A New Role for a Structured Innovation Vision
Cottage Health, based in Santa Barbara, California, is taking a more structured and deliberate approach to innovation. The health system has created a dedicated chief innovation officer role — a move designed to turn frontline clinical ideas into measurable, real-world results.
This new position will oversee strategy and operations for the Compton Center for Medical Excellence and Innovation at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. Notably, the center was established through the generous support of Mary and Richard Compton, longtime Cottage Health donors. Furthermore, it is designed to align clinical, operational, and strategic priorities across the entire organization.
The creation of this role signals a clear shift. Rather than allowing innovation to happen organically and inconsistently, Cottage Health is building a formal system around it. Consequently, the health system can accelerate progress while maintaining accountability.
Who Is Ryan Kelly?
Ryan Kelly, PhD, was named to the chief innovation officer position in February 2025. He brings more than 20 years of experience spanning healthcare, medtech, and life sciences. Additionally, he most recently served as chief innovation officer at Inneo, formerly known as the Innovation Institute.
Before joining Cottage Health, Dr. Kelly held leadership roles at Cleveland Clinic, City of Hope in Duarte, California, and Scripps Research Institute. This breadth of experience gives him a strong foundation for guiding innovation across a complex health system.
Dr. Kelly told Becker’s that the role was created specifically to harness ideas already emerging across the organization. Moreover, it aims to bring greater coordination to innovation efforts that were previously scattered or informal.
Building Early Wins and Internal Trust
In his first weeks on the job, Dr. Kelly focused on two priorities: building visibility and building trust. For any innovation function to succeed, staff must understand how it works and believe it will deliver results. Therefore, transparency became a foundational goal from day one.
Establishing Clear Intake and Evaluation Processes
Dr. Kelly explained that the first 30 to 60 days centered on lifting the visibility of innovation already happening inside the health system. Those existing projects serve as proof points — early wins that demonstrate the value of structured innovation support.
At the same time, the team is defining intake processes, evaluation criteria, and decision-making frameworks. As a result, every staff member can clearly understand how to engage and what to expect. This kind of clarity helps prevent frustration and encourages ongoing participation.
Strategic Priorities for the Next 18 Months
Over the next 12 to 18 months, Cottage Health has outlined several major strategic priorities. These range from clinical efficiency to digital and AI capability expansion.
Reducing Barriers for Clinicians
One core priority is removing obstacles that slow clinicians down in their daily work. Innovation, in this context, means making it easier for care teams to do their jobs — not adding complexity to already demanding roles. Thus, the team evaluates every initiative against this practical standard.
Improving operational efficiency is equally important. The health system looks for solutions that reduce administrative burden, streamline processes, and free up time for direct patient care. In turn, this creates a better experience for both staff and patients.
Responsible AI Adoption {#responsible-ai}
Perhaps the most high-profile priority is the responsible expansion of digital and AI capabilities. Dr. Kelly credits the framing of “responsible AI adoption” to Ganesh Persad, the health system’s vice president and CIO.
This balanced approach is intentional. Rather than chasing every new AI trend, Cottage Health evaluates each opportunity against clinical impact, governance standards, and patient safety. Consequently, the health system positions itself at the forefront of responsible AI — not merely as a fast adopter, but as a thoughtful one.
Co-Creator Vendor Partnerships
A central component of the broader strategy involves rethinking how Cottage Health works with technology vendors. Instead of functioning as a passive customer, the health system aims to be a co-creator in the development process.
This model gives Cottage Health greater influence over how tools are developed and deployed. Moreover, it ensures that solutions are shaped by real clinical needs rather than vendor assumptions.
Clinicians as the Starting Point, Not End Users
One of the most distinctive aspects of Cottage Health’s innovation philosophy is where the process begins. Dr. Kelly is clear: clinicians and staff are not the end users of innovation — they are the starting point.
This approach reverses the typical innovation model. Instead of designing a solution and then asking clinicians to adopt it, Cottage Health begins with the problem as described by those experiencing it. Additionally, the team involves clinicians early in pilots to ensure real-world fit.
Speed of Decision-Making Matters
Dr. Kelly also emphasized that slow decisions are themselves a form of frustration. When innovation teams take too long to respond — even with a “no” — they erode trust and discourage future participation.
Therefore, Cottage Health prioritizes rapid, clear feedback. Ideas move forward or are redirected quickly. Either way, contributors receive a timely response that keeps them engaged.
A 25-Year Foundation of Staff-Driven Innovation
Cottage Health is not starting from scratch. The organization has maintained a shared governance program for nearly 25 years. Throughout that time, staff have used this program to propose improvements to workflows and operations.
The new Compton Center for Innovation builds directly on this legacy. However, it adds the infrastructure to scale the most promising ideas more broadly across the health system. This combination of grassroots culture and formal structure is a key advantage.
Because of this deep-rooted history, Dr. Kelly does not need to convince staff that their voices matter. Instead, he can focus on building the systems to act on what they share.
Defining Success Beyond Initiative Count
Finally, Dr. Kelly is explicit about how he defines success in this role. It is not about launching the most initiatives or piloting the most tools. Rather, success means delivering tangible impact — and building a reputation as a trusted partner within the organization.
This people-first definition of success reflects a broader truth about healthcare innovation: the best ideas mean nothing if clinicians don’t trust the process or patients don’t benefit. At Cottage Health, the goal is both — structured, responsible, and deeply human.
