New hope for the health care field

Creativity is required for solving many of the problems that face the health care system. As a group, caregivers tend to underestimate their own creativity and its potential impact on the systems in which they work. This article reviews common misconceptions about creativity and describes forces that erode its expression. Suggestions are made for how creativity can be increased within traditional-practice settings. Steps in a creative process are reviewed as well as internal and external factors that support the occurrence of creative moments. The benefits to be gained from increased creativity range from practical improvements within the system to personal gratification for individual caregivers.