Inventor Services | Innovative Ideas in Health Care | MedStar Health

Let's innovate together!

About us

MedStar Inventor Services makes it possible for MedStar Health associates to transform your innovative ideas and discoveries into commercial products and more by working with you through every step of the process. Together, by making sure your idea is well-developed, protected, and sustainable, we’re advancing health, increasing the quality, efficiency, and safety of our system, and improving the experience of patients, families, and providers.

If you are a MedStar Health associate ready to make your idea a reality, MedStar Inventor Services can:

  • Discover whether your idea already exists
  • Evaluate the clinical need, readiness, and commercial potential of your idea
  • Negotiate and collaborate with industry partners to get your idea into the world
  • Manage legal agreements and industry relationships throughout the commercialization process

Learn More

Frequently Asked Questions

Our process

MedStar Inventor Services strives to increase associate satisfaction by engaging the inventor in all stages of the following process.

  • Step 1: Ideate

    A great invention starts with a great idea—but requires development to bring it to life.

    Share your idea with us in one of two ways:

    • If you have a general concept and would like help developing it further, email us at invent@medstar.net

    • If you have a more developed idea, share your invention via the Invention Disclosure Form. You do not need to complete every question on the form before submitting. We’ll work with you on any missing information.

  • Step 2: Evaluate

    We will research products or patents that may be similar to your idea. Working with you, we will share this information, educate you on what the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office looks for during the patent approval process, and decide together about whether and/or how to move forward.

  • Step 3: Cultivate

    Activities at this stage depend on the invention, but may involve one or more of the following:

    • Protecting the intellectual property around the invention via patent, copyright, and/or trademark

    • Prototyping and completing proof-of-concept studies

    • Pursuing grant funding or a corporate partnership to co-develop the technology

  • Step 4: Translate

    As a not-for-profit healthcare system, we do not have all of the expertise or resources necessary to bring an invention to market. The ultimate goal of commercialization is to transfer the technology to a corporation for further development, shepherding it through the regulatory pathway, manufacturing, marketing, and sales. We will market your technology to companies, negotiate license agreements, and monitor the company for compliance with the agreement.

Available technologies

Explore more available technologies supported by the MedStar Inventor Services team with opportunities for licensing/collaboration partners.

MInnovations

MedStar Inventor Services also manages the MInnovations program, which celebrates and shares unique and innovative tools, processes, and other solutions created by and for MedStar Health associates to support their day-to-day work.

Questions?

Review answers to our frequently asked questions and contact us.