Stefan Scholtes

Research interests

While technological advances drive service innovation almost everywhere, healthcare seems stuck in a 20th century service model, centred around a family doctor and a general hospital. This model is safe but has driven up costs for decades. These cost pressures turned into unsustainable workforce pressures when funding growth was frozen after the 2008 financial crisis. The pandemic has pushed this service model to a breaking point – with the most devastating effects for the most vulnerable in society. Incremental improvements of the existing model will no longer suffice to address this societal challenge. A more radical change is required that supports the patient need, improves workforce well-being and engagement, and makes step-change improvements to clinical productivity. Stefan’s research supports this service innovation effort.

Service innovation in healthcare is not primarily a technological or operational challenge but, first and foremost, a business model challenge. To help address this challenge, Stefan has co-founded 2 major initiatives. The Healthcare Utility Initiative, co-founded with Cambridge Judge Business Doctorate student Carter Dredge, has the mission to improve access to affordable healthcare for everyone by developing, refining and supporting new, disruptive not-for-profit business models. The Global Convergence Initiative, co-founded with Cambridge Judge Fellow Anoop Maini, has the mission to end fragmentation in healthcare by developing Precision Population Health Solutions that are configured to optimise health outcomes for specific populations at risk escalation points. These initiatives support a vision of complementing the traditional “GP-Hospital” nexus with vibrant local and national ecosystems of social enterprises, led by entrepreneurs with a social mission, who challenge the status quo and drive health service innovation at scale.