https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S215335392500046X
Enhancing diagnostic innovation by leveraging the co-creation approach
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Abstract
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7349529654048772097/
Co-creation offers a promising approach to tackle one of
healthcares most persistent challenges: bridging interdisciplinary gaps.
Despite its proven value in other fields, the concept of the pre-competitive
space (where stakeholders collaborate on shared challenges before entering
market competition) remains underutilized in healthcare. In this publication,
we present a summary of the first 5 years of this initiative convened by Roche
(Thank you). We highlight key results, lessons learned, and the real-world
impact of this pre-competitive collaboration model.
Specifically, the primary aim of this community is to enhance diagnostic
innovation by (1) collaboratively identifying unmet needs and then (2)
co-developing personalized diagnostic solutions. Over the years, this group
launched n=15 pilot projects; n=7 of which were successfully implemented. We
show how shared design-thinking efforts can turn unmet medical needs into
real-world innovations.
We share the approach because it fosters alignment, inclusivity, and
adaptability. It offers a scalable model for accelerating precision diagnostics
and transforming healthcare. We hope others will make use of the framework. The
community as well as writing this publication was a lot of fun because the
various members are enthusiatstic, engaged, invested, and passionate about the
field. If you are interested in joining the Co-Creation community; please
see the link below.
The publication would not have been possible without the core team composed of
the amazing Dr. Alexandra Farfsing who encouraged all of us to
keep pushing and to think outside of the box; my friend and colleage Rasmus
Kiehl from the Charite in Berlin who helped tremendously in shaping this story,
Prof. Dr. med. Sven Perner, FRCPath, IFCAP, friend,
pathologist, researcher, and innovator; Joost van Duuren who really helped shape the
community and always continues to think about the next steps; Marleen Christ who build this community, manages and
maintains traction, and really keep us organized; and (last but not least) Jan Farfsing aka the brain behind it. Importantly,
the author list cannot fully capture the many individuals who contributed to
this work over the years, and we are deeply grateful for everyone's valuable
input and ongoing support.
link to publication in the Journal of Pathology Informatics: https://lnkd.in/g7ZgvGbs
link to the Co-Creation Community: https://lnkd.in/gidkgYaF
BTW: the next workshop is entitled "rebranding pathology"... doesn't
that sound like a bright horizon?
Detailed Summary of: "Enhancing Diagnostic Innovation by Leveraging the Co-Creation Approach"
Journal of Pathology Informatics, 2025 | Authors: Lennerz et al.
Overview:
This landmark paper documents a five-year initiative led by Roche Diagnostics and partners across academia and industry to foster diagnostic innovation through structured co-creation within the pre-competitive space. The goal was to bridge gaps between stakeholders in precision medicine—especially in pathology, oncology, genetics, and digital health—by collaboratively identifying unmet needs and developing solutions. This collaborative model explicitly tackled barriers of workflow integration, regulatory compliance, and digital adoption in diagnostics.
The Problem:
Despite the rise of precision medicine and advanced diagnostics, most labs remain rooted in manual workflows and siloed processes. Implementation of digital solutions faces hurdles from regulatory, interoperability, and cultural resistance. Historically, healthcare has been slow to leverage pre-competitive collaboration—an approach proven successful in other industries.
The Co-Creation Solution:
Co-Creation here refers to structured, recurring workshops engaging multiple stakeholders from academia, healthcare, and industry in design-thinking-based collaboration. These sessions prioritized concrete outputs (pilot projects, white papers, publications, podcasts) and emphasized both iterative development ("fail fast") and cross-disciplinary communication.
Workshop Structure:
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Impulse Talks: Short, expert-led presentations to spark ideas.
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Pilot Project Updates: Sharing progress, receiving feedback.
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Networking/Brainstorming: Identifying new project ideas.
Outputs included pilot projects that could span digital pathology, robotics, AI, or data interoperability, moving from ideation to implementation or abandonment based on rapid evaluations.
Key Results:
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150 stakeholders engaged over 8 workshops (2018–2025)
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15 pilot projects launched:
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7 successful implementations
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6 discontinued after early assessment
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2 ongoing
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Notable successes included:
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A robotic arm to streamline lab workflows.
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An AI tool for quality control of pathology images.
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A mobile platform connecting pathology labs digitally.
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Projects often addressed themes like automation, data integration, AI, and regulatory hurdles.
Metrics of Success:
Workshops generated:
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Tangible outputs (pilot projects, publications, podcasts).
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Intangible outputs (cross-disciplinary relationships, shared frameworks, alignment on industry trends).
Perceived Value Assessment: Two axes:
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Market Insight & Shaping (identifying real-world needs, influencing future trends)
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Partnership & Loyalty (building sustained stakeholder engagement)
Transformative Impacts Identified:
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Acceleration of diagnostic innovation via aligned stakeholder goals.
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Enhanced efficiency through automation and AI.
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Real-world examples of addressing regulatory and interoperability challenges.
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A replicable, scalable model for healthcare innovation beyond diagnostics.
Challenges Acknowledged:
Several projects were discontinued due to:
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Lack of stakeholder alignment.
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Insufficient regulatory clarity.
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Practical feasibility issues (e.g., GDPR barriers, COVID-19 disruptions).
The "Fail Fast" principle was crucial in conserving resources and refining focus.
Future Directions:
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Expanding the co-creation model internationally.
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Increasing involvement of patient advocacy.
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Extending beyond oncology/pathology to areas like women's health.
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Deepening partnerships between digital health and healthcare delivery.
SIDEBAR: 10 Surprising but Important Takeaway Lessons
1. Pre-Competitive Collaboration is Underused in Healthcare.
Although common in tech and pharma, healthcare diagnostics still largely operates in silos. This project demonstrates what’s possible when collaboration is prioritized.
2. "Fail Fast" is Key for Healthcare Innovation.
Pilot projects were deliberately designed for rapid iteration—leading to clear go/no-go decisions. This saved time and resources, a method not traditionally embraced in slow-moving healthcare settings.
3. Digital Pathology Adoption Lags Despite Available Technology.
Adoption hurdles are less about technology and more about culture, regulation, and workflow integration.
4. Automation Has Measurable Impact.
The robotics project demonstrated significant reductions in manual workload within 3 months—something that can have broad impacts on lab efficiency.
5. AI is Not a Magic Bullet—Quality Control Still Matters.
An AI tool simply to verify scan quality ("In Focus AI") emerged as one of the most practical, immediately implementable AI innovations—underscoring the need for foundational solutions over flashy algorithms.
6. Patient Perspectives Remain Underrepresented.
Despite advances in patient-centric care, diagnostic innovation still seldom involves patients directly, a gap the authors highlight for future efforts.
7. Virtual Workshops Expand Reach, Reduce Barriers.
Virtual formats outperformed in-person in participant numbers but lacked some of the rich qualitative outputs of in-person sessions—a nuanced finding.
8. Regulatory Complexity Remains a Major Barrier.
Several projects failed due to regulatory ambiguity, especially regarding GDPR and IVDR compliance—showing regulation still constrains innovation more than technology does.
9. Networking is a Tangible Output.
Beyond products, these workshops created durable professional relationships and trust networks, accelerating future collaborations.
10. Co-Creation is Scalable Across Specialties.
The model has already been successfully adapted for women’s health, suggesting its general applicability to other domains within healthcare innovation.
If you'd like, I can draft this into a slide deck or prepare it as an executive memo. Just let me know your preference.
