In a recent LinkedIn post, Dr. Stephon Proctor shares a refreshingly candid reflection on how he was able to create innovative electronic health record (EHR) applications like CHIPPER and ORCA. While he brings technical chops to the table as a self-described “full-stack informaticist,” he emphasizes that his success was less about personal brilliance and more about organizational enablement. Specifically, he credits three key enablers: investment in training, encouragement of experimentation, and the cultivation of trust.
As someone who’s spent a couple of decades in clinical informatics, I couldn’t agree more. But if we want to scale clinician-led innovation beyond a few unicorns, we need to go further. If we keep waiting for the next clinician genius to emerge, we’ll be waiting a long time. It’s time to build systems that make innovation routine, not rare. And we need to build infrastructure that supports clinicians not just as users of technology, but as architects of digital transformation.
Training isn’t a perk; it’s a prerequisite
Dr. Proctor rightly points out that many organizations still treat technical training for clinicians as “out of scope.” That’s like telling a pilot they can’t learn how the autopilot works because it’s too technical. If we want clinicians to innovate, we must give them access to the tools and the knowledge to use them.
At the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, clinicians are trained to edit documentation templates and query data using their EHR and other platforms. That’s a great start. But training shouldn’t stop there. We should be teaching clinicians how to engineer prompts for AI tools, how to apply implementation science to real-world problems, and perhaps most importantly, how to navigate governance structures without losing their minds (too harsh? Nah.)
Training also needs to be ongoing and embedded in the workflow. One-off workshops and “lunch and learns” are fine, but they don’t build mastery. What we need are longitudinal programs that treat informatics as a clinical subspecialty, not a hobby. And yes, that means reimbursing clinicians for their time. Your innovation strategy can’t depend on volunteer labor because that’s not a strategy; it’s a bake sale.
Experimentation requires infrastructure, not just enthusiasm
Dr. Proctor had access to sandbox environments, AI coding tools, and time-limited prototypes. Most clinicians, however, are stuck in production environments with the innovation equivalent of safety scissors. If we’re serious about clinician-led innovation, we need to build infrastructure that supports it.
That means cloned EHRs with fake data for low-risk experimentation. It means weekly “show and tell” sessions where clinicians demo their hacks and get feedback. It means bifurcated innovation workstreams: one for corporate IT and one for clinician-led experimentation. And yes, it means giving clinicians access to AI tools that can help them build faster and smarter.
We also need to rethink our tolerance for failure. Innovation is messy. Not every prototype will pan out. But if the only acceptable outcome is a fully baked, production-ready solution, we’ll never get past the idea stage. Organizations must create psychological safety around experimentation. Your clinicians need permission to innovate, or you’re doing it wrong.
Trust is built through autonomy, not just relationships
Dr. Proctor emphasizes the importance of trusting relationships with analysts and leaders. Absolutely. But trust isn’t just interpersonal; it’s architectural. We build trust when clinicians can make changes without triggering a help desk ticket. We build trust when feedback loops actually close. We build trust when governance structures prioritize experience over SLA metrics.
Too often, clinicians are treated as “super users” rather than strategic partners. They’re consulted after decisions are made, asked to validate workflows they didn’t help design, and expected to champion tools they didn’t choose. That’s not trust; that’s conscription. If we want clinicians to take informed risks, we need to give them real authority, not just advisory roles.
We also need to design support systems with empathy. We spend millions designing patient experiences with compassion and nuance. Why do we design clinician support with bureaucracy and ticket queues? The help desk must not be optimized for throughput over resolution, or you’re not supporting innovation; you’re just suppressing it.
Beyond the sandbox; what else do we need?
Dr. Proctor’s post is a masterclass in enabling innovation. But here are a few more ingredients we should throw into the pot.
First, clinician-led governance. Without clinicians helping to prioritize your IT roadmap, you’re flying blind. Create governance models where clinicians decide what gets built, when, and why. Let them own the backlog. Let them veto bad ideas. And let them champion the good ones.
Second, implementation science. Innovation without implementation is just a science fair project. Train clinicians in implementation science so they can translate ideas into outcomes. Help them understand change management, stakeholder engagement, and the dark art of workflow redesign.
Third, mentorship and career pathways. Expose medical students and residents to informatics early. Offer fellowships, shadowing, and reimbursement for innovation work. Build the pipeline. We must mentor the next generation of clinician innovators to build a sorely needed future.
Fourth, human-centered design. If your support systems aren’t designed with empathy, your clinicians won’t innovate; they’ll disengage. Design infrastructure that’s invisible and invaluable. Make it easy to find help, share ideas, and get feedback. Treat your clinicians like the customers they are. (Hey, I co-wrote a book about human-centered design and healthcare; check it out!)
Finally, recognize that clinicians aren’t just users of technology; they’re architects of digital maturity. Embed them in strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, and informatics governance. Treat their insights as essential, not optional.
Innovation is a discipline, not a personality trait
Dr. Proctor ends his post with a powerful reminder: healthcare innovators thrive when they’re empowered to learn, experiment, and collaborate. I’d add that they also need to be trusted, mentored, and embedded in the architecture of change. If we want better tools and more responsive systems, we must treat clinician innovation as a strategic imperative, not a side hustle. That means investing in infrastructure and not just individuals.
Clinician-led innovation isn’t risky. It’s risky not to have it.