Two Houston Methodist critical care physicians have received $100,000 total in grants from electricity company Reliant to pursue innovation projects for critical care patients, according to a June 29 news release. 

Google updated its application programming interface June 30 so that developers from healthcare organizations and government agencies can create digital versions of COVID-19 vaccination or test records. 

The first quarter of 2021 was digital health's most-funded quarter to date, and investors continued the trend in the second quarter by pledging high dollar amounts to technology-driven health startups.

The Cambridge-based Massachusetts Institute of Technology has released its 2021 honorees for the "35 Innovators Under 35."

The next generation of solar-powered refrigerators could be crucial to inoculating the world against COVID-19, as many low income countries do not have reliable access to electricity to keep vaccines cold, NPR reported June 29.

Digital health companies have made more of an effort to improve care for LGBTQ people in recent years, as more light has been shed on the disparities they face due to clinician prejudice and bureaucratic systems that don't account for their identities.

Tampa (Fla.) General Hospital is teaming up with the Florida-Israel Business Accelerator on a slew of innovation projects that aim to improve care delivery across the health system and Tampa Bay region, the organizations said June 29. 

Boston Children's Hospital formed a five-year collaboration focused on cell and gene therapy technologies and programs with ElevateBio, a Cambridge, Mass.-based biotech startup, the organizations said June 29. 

Many organizations are still using manual methods to perform daily staffing activities.

From their thoughts on artificial intelligence's potential to transform healthcare to how to better engage patients digitally to what the hospital room of the future will look like, here are seven quotes about the role of innovation in healthcare that hospital and health system executives shared with Becker's Hospital Review in June:

Providence Ventures, the innovation arm of Renton, Wash.-based Providence, expanded its partnership with clinical decision support platform RxRevu through a new investment, the organizations announced June 28. 

While some states like New York and Hawaii have rolled out smartphone-based programs for digital proof of vaccination status, more states have banned the digital tools, according to a June 26 ABC News report. 

Below is a list of investments that health systems made in digital health startups and internal innovation efforts in 2021.

Data and analytics technology provider Health Catalyst will acquire patient engagement company Twistle, the companies said June 24.

From HCA Healthcare teaming up with Google Cloud to build healthcare algorithms to Amazon Care, Intermountain and Ascension's joint home care coalition, the first half of 2021 has recorded several new partnerships between Big Tech and healthcare providers. 

Greenville, S.C.-based Prisma Health has entered a 10-year strategic partnership with Siemens Healthineers focused on scaling healthcare innovation, improving workforce development and launching a joint intelligence center, the organizations announced June 22. 

The Duke Clinical Research Institute, part of Durham, N.C.-based Duke University School of Medicine, established a new center for exploring and evaluating digital health measures and technologies, the institute said June 22. 

Many health systems struggle with management and performance reporting.

Ninety-three percent of healthcare executives' organizations are innovating with an urgency and call to action this year, according to a recent Accenture report. 

Transitioning to cloud-based technologies is one of the main priorities for healthcare organizations as they look to accommodate consumers' needs and expectations after the pandemic, according to a recent Accenture report.