The Mercy Health Research & Innovation group operates as a research and innovation hub for the ministry and is well known by industry partners as providing a single point of seamless and easy entry for multi-site trials that provides access to a system of community hospitals.
Research & Innovation is integral to Mercy Health’s mission to improving the health of our communities, providing patients with the opportunity to participate in cutting edge research and supporting and growing clinical research and innovation with the priority to drive improvements in standard of care for our patients.
Research
Research is a critical element of Mercy Health’s goal to provide amazing patient care. Through a vast array of therapeutic and device trials, Mercy Health is focused on participating in leading-edge clinical research. Our Research and Innovation team fields clinical trial opportunities such as industry sponsored studies, investigator initiated studies and Graduate Medical Education studies. Mercy Health strives to provide high-quality, efficient research services with a goal to develop external and internal partnerships to bridge the gap in our services and serve as the entry point for research, as well as to develop relationships with industry partners to identify new projects early and grow the Mercy Health research pipeline.
Innovation
Mercy Health is taking a strategic approach to innovation. That approach includes memberships and partnerships in multiple health system cohorts, such as Avia and the Innovation Institute, with a goal to foster outside-in innovation and inside-out innovation, direct investments in early staged companies and innovation fund investments in healthcare innovation incubators.
It is through our lens on research and innovation that we have the ability to change the way we look at and deliver health care in more innovative and seamless ways.
For questions or inquiries related to our clinical research work, please email: clinicalresearch@mercy.com.
Innovation Team:
Megan Reichert is the Director of Innovation for Mercy Health – Northern Region. In this role, she works with innovators to help move their ideas from concept to commercialization. Prior to joining Mercy Health, she was a Director for the Defense Manufacturing Assistance Program at the University of Michigan’s Economic Growth Institute, a tri-state, $12 million program to stabilize and diversify defense contractors through innovation. Megan has over 15 years of experience in leading various economic development programs and has worked with both the private and academic sectors on projects related to technology transfer, technology commercialization, business incubation, entrepreneurship, and minority business development. Prior to her economic development work, Megan spent over 11 years in a management role with a closely held automotive manufacturing company. She has a B.A. in English from Indiana University and an MBA from the University of Toledo.
Steve Behm serves as Entrepreneur in Residence, bringing over 25 years of industry experience in innovation, research, product development, marketing, and business development to the program. Previously at University Hospitals in Cleveland, he led the organization’s efforts to commercialize medical technology developed by its clinical staff. He has also served as principal in three start-up organizations where he worked with the growth of early-stage technology, marketing, sales, and business development programs at large and small biomedical organizations, and an early-stage orthopedics company. Previously, he was Vice President of Business Development and Marketing for Biomec where he was responsible for technology licensing, strategic partnerships, marketing and sales. Prior to his time with Biomec, he was Director of Business Services for the Edison BioTechnology Center, where his responsibilities included funding programs for start-up ventures, technology transfer, and general business assistance. Steve received his B.A. in biology and general science from Hiram College and his MBA from Case Western Reserve University. He also holds two US patents.
Crystal Glambin serves as Business Advisor, supporting the work of the SBA Community Navigator program locally by providing training and support to the community’s historically underserved entrepreneurs. Crystal’s previous entrepreneurial support experience includes time with the Minority Business Assistance Center and the Office of Diversity and Inclusion at the University of Toledo. She is the president of the University of Toledo Latino Alumni Affiliate and executive board member for the Sofia Quintero Arts and Cultural Center. She also chairs the Lucas County Supply Chain Advisory Committee and sits on the Toledo Opera Community Advisory committee. Crystal earned her bachelor’s degree in supply chain management and master’s degree in organizational leadership and international business from the University of Toledo.
Christine Heflinger is the Innovation Grant Manager. She helps to advance Mercy Health’s Innovation initiatives in Northwest Ohio and supports the ministry’s participation in the regional Entrepreneurial Services Program. Christine has a background in entrepreneurial service programs and nonprofit management, including nine years at the Small Business Development Center at the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce – six as the Program Manager. In this position, she not only assisted with the administration and coordination of program activities but also provided counseling services to clients developing their business plans. She is a graduate of the International Business Innovation Association’s Entrepreneurship Center Management course, the US Chamber of Commerce’s Institute for Organization Management, and the Ohio Development Service Agency’s Certified Business Advisor program. Christine earned her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Marketing from Bowling Green State University.
Current Programs:
Getting Your Business Started presented by the PNC Foundation – The innovation team facilitates free eight-week classes to help emerging businesses, particularly those in historically underserved neighborhoods, to advance their businesses using the Growthwheel® assessment. Participants who attend at least 7 of the classes and complete the coursework will receive a free laptop computer for their business. The program is on track to put computers in the hands of nearly 100 entrepreneurs by the end of 2022. Classes will be offered throughout 2023.
Innovation Challenges – Mercy Health associates are invited to share their great ideas to improve patient care through a series of Innovation Challenges held annually at all of Mercy’s Toledo area hospitals. Selected tech ideas are chosen for further development and the submitter is awarded Called to Shine points.
Ideation sessions – The innovation team occasionally convenes clinician groups to take part in problem-specific ideation sessions to inventory what is already known/being done to solve the problem and engage in creative problem solving
Business Basics Series Recordings:
Week 1: Is My Hobby a Viable Idea? https://bit.ly/GHZbiz1
Week 2: Navigating Available Resources pt 1 https://bit.ly/GHZbiz2
Week 3: Navigating Available Resources pt 2 https://bit.ly/GHZbiz3
Week 4: Navigating Available Resources pt 3 https://bit.ly/GHZbiz4
Week 5: Marketing Yourself and Your Business https://bit.ly/GHZbiz5
Week 6: Post COVID-19 Business https://bit.ly/GHZbiz6
Business Financial Series Recordings:
Week 1: Preparing to go into Business https://bit.ly/GHZfinance1
Week 2: Non-Traditional Financing Your Business https://bit.ly/GHZfinance2
Week 3: Financing Your Business https://bit.ly/GHZfinance3
Week 4: Financial Health of Your Business https://bit.ly/GHZfinance4
Week 5: Growing Your Financial Capacity https://bit.ly/GHZfinance5
Week 6: Funding Your Expansion https://bit.ly/GHZfinance6
Current Grants
Ohio Third Frontier Entrepreneurial Services Program (ESP) – Mercy Health, along with Jumpstart, The University of Toledo and ProMedica, is part of a regional consortium that provides consulting services and funds to help commercialize new ideas and technologies in the State of Ohio. Funds spent by the program are used to help determine the intellectual property implications of the idea, its market viability and path to development.
Ohio Third Frontier Technology Validation Start-up Fund – Mercy Health manages a fund that supports de-risking ministry intellectual property with an addressable market of $70 million or greater ($150K max) to prepare for license to an Ohio start-up company. Funds support prototype development, market research and other pre-licensing activities.
SBA Community Navigator – Mercy Health, in partnership with LISC, the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce, Assets Toledo, ECDI, and Women of Toledo, provide training and support to the community’s historically underserved entrepreneurs, with a particular focus on the Cherry Legacy Neighborhood. This program serves both tech and non-tech-based clients.
Grants from local partners – Grants from community partners such as Signature Bank, the PNC foundation and others allow Mercy Health to deliver additional support to businesses in historically underserved areas in the form of training and access to needed technology and tools to help them grow.
Grant program impact:
Since 2017, Mercy Health has attracted $7.4 million dollars in grants and matching funds and has put them to work in our community to support regional technology and entrepreneurship.
For more information, or to request service, please email innovation@mercy.com