OSF Innovation

06/22/2026

🌟 Mission Partner Monday 🌟

Meet Emily Cardillo, a Performance Improvement specialist for the Central region. Emily has been with OSF HealthCare for over a year and her favorite part about working in this role is being able to collaborate with teams to solve challenges. She enjoys creating an environment where people feel heard and trust their concerns are being accurately represented. Emily says that it’s incredibly rewarding when individuals feel engaged in the process and confident in the outcomes.

To her, serving with the greatest care and love means listening to others, understanding their experiences and creating a space where they feel valued and respected. She follows the OSF Mission through building trust by ensuring voices are heard and concerns are represented honestly. She believes it’s not only about solving problems but about empowering others to share ideas, make decisions and play an active role in shaping solutions.

Emily says, “When people feel supported, included and confident in their ability to make a difference, I know I am serving them with care and compassion.”

Emily graduated from Illinois State University with a dual bachelor's degree in accounting and business information systems. Outside of work she enjoys gardening and visiting national parks. She also enjoys volunteering in the community and her children’s youth organizations, and she has spent 12 years as a scout leader. As a scout leader, she camped monthly and mentored over 20 children to reach their goal of achieving Eagle Scout.

We are grateful to have you, Emily. Thank you for your dedication to our Mission!

06/19/2026

What if health care providers could practice neurological exams on virtual patients before seeing real ones?

Researchers from OSF HealthCare and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign are working on technology that combines virtual reality and realistic touch feedback to help clinicians learn and practice important neurological assessment skills.

The goal is simple: better training for care teams and better outcomes for patients.

🔗 Learn more:

Current projects designed to rapidly develop technologies and devices that could revolutionize medical training and health care delivery.

06/16/2026

: On the latest episode of , we revisit OSF PACE (Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly), a unique model that combines health care, insurance and supportive services to help older adults maintain independence and quality of life at home.

06/15/2026

🌟 Mission Partner Monday 🌟
This Monday, we would like to shine a spotlight on Erin Peterson, strategic program manager on the OSF Innovation Studio team. In her role, she supports OSF Mission Partner ideas and inventions, including those that emerge from academic partnerships, by helping connect them with the right resources to deliver value to patients across the Ministry and beyond.

Erin’s favorite part of her job is the opportunity to be at the intersection of ideas, collaboration and impact. She is able to work alongside other Mission Partners who share her passion for translating innovative concepts into real world solutions. She says that it is extremely rewarding to be able to play a role in bringing forward innovations that can meaningfully improve patient care.

To Erin, serving with the greatest care and love means remembering the “why” behind everything she does. She believes it’s about showing up with a genuine desire to make a difference in people’s lives and being thoughtful about how our work, whether it is big or small, impacts patients and families.

Erin was a collegiate volleyball player at Illinois State University and now, part of a sports-loving family. Outside of work, she is often found boating on the lake or spending time with family and friends. She loves to travel with her husband, Chris, and daughter, Rylee, and they are always planning new adventures. Some of her favorite trips are Cabo San Lucas, Mexico and Colorado, but she is excited for an upcoming trip to Ireland.

Erin, thank you for your hard work and dedication. We are fortunate to have someone so passionate about our Mission who is making a difference every day.

06/13/2026

Advanced imaging technology is changing how clinicians understand and plan for complex care.

Matthew Bramlet, MD, works in advanced imaging and modeling to transform surgical planning and expanded how imaging insights reach the point of care. His innovations continue to position OSF HealthCare at the forefront of clinical imaging advancement.

We’re proud to recognize Dr. Bramlet as a 2026 OSF Innovator of the Year finalist.

06/09/2026

Most people want to remain in the comfort of their own homes as they age, but sometimes, doing so safely requires extra support.

Join us as we revisit OSF PACE (Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly), a unique model that combines health care, insurance and supportive services to help older adults maintain independence and quality of life at home. Since launching in the greater Peoria area in 2024, OSF PACE has continued to grow, meeting the needs of a population that overwhelmingly prefers to age in place.

We chat with Nathan Pritzker, executive director of OSF PACE, and Matthew Gorman, DO, medical director of Care Management at OSF HealthCare, to discuss how the program works, who qualifies and the real impact it’s having on patients, families and the health care system.



https://bit.ly/4ew64N2

06/08/2026

What if surgeons could see a patient’s heart beating in 3D before surgery even begins?

Through collaboration with University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and University of Illinois College of Medicine Peoria, researchers are advancing “4D Heart” technology to help improve surgical planning and patient care.

By combining AI, virtual reality and medical imaging, the team is creating patient-specific digital heart models that allow surgeons to better visualize complex anatomy before entering the operating room.

🔗 Read more: https://bit.ly/4x1WNUq

Key Takeaways:4D Heart gives surgeons a dynamic, patient-specific virtual reality view of the heart in motion.AI automation and analysis created by a collaboration with OSF Innovation, Bradley University, and U of I engineers, makes creating these digit...

06/01/2026

What does it take to become a health care hero? 🩺

This summer, students in grades 6-12 can explore the answer at OSF STEAM Summer Camp!

Campers will:
🔬 Explore real anatomy
🏥 Practice hands-on medical simulation
💡 Solve healthcare challenges
🚑 Discover exciting health care careers

This 5-day experience is packed with hands-on learning, creativity and discovery designed to inspire the next generation of health care professionals.

📅 July 6-10
📍 Jump Simulation

Register now to save your child’s spot!
6th-8th grade: https://bit.ly/4x1W2L0
9th-12th grade: https://bit.ly/4ffmt9H

05/28/2026

Preparing for complex heart surgery takes more than skill – it takes the right tools.

Through a Jump ARCHES grant, OSF HealthCare is working with University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and University of Illinois College of Medicine Peoria to use virtual reality to improve how surgeons plan procedures for patients with congenital heart conditions.

By creating detailed 3D models of the heart, this technology helps surgeons better understand each patient’s unique anatomy – leading to more precise decisions and better outcomes.

🔗 Learn more: https://bit.ly/41Uk7Fd

05/26/2026

: On the latest episode of , we explore how OSF HealthCare Cardiovascular Institute is at the forefront of the latest advancements in heart valve procedures. We discuss common types of heart valve disease and how minimally invasive procedures can offer effective treatment with shorter hospital stays and recovery times.