtful way to improve clinical care, operations, financial performance, or the way your teams function day to day, this program was created for you.

One thing that has always set this program apart is its focus on team-based recognition. Since 2009, we have believed that meaningful innovation in healthcare does not come from one person or one department. It comes from groups of people working through challenges together and finding better ways forward.

If you talk to past winners, you will hear a common theme: recognition matters. Not just because it is nice to be acknowledged, but because it reinforces that the work is making a difference. It gives teams momentum.

Our 2025 top innovators, including Metrolina Nephrology Associates, Penn Medicine’s PennAInsights and Northeast Valley Health Corporation, have shared that being recognized helped energize their teams and encouraged them to keep pushing ahead. In a field where progress can feel slow and the challenges keep coming, that kind of encouragement goes a long way.

So how does it work?

We are collecting stories of innovation from across the industry. What challenge were you trying to solve? What approach did you take? What changed as a result?

We have also made the submission process simple and straightforward. You can share a basic outline of your story in just a few minutes, and our editorial team can help you shape it from there if needed.

There are also real benefits to putting your story forward. Approved submissions may be featured on our website, reaching more than 116,000 healthcare executives each month, and included in our daily e-newsletter, which reaches over 28,000 readers.

We also highlight participants across our social media channels, with a combined following of more than 34,000. In addition, select organizations may be invited to speak at our Healthcare Innovation Summit Series. Each story also qualifies for the Annual Innovator Awards Program, with the opportunity to be recognized as one of the top healthcare innovations in the country.

Beyond the visibility, there is something just as important. Sharing your story helps others. It gives peers a chance to learn from what worked, what did not, and how challenges were overcome. That kind of knowledge-sharing is what moves the industry forward.

What does it mean to be an innovator in healthcare today?

It does not always mean building something brand new. More often, it means finding better ways to use the tools you already have. It means improving care quality, strengthening patient safety, making workflows more efficient, and helping data move where it needs to go.

Across the country, healthcare leaders are facing policy shifts, reimbursement pressure, staffing shortages, and rising expectations. And still, teams are finding ways to move forward. Thoughtful, practical innovation is happening every day. That is what this program is here to recognize.

We are accepting nominations through July 1. If your team has a story to share, we would love to hear it.

Sometimes the work that makes the biggest difference is the work that does not get talked about enough. This is your chance to change that. Fill out this quick form to nominate your team today!