Jennifer D’Angelo, COO & Executive Vice President of Healthcare, New Jersey Innovation Institute

In an interview with Invest:, Jennifer D’Angelo, COO and executive vice president for healthcare of the New Jersey Innovation Institute (NJII), said that innovation across sectors in New Jersey, particularly in healthcare, is accelerating rapidly due to post-pandemic needs, strategic partnerships, and strong state support. “The post-pandemic era has rapidly accelerated change, especially in healthcare, out of necessity.”

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What have been the most significant milestones the New Jersey Innovation Institute has achieved in the healthcare division over the past 12 months?

We’re a unique university-based institute and a wholly owned subsidiary of the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT). We view ourselves as a think tank and research institute, focused on accelerating industry solutions to meet evolving needs. We work across several sectors. For example, our AI division is making significant strides not just in healthcare, but also in finance and other industries. The solutions we develop are highly customized; we identify specific problems and design AI tools to address those challenges. While there’s a lot of buzz about AI being able to solve everything, we believe AI must solve for a clear use case, and there must always be a human in the loop.

Focusing on healthcare, our largest division, we’ve been designated by the state of New Jersey to manage the state’s Health Information Network (HIN). In partnership with the Department of Health and Human Services, we facilitate statewide interoperability of electronic health records. This includes routing event notifications, such as admissions, discharges, transfers, and clinical summaries of care. Participation is required for all hospitals, long-term care facilities, assisted living, and senior service providers. We also support substance use disorder and behavioral health providers through statewide interoperability programs, helping them make informed technology decisions and securely transmit data to support their clients.

One point I’d like to highlight is the strong partnership with the state of New Jersey. They genuinely support and promote interoperability. Through their incentive programs, we have distributed millions of dollars to providers, health systems, and organizations across the state. These incentives are tied to milestone events, encouraging not just compliance but real operationalization of clinical notifications. That’s what really drives adoption and impact.

How quickly is innovation evolving across industries in New Jersey, and what is driving that change?

The post-pandemic era has rapidly accelerated change, especially in healthcare, out of necessity. I bring the perspective of a former chief information officer on the provider side, having led large digital transformation efforts across hospitals and health systems. Now, applying that experience statewide is incredibly rewarding.

New Jersey has invested heavily in infrastructure. Our health information network has been approved by CMS and received modular certification, allowing us to secure additional federal funding for its operation and management.

I also oversee our for-profit healthcare consulting arm, Healthcare Innovation Solutions (HCIS).  Through this organization, we assist providers with MIPS (Merit-Based Incentive Payment System) reporting, quality improvement initiatives, and consulting services. We’re supporting hospitals as they prepare for New Jersey’s Quality Improvement Program and also offering AI-powered services for chart abstraction. We’ve developed compelling clinical use cases for early sepsis detection, surgical case cancellations, and patient no-shows, helping to improve outcomes and mitigate revenue loss.

We’re also developing internal AI governance and compliance tools. We created a governance toolkit that consolidates guidance from providers and associations to help organizations safely deploy AI solutions. Internally, we’ve developed a proprietary tool similar to ChatGPT, tailored specifically for NJII. This allows us to manage its learning process in a controlled environment, ensuring data privacy and compliance.

Which challenges had the greatest impact on innovation in healthcare or the broader innovation space?

Funding and sustainability have been two of the biggest challenges over the past year, especially in terms of federal and state support. We’re constantly seeking creative solutions, benchmarking what other states are doing, and identifying grant opportunities to supplement operations. It’s about building sustainability models that maximize current investments by applying them across multiple use cases to prove scalability and long-term value.

Fortunately, New Jersey has been supportive. We’re able to offer providers network access at no cost, which is phenomenal. We continue to explore sustainable ways to keep that platform operational in the long term and expand its capabilities.

How are collaborations between healthcare, academia, and tech providers creating innovative resources and opportunities for workforce development?

There is a great synergy among these sectors, especially as data becomes more accessible. We’re now able to track and analyze trends, both clinical and geographic, to identify diagnosis patterns and hotspots across the state. Regarding workforce development, NJIT offers exceptional credit and noncredit programs aimed at upskilling the workforce, especially to meet the demand for digital transformation. As healthcare shifts from manual to digital processes, these programs are crucial.

The more we integrate technical solutions, the more we need to invest in training. That includes AI literacy, compliance, security, and privacy. Especially in healthcare, we must be vigilant, maintaining HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) compliance and minimizing risk. To do that effectively, we need to ensure our workforce is well-trained.

How is the Institute addressing cybersecurity and data protection, particularly in telehealth and other digital health solutions?

Cybersecurity is a top priority. We collaborate closely with the university to maintain a robust cybersecurity posture. This includes regular education and training for our team to identify potential vulnerabilities. We’re a HITRUST (Health Information Trust Alliance)-certified network. Security, privacy, and compliance are foundational in everything we do, particularly when handling sensitive health data.

How have new technologies shaped your approach to incubating startup ventures?

At the NJII Venture Studio, emerging healthcare technologies are at the center of our model. For us, it’s less about reacting to new technologies and more about designing a model that evaluates whether emerging healthcare innovations can be translated into companies that solve real-world problems. We source promising IP from universities and corporates and embed clinical, regulatory, and market expertise from the start with strategic partners. This approach allows us to quickly determine which technologies can become viable ventures and to structure the path that gets them there. It’s about minimizing risk while still encouraging innovation. We always emphasize privacy, compliance, and security, even when thinking outside the box.

Have you seen a shift in startup activity around telehealth and in-home care in New Jersey?

There has been a noticeable shift. I’m frequently approached by startups pitching at-home care solutions that incorporate family engagement. That’s become a major focus: how to integrate the family into care delivery. The tech is evolving rapidly, and educating patients and caregivers is crucial. We’re also seeing a surge in AI solutions tailored for these settings. We encourage providers to establish steering committees, develop requirement checklists, and conduct proof-of-concept testing to evaluate these new tools. Seamless integration is key. These tools must connect smoothly and securely with existing third-party systems.

The consumer is often overwhelmed, juggling multiple portals and care providers. There are vendors out there working to streamline access and centralize information. From wearables to mobile apps, there’s so much untapped potential in the home environment. We’re seeing growth in hospital-at-home, SNF-at-home, and home healthcare solutions, not just for reactive care, but also for wellness and prevention. That space is expanding rapidly.

I love hearing from new startups and encourage them to reach out early. Getting provider feedback in the early stages is critical. You want to solve a real problem, and it’s better to get that insight before getting too far into development.

What strategic priorities will guide the Institute over the next three to five years?

We’ll continue to prioritize quality health initiatives that help providers navigate complex systems. We’re also focusing on improving consumer access to their health data and educating them about their role in managing it. One area I’m particularly passionate about is behavioral health and senior care, two often overlooked sectors.

Senior care, in particular, needs more innovation. It sits in a critical space between hospital care and in-home support. We work with startups to improve technology solutions for senior living communities, many of which face challenges like limited staff, budget constraints, and low census. That’s a space we’re deeply committed to enhancing through tech-enabled solutions.

Whether aging in place at home or within a facility, there is a continuum of care that must be supported. That space is near and dear to me personally.

We’re also doing incredible work with Community Information Exchanges (CIEs). While HIN supports providers, CIEs support the broader community by addressing social determinants of health. These platforms connect medical and social services, helping consumers navigate their care with more comprehensive support. I think that integration is what truly brings everything full circle, caring for the whole person, which is the future of healthcare.