The CAHME/George and Regi Herzlinger Innovation Education Platinum Award

“Innovation is not only about innovation; it’s about how to make invention happen.” Prof. Regi Herzlinger

About the Platinum Award

The award is funded by Dr. George and Professor Regi Herzlinger, whose innovative medical devices have saved hundreds of thousands of lives. Their work has also educated generations of healthcare leaders on how to evaluate and adopt innovation. This award continues that tradition by encouraging academia to ensure that future healthcare leaders develop the skills necessary to create, assess, and implement innovative solutions.

Now in its fifth year, the 2026 Platinum Award will be granted to one of the CAHME/George and Regi Herzlinger Innovation Education Award recipients from the past four years (2022–2025).

We Welcome Your Comments

We invite the broader CAHME community to share comments in support of these programs. Your insights will help us highlight and celebrate the powerful stories of innovation shaping healthcare management education. By sharing your perspective, you help amplify the impact these programs are making in preparing the next generation of healthcare leaders. The comment portal will be open through March 1, 2026, allowing us to gather reflections and stories that can be shared with programs and elevated during the 2026 Awards Ceremony at ACHE Congress

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Award Overview

Eligibility

Only previous recipients of the CAHME/Herzlinger Innovation Education Award are eligible to apply for the 2026 Platinum Award. Eligible programs include the 2022 awardees—Florida International University’s Health MBA Program, Thomas Jefferson University’s Healthcare Quality and Safety Program, and Trinity University’s MHA Program; the 2023 awardee—Boise State University’s Population & Health Systems Management Program in collaboration with HFMA; the 2024 awardee—the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s MSHA Program; and the 2025 awardee—George Mason University’s MHA Program.

Application Requirements

Applicants were asked to submit responses to an essay prompt describing how they would use the additional Platinum Award funding, and to select one of three categories—Dissemination, Pedagogical Innovation, or Real-World Innovation—to address in a second essay supported by a required letter from a faculty colleague, instructional designer, or student/alumni innovator, depending on the category. Submissions had to follow a set format (2,500–3,500 characters, approximately 400–600 words per question), and programs also had the option to include a short video sharing their innovation story.

See full application requirements here.

Award Details

The Platinum Award recipient will receive a $10,000 grant to support continued innovation within their program, along with a commemorative physical award presented during the CAHME Awards Ceremony at ACHE Congress on March 1, 2026. The winning program will also be featured in CAHME’s national communications, including a press release, a highlight video, and recognition in a leading healthcare management journal, as well as future opportunities to share their work through webinars or collaborative publications.