Sutter Health has been named among the top five Best Workplaces for Innovators in 2025 by Fast Company, ranking fourth out of 100 organizations recognized nationwide. The annual list highlights businesses that empower employees to pursue innovative solutions and implement new ideas.
“Healthcare is changing fast, but at Sutter we’re not waiting for the future to arrive. We’re building it,” said Warner Thomas, president and CEO of Sutter Health. “Being located in San Francisco and Silicon Valley, the epicenter of innovation and the AI revolution, gives us a unique opportunity to lead in this area. We’re doing that by tapping into bold ideas from physicians, nurses and teams within our organization and by forming strategic partnerships with cutting-edge innovators outside our walls. Together we’re driving breakthroughs in how we care for patients, support our teams and reimagining the future of healthcare for generations to come.”
Sutter’s approach to innovation is reflected through several programs across its workforce of approximately 60,000 people. The organization holds an annual Innovation Challenge where employees can propose ideas to improve care for over 3.5 million Californians served by Sutter Health. Winning proposals receive funding, mentorship, technical assistance, and support for implementation. In 2024, a self-administered digital test for early cognitive impairment was piloted with patients as a result of this initiative.
Earlier this year, Sutter launched Sutter Sync—a digital program designed to help patients monitor their health remotely while providing clinicians with real-time data for personalized care plans. This system supports management of chronic conditions such as high blood pressure and Type 2 diabetes.
The organization’s Innovation Center near San Francisco’s Ferry Building serves as a collaborative space where clinicians work alongside technologists and entrepreneurs on healthcare product development. Sutter also brings together leaders from health and technology sectors to discuss applications of artificial intelligence (AI) aimed at improving patient outcomes.
Sutter Health continues to invest in advanced medical technologies such as sound wave therapy and robotic cardiac surgery to enhance safety and recovery outcomes for patients. The organization supports clinical research efforts by expanding access to clinical trials and evidence-based therapies.
One year into its multi-year digital transformation plan, Sutter reports improvements benefiting both patients and staff. “We’re reimagining what’s possible for patients and our people,” says Laura Wilt, Sutter’s chief digital officer. “By modernizing tools and processes, we’re creating a more connected and convenient experience for patients and a more intuitive experience for our teams. Investing in digital and virtual solutions helps streamline administrative tasks, makes work more fulfilling, and empowers our clinicians to focus on face-to-face care.”
In 2024 alone, automation initiatives allowed Sutter employees to save over one million hours through enhanced workflows—time redirected toward patient care responsibilities. More than one million patients now use Sutter’s digital portal monthly; online appointment scheduling has increased sixfold since 2023.
Programs like Sutter Sync are part of ongoing efforts toward coordinated care using technology that enables holistic management across the system. Dr. Richard Milani, chief clinical innovation officer at Sutter Health stated: “Giving patients the tools to capture at home weight, blood pressure or blood sugar readings over time, not only allows individuals to track their progress and receive insights tailored to their health journey but provides their care team with actionable data to manage care… When providers are able to view the full picture of their patient’s condition, they’re empowered to deliver more data-driven, proactive care which improves patient health outcomes and makes care more efficient.”
Clinicians play an active role in shaping innovation at Sutter by prototyping new solutions based on frontline experiences or collaborating with external partners from other industries.
“Our doctors have spent decades exploring the frontiers of medicine through hands-on care, and we deeply value their frontline insights,” says Chris Waugh, Sutter’s chief innovation officer. “That’s why our clinicians, medical staff and others are now working directly with early-stage companies and strategic partners to co-develop solutions that address some of healthcare’s most persistent challenges.”
Through relationships with venture capital firms in Silicon Valley as well as direct investment in startups focused on digital health technologies—including AI-driven diagnostic tools—Sutter aims to bring emerging innovations into practice:
– Piloting real-time AI alerts through Aidoc software intended for rapid detection of strokes.
– Implementing Abridge ambient AI documentation tools developed via research at Sutter.
– Collaborating with GE HealthCare on expanding AI-powered imaging capabilities.
– Using AI-assisted cameras during primary care visits for diabetic retinopathy screening.
Sutter was also recognized as one of California’s Best-in-State Employers by Forbes this year; last year Fortune included it among America’s Most Innovative Companies.
Fast Company selected winners after evaluating investments in innovation programs along with company culture details provided by applicants; final selections were reviewed by editors before being judged by an expert panel. The complete list can be found at https://www.fastcompany.com/best-workplaces-for-innovators/list.
