2025

Koski, Aapo; Mikkonen, Tommi; Peltonen, Laura-Maria

Healthcare systems around the world are under pressure to adopt advanced technologies, yet innovation is often stalled by rigid regulatory frameworks, complex procurement procedures, and risk-averse cultures. In contrast, societal crises, such as a pandemic and wartime, catalyze rapid user-driven development and deployment of technologies such as drones, telehealth platforms, and situational awareness systems, demonstrating that even high-risk domains can innovate and rapidly deploy new technologies under extreme conditions. This paper explores what healthcare can learn from these innovation models of social crises, focusing on how agility, minimal viable products (MVPs) and close end-user collaboration can coexist with safety and ethical oversight. By examining real-world cases and drawing parallels with healthcare, we propose actionable strategies to accelerate responsible innovation in healthcare.