What if the most significant barrier to healthcare innovation isn’t the science, but the system around it?

In this episode of the Smart Care Team Spotlight, Tiffany Wilson, CEO of the Science Center in Philadelphia, discusses accelerating healthcare innovation by bridging the gap between breakthrough ideas and real-world impact. She explains how the Science Center serves as an innovation intermediary, helping startups navigate evidence generation, commercialization, and adoption while aligning with the realities of health systems. Tiffany shares why hype-driven solutions fail, why trust and workflow integration matter for adoption, and how structured collaboration can reduce friction across the ecosystem. She also emphasizes the critical role nurses and patients play in co-designing technologies that truly improve outcomes, support clinicians, and drive inclusive economic growth.

Tune in to hear how healthcare leaders, startups, and clinicians can work together to move innovation from promise to practice, faster and more effectively.

About Tiffany Wilson:

Tiffany has spent over 20 years bringing innovative medical technology from bench to bedside and is known globally for her thought leadership on innovation and commercialization in life sciences and healthcare technology.

In October 2020, she was appointed President and CEO of the Philadelphia-based Science Center, leading the organization’s next chapter focused on delivering economic, scientific, and civic impact. Operating at the intersection of startups, healthcare, and community, the Science Center drives inclusive economic growth across Greater Philadelphia and advances best-in-class healthcare solutions for all.

Tiffany serves on the Team Pennsylvania Board of Directors, the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia Board of Directors, the Penn Health-Tech Strategic Advisory Board, the Drexel Applied Innovation External Advisory Board, and as an external advisor to the RADx program at the NIH.

She was recognized by the Philadelphia Business Journal’s Power 100 List in 2021 and 2022, Philadelphia Magazine’s “The 150 Most Influential Philadelphians 2023,” the Healthcare Technology Report’s Top 50 Healthcare Technology CEOs of 2021, Inc. Magazine as one of “17 Inspiring Women to Watch in 2017,” and Becker’s Hospital Review’s “110 Women in Medtech to Know in 2017.”

Tiffany holds an MBA from the Georgetown University McDonough School of Business and a BBA in International Business from Loyola University New Orleans.

Things You’ll Learn:

• Healthcare innovation often stalls not because of a lack of ideas, but because of systemic friction in commercialization and adoption.
• The Science Center acts as a bridge, connecting startups with health systems, investors, and community partners to accelerate impact.
• Technologies succeed when they deliver real clinical outcomes and fit seamlessly into existing workflows.
• Trust, transparency, and clinician involvement are essential for the adoption of new healthcare solutions.
• Nurses and patients must be central to the design of technologies that truly improve care.
• Structured programs, such as the Translation Project, help startups define evidence, de-risk innovations, and scale effectively.
• When executed effectively, healthcare innovation enhances outcomes, supports the workforce, and fosters economic growth in communities.

Resources:

• Connect with and follow Tiffany Wilson on LinkedIn.
• Follow the Science Center in Philadelphia on LinkedIn and explore their website!