Industry Voices

fracture in hip

X-Bolt Orthopedics Brings Expandable Nail to Trauma Market

The company seeks to disrupt the hip fracture market with an expandable bolt that could provide greater stability and anchorage into bone.

OSMA's President discusses biocompatibility requirements, EU regulations, international market forces and audit preparations ahead of OMTEC 2024.

OSMA to Highlight Orthopedic Regulatory Issues at OMTEC

OSMA’s President discusses biocompatibility requirements, EU regulations, international market forces and audit preparations ahead of OMTEC 2024.

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Top Orthopedic Executives Look Back on 2023

We gathered quotes from top orthopedic executives as they reflected on enabling technology, procedure demand and M&A integration progress.

X-Bolt Orthopedics Brings Expandable Nail to Trauma Market

The company seeks to disrupt the hip fracture market with an expandable bolt that could provide greater stability and anchorage into bone.

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OSMA to Highlight Orthopedic Regulatory Issues at OMTEC

OSMA’s President discusses biocompatibility requirements, EU regulations, international market forces and audit preparations ahead of OMTEC 2024.

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Top Orthopedic Executives Look Back on 2023

We gathered quotes from top orthopedic executives as they reflected on enabling technology, procedure demand and M&A integration progress.

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Stryker Talks Tidal Wave Opportunity for Total Ankle Replacement

We talked to Michael Rankin about Stryker’s view of enabling technology in foot and ankle as well as future demand in the ASC.

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Systems Thinking Helps Executives Tackle Difficult Decisions

Today’s multifaceted business environment requires executives to implement a structured and predictable approach to decision-making.

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Spinal Elements Prepped for Growth in Spine Market

Spinal Elements has new leadership and a fresh pipeline of products that it believes will help the company grow its market share.

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New Robot Seeks to Revolutionize Arthroscopic Surgery

The V01 system is designed to cover the full suite of operative requirements for a diverse set of arthroscopic procedures.

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One Surgeon’s Quest to Advance Rotator Cuff Repair

Dr. Stefan Welte believes that understanding of the body’s biological response will lead to innovative rotator cuff repair solutions that advance patient outcomes and surgical techniques.

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An Orthopedic Salesperson’s Guide to Cross-Collaboration

Here are nine ways to become a stronger cross-collaborative partner and knowledgeable sales rep.

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3Spine Brings Total Joint Replacement to Spine

Total joint replacement for the spine aims to address underlying pathologies, restore natural balance and maintain range of motion — similar to the goals of knee and hip replacements.

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Leadership Success is Dependent on Delegation of Duties

Many leaders struggle to trim their to-do lists because they believe they can do everything themselves, or they are afraid to let go of control. But there is power in delegation.

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5 Ways the ASC Shift Impacts Orthopedic Companies

Orthopedic companies that seek to serve ASCs should consider change in demand and distribution for supplies and increased cost pressures.

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Anika Brings Innovative Design Philosophy to Reverse Shoulder Market

We spoke with Anika President and CEO Cheryl Blanchard, Ph.D. about the RevoMotion launch, ASCs, and robotics in the shoulder market.

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Xtant Medical Set for Growth After Realignment and Acquisitions

Xtant Medical’s CEO has turned around the company by reengaging the team, optimizing business processes and acquiring products.

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Motion Preservation Procedures Will Increase as Implants Advance

Dr. Grant Shifflett believes the indications for spinal fusion will decrease as technology evolves.

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THINK Surgical Sees Ample Opportunity for Open Robotics

Company President and CEO Stuart Simpson talks about the barriers to robotic adoption, the development of TMINI and open robotics.

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Enovis Foot and Ankle Sets Sights on Top Three Position

We chatted with Gary Justak, President of Enovis’ Foot and Ankle business, about R&D focus, managing integrations and long-term goals.

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Are Your Customer Needs Effectively Driving Your Marketing Strategy?

Strategic development of a go-to-market strategy is paramount for orthopedic companies that seek to win in the evolving healthcare landscape.

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How to Successfully Pursue Hospital New Product Evaluations

Selling a new product to a hospital is a labor-intensive process that rewards companies that demonstrate the value of their technology through the entire episode of care.

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Orthopedic Executives Reflect on First Half of 2023

Selected quotes by orthopedic executives about the market’s dynamics and performance in the second quarter of 2023.

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Surgeon Leader Touts the Benefits of Dedicated Orthopedic ASCs

Dr. Stephen O’Connell helped open the Eisenhower Desert Orthopedic Center to capitalize on the migration of cases to the outpatient setting.

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Surgeon Exec Believes the Future is Bright for Hip Resurfacing

Exactech’s Chief Strategy Officer and Chief Medical Officer takes his insight on hip resurfacing from the operating room to the board room.

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Executives Talk Highs and Lows of Orthopedic Enabling Technology

We asked three orthopedic CEOs about the opportunities and challenges in the orthopedic enabling technology space.

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How to Develop Relationships with Surgeon Champions

Identifying and securing surgeon advocates requires research and persistence.

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Employ These Key Leadership Skills to Inspire Team Success

A focus on collaborative teams or cross-functional success is essential for every leader to execute their strategy.

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Premia Spine Enters Motion Preservation Market with New PMA

Ron Sacher recognized a need for a better solution to treat patients with spinal stenosis and degenerative spondylolisthesis.

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Orthopedic Executives Remain Cautious After Strong First Quarter

Through 1Q23, the orthopedic market enjoyed significant growth due to improving procedure volumes, reduced headwinds and weaker comparisons.

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Orthopedic Sales Rep Success Hinges on Strong Relationships

The role of an orthopedic sales rep is constantly changing. One important responsibility remains consistent, though, building relationships.

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Establish an Advisory Board to Problem Solve and Challenge Strategy

Advisory boards can help companies uncover new business opportunities, keep current on market trends and challenge existing operations.

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Top Neurosurgeon Is Focused on Advancing Outpatient Spine Surgery

Ali H. Mesiwala, M.D., is fellowship trained in complex spine surgery and a leader in the field of sacroiliac (SI) joint surgery.

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Strategic Alliances to Gain Greater Traction in Orthopedics

The French spine company Implanet has executed multiple device company partnerships to expand its portfolio. We asked the CEO about lessons he’s learned and advice he would give to other orthopedic executives.

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Surgeon Scientist Focused on Improving Bone Regeneration and Fracture Repair

Dr. Philipp Leucht at NYU Langone Health has worked to improve outcomes for high-risk hip fracture patients by addressing all aspects of their care.

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Enovis CEO Talks Tech, ASCs and Strategic Focus

We spoke to Enovis CEO Matt Trerotola about foundational implant technologies, ASC penetration, tech adoption and successful M&A deals.

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How Orthopedic Companies Can Leverage the Changing Role of Hospital Purchasing

Hospital purchasing trends create opportunities for orthopedic companies to further invest in their relationships with customers.

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Orthopedic Execs Talk Tech, M&A and Surgical Volumes

Ortho execs on enabling technology’s important role in implant sales, recent M&A deals that worked and improving surgical procedure volumes.

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Joint Replacement Pioneer Talks Same-Day Surgery, Cementless Fixation and Smart Implants

Dr. Richard Berger of Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush dishes on the ASC market and the latest advancements in joint replacement care.

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Applying Transformational Leadership to Your Company Culture

Self-awareness, self-management, boundary setting and honesty are essential elements of leadership.

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Sports Medicine Startup Eyes Cartilage Repair Market

Nanochon is targeting a $2 billion market in the U.S. with its Chondrograft implant for cartilage repair and replacement.

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Promise of Wireless Technology Represents New Era in Sports Medicine

Dr. Laith M. Jazrawi, Chief of Sports Medicine at NYU Grossman Medicine, discusses cordless arthroscopy and the promise of orthobiologics.

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Orthopedic Executives Remain Bullish on New Tech and ASCs

We round up third-quarter commentary from orthopedic executives as they focus on market expansion, technology, ASCs and staffing.

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Innovation in Tissue Regeneration Improves Spine Fusions and Fracture Repairs

Dr. Denis Dufrane, CEO and Co-founder of Novadip, discussed how the company’s products accelerate the healing of bone defects and injuries.

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Serial Entrepreneur Shares Vision for Robotics Market

Stéphane Lavallée wants to increase access to robotic-assisted surgery for every company and across procedures with an open robotic system.

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What’s Driving Growth of ASCs in the Spine Market?

We spoke with Alok Sharan, M.D., about why spine surgeries are moving to ASCs and what players in the spine market should expect.

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NASS 2022: A Conversation with ZimVie

We spoke to the company about its progress in untangling itself from Zimmer Biomet, OUS markets and ZimVie’s medium-term priorities.

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Orthopedics Collecting and Parsing Data in New Ways Via AI

We spoke with neurosurgeon Samuel Browd, M.D., Ph.D. about the newfound importance of artificial intelligence in orthopedics.

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Spine Surgeon: Focus on Advancement of Implants

We met Dr. Rothrock through his use of Stryker’s Capri Expandable Corpectomy Cage, and asked for his thoughts on the state of spine implant technology.

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An Executive Reflection on 30 Years in the Spine Market

Randy Roof, Founder and CEO of Cutting Edge Spine, built his company believing he could do better for patients, surgeons and the industry.

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5 Market Opportunities for Small Orthopedic Companies

Companies set their sights on enabling technology, ASCs, personalized procedures and implants, registries and director-to-consumer marketing.

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ZimVie CEO on Driving Stability and Innovation in Spine

We spoke to ZimVie CEO Vafa Jamali about the new opportunities and finding the right areas of the spine market to drive innovation.

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Why Orthopedic Companies Struggle with Developing Patient Engagement Software

Implant companies are headed for self-imposed and avoidable failure with their patient engagement software.

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2022 Outlook: Insight for Building Relationships and Strategies

What are the most significant opportunities and challenges for the orthopedic industry in 2022? Regulatory commentators weigh in.

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What Orthopedic Companies Need to Know about Hospital Supply Chains

The dust is starting to settle about what may be long-term in the orthopedic manufacturer-to-hospital supply chain and what may have been an anomaly.

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Exactech’s Retiring Founder and R&D Leader Shares Lessons Learned

A few months ago, Gary Miller, Ph.D., gave a commencement speech to the University of Florida’s graduating engineers. It was…

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Jean-Paul Burtin Reflects on 30+ Year Orthopedic Career

Jean-Paul Burtin was attracted to orthopedics by its possibility for innovation. The enticement did not disappoint.

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Top Orthopedic Companies’ Executives Talk Supply and Staffing Shortages

Obstacles like global supply chain issues and staffing shortages are affecting every player in the market, to varying degrees.

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Orthopedic Company Executives Set Sights on Strategic Expansion

New products and technologies, new global opportunities and competitive hires are top of mind for these leaders.

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Monogram Looks to Disrupt Orthopedics with Implant Design and Robotics

Monogram Orthopedics seeks to personalize joint replacement through a combination of innovative implants and robotics.

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Catalyst OrthoScience Secures Funding to Build Momentum in Shoulder Replacement

The oversubscribed $12.5 million Series D round sets Catalyst to expand product lines and build out its infrastructure to support growth.

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Royal Biologics Takes Diverse Approach to Autologous Live Cell Therapy

While autologous live cell therapies are not new, Royal Biologics is creating a unique value proposition through its growing ALC portfolio.

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Executives Talk the Past, Present and Future of Robotics

Technology updates, the competitive landscape and surgeon and patient interest are pushing orthopedic companies to speed robotic iterations and innovations.

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What Orthopedic Executives Said About 2Q21

Second-quarter commentary from ortho executives focused on acquisitions, knee replacement sales performance and enabling technology’s impact.

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ASC Opportunity Extends Beyond Traditional Product Portfolio

The differences between the hospital and ASC setting are vast and present a learning curve for those managing, operating in and selling to outpatient centers. However, the growth opportunity connected to ASCs is significant for those companies that examine the big picture and build foundational relationships.

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Exporting as a Form of Business Expansion

As businesses mature and seek to expand, exporting may become a viable option. Introducing new or existing products to other locations seems like an obvious step for companies wanting to increase their customer base.

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Executives Offer Insight on State and Future of Orthopedic Market and Technology

OMTEC held a keynote that delved into the state of the orthopedic market and what lies ahead for volumes and technology.

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Preparing for the Next Big Orthopedic Supply Chain Interruption

OEM and contract manufacturer executives share that businesses can prepare for disruptions by fostering resilient plans, leadership and teams.

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Business Expansion Best Practices

Often, when a business reaches a certain level of maturity leadership begins to think about expansion beyond their original products or their home market. But what does that growth look like, and how might you accomplish it?

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Calvin Lin Shares Insight on Prioritizing and Partnering

Mr. Lin has led the U.S. operations for United Orthopedic for more than a decade. He has learned that trust and people are the most critical factors in a successful business.

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8 Orthopedic Companies New On Our Radar

These companies recently received notable FDA 510(k) clearances, funding or launched products and studies. We highlight robotics/digital, spine and orthobiologic applications.

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Uri Arnin on Bringing a New Idea to the Table

ZygoFix zLOCK technology facilitates a percutaneous approach to lumbar fusion. By fusing the facet joint with a small but rigid titanium implant, surgeons can stabilize the back and bring on pain relief in a less invasive way.

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Herb Schwartz Talks the Long Road to U.S. Commercialization

It took focus and persistence to reach regulatory clearance in the U.S., but Dr. Schwartz knew he had a revolutionary product.

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Three Developments Impacting Orthopedic Device Vendors

Historically, orthopedic and spine device vendors have focused largely on the surgeon as a primary customer. From the hospital’s perspective,…

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How to Create a Culture of Innovation

Culture is the operating environment within an organization. It speaks to leadership, relationships, expectations and values that drive us to our goals.

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OrthogenRx Looks to Stay Nimble with Patient Payment Programs

OrthogenRx markets GenVisc 850 and TriVisc biologic products. OrthogenRx executes at a level of efficiency that allows them to invest in pricing programs.

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3 Criteria to Consider When Looking for Untapped Markets

Consider new geographies early in your worldwide expansion based on ease of regulatory and reimbursement processes.

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Top Ortho Companies Talk M&A Strategies

Executives from Stryker, Smith+Nephew and Medtronic offered advice to smaller companies that seek to be acquired and shared their own perspective on their strategies.

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CMS Adds Total Hip to ASC Covered List, Eliminates Inpatient Only List

In finalizing its payment rules for 2021, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services made multiple announcements that could impact where orthopedic care is delivered.

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Woven Orthopedics Enhances Screw-to-Bone Interface in Compromised Fixation Scenarios

The Ogmend Implant Enhancement System acts like a wall anchor for bone to help enhance fixation and achieve stability when screws have lost fixation.

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Orthopedic Urgent Care Pioneer Offers Novel Views on Outpatient Environment

Dr. Alejandro Badia, Hand and Upper Limb Surgeon, shared perspectives on healthcare, vendor engagement and pursuit of clinical and business leadership and influence.

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Mid-Tier Player Profiles: LimaCorporate, Medartis and AK Medical

A look into three companies outside the U.S. in the $100 million to $300 million revenue bracket: LimaCorporate, Medartis and AK Medical.

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3 Takeaways on the Orthopedic Market in Europe Today

Matt Woods, Founder of Ortho Consulting Group, touched on three key points as the European orthopedic market adapts in these unpredictable times: the cancellation of industry meetings due to COVID could slow the pace of innovation, EU Medical Device Regulation (MDR), and accelerating M&A activity.

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AI is the Next Great Advancement in Orthopedic Technology

How is artificial intelligence shaping orthopedic technology? While the timeline for broader acceptance of AI in orthopedics is uncertain, its vast scope and power are already making an indelible impact.

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Avoiding the Doom Loop: Innovation Realities for Orthopedic Startups

Startups must focus very tightly on a specific target market and value proposition to have the best chance of avoiding the doom loop of medtech innovation.

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Kinos Medical Modernizes Ankle Replacement with New Technology

Historically, total ankle replacements have had low success rates compared to the more popular knee, hip and shoulder replacements.

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WishBone on a Mission to Bridge the Gap in Pediatric Orthopedics

CEO Nick Deeter says that 95% of children continue to receive adult orthopedic products that were never intended for them nor cleared by FDA for use in children. WishBone seeks to change the paradigm of pediatric orthopedics with its child-focused implants and sterile packaged disposable kits.

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Spine Surgeon Reflects on Riding the Elective Surgery Rollercoaster

Eeric Truumees, M.D., First Vice President of NASS’ Board of Directors, is optimistic that the online virtual annual meeting event in October will allow attendees to benefit from broader input in smaller doses.

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GreenBone Introduces Novel Wood-Based Bone Regeneration Solution

GreenBone Ortho uses technology that mimics nature to create a long-term solution using rattan, a type of wood, as the base material.

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COVID-19 Disruption Accelerates Orthopedic Opportunities in Ambulatory Surgery

The impact of COVID-19 is vacillating between acute and chronic. There is both need and opportunity for a dedicated ambulatory strategy for OEMs.

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A People-First Philosophy Led Jeffrey Johnson to Success in Spine

Mr. Johnson founded Zavation, a spine company, and Superior Polymers, a PEEK manufacturer. He credits the foundational business principle to his success in orthopedics.

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U.S. Hospitals Balance COVID Response with Long-Term Outlook

As the U.S. contends with the continued spread of COVID-19, hospitals maintain a grim outlook for 2020 and into 2021.

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Augmedics Introduces Augmented Reality for Surgical Guidance

X-ray vision is typically associated with B-level science fiction. But it’s also a fairly accurate description of what surgeons can experience while using Augmedic’s xvision spine system.

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Your Orthopedic Surgeons Face a Host of New Obstacles

Device companies need to understand that the surgeons they serve are on the cusp of significant change.

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New Journal Focuses on Orthopedic Experience and Innovation

Surgeon entrepreneurs launch the Journal of Orthopaedic Experience & Innovation that highlights clinical, economic and industry innovations.

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Orthopedic Pioneer Lends Perspective on Industry Opportunities

Marshall Steele, M.D. shares insights on orthopedics and on how the COVID pandemic may change relationships and contracting strategies.

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Indago Seeks to Reduce O.R. Inefficiencies with ArthroFree Arthroscopic Camera System

The company has developed a number of fundamental technologies to eliminate the cables that are currently endemic to endoscopic procedures.

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What Does the Next Generation of Total Ankles Need?

Preoperative planning, surgical instrumentation and bony ingrowth are advancements that surgeon Alan Davis, M.D., says are a must for future total ankles.

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Medacta CEO Confident in Orthopedics’ Fundamentals

Mr. Francesco Siccardi opens up about market opportunities, headwinds and strategies for Medacta while dealing with the COVID-19 outbreak.

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COVID-19 Amplifies Focus on the Cost of Care

In this video, trauma surgeon Peter Althausen, M.D., says COVID-19 will shift procedures to outpatient settings and place scrutiny on implant utilization.

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COVID-19 is a Disruption Accelerator. Are You Prepared?

Tiger Buford talks about changes to technology and the roles of product development and sales and marketing post-COVID-19.

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Retiring Bioventus CEO Shares Thoughts on Orthobiologics Market

Mr. Bihl feels that orthobiologics are in a unique position to address unmet needs that remain prevalent despite advancements in traditional orthopedic products.

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How To Build A More Resilient Supply Chain Post COVID-19

Joint replacement surgeon Vinod Dasa, M.D., says there will be a heightened focus on eliminating waste and redundancies, especially in the “last mile” of the supply chain.

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Studies Shed Light on Late-Onset Infection

While the spine industry has focused on 3D printed cages, enabling technology and minimally invasive surgery, it has forgotten a critical priority: infection prevention, says Aakash Agarwal, Ph.D., Director of Research at Spinal Balance.

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How to Leverage the Tightening Hospital/Physician Relationship

In anticipation of leveraging conversations with surgeons at AAOS’ Annual Meeting, this column focuses on major trends reshaping the device company and provider relationship. Each of these trends represent opportunity for orthopedic companies.

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What is the Future of Orthopedic Innovation? Lessons from HSS

In moving to the provider side of orthopedics after spending decades in industry, Doug Leach has learned a valuable lesson: Partner with providers. Not just the surgeon.

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Mathys CEO Talks People, Technology in Joint Replacement

Benjamin Reinmann, M.D., says that the joint replacement market is moving away from the implant toward services driven by technology and keeping value-based patient care on the radar.

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Utilization Management “New Normal” Means Challenges with Prior Authorizations and Appeals

Spine surgery faces utilization management challenges that are influencing patients’ access to care and surgeons’ abilities to navigate the current payor environment. Device companies can better serve surgeons and their patients by remaining abreast of changes to the payor climate.

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Spinal Kinetics Founder Shares Keys to Startup Success

Many of the lessons that Tom Afzal has applied throughout his career he learned while working at American Hospital Supply Corporation—one of the largest medical device companies in the ‘70s-‘80s—his first professional position after college. As part of a management path program, Mr. Afzal was required to work in many functional areas of the company—sales, marketing, finance, production, R&D, quality, etc.

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Startup Spotlight: Carmell Therapeutics Takes Regenerative Medicine to the Next Level with Controlled Degradable Biologic

For years, orthobiologics and other forms of regenerative medicine have sought to mimic and enhance the body’s natural ability to heal itself. Carmell Therapeutics has a new approach to that end-goal. The company’s proprietary process is designed to bind and cross-link regenerative factors in lyophilized platelet-enriched plasma into solid and semi-solid plasma-based materials to accelerate healing in bone, tendon and wound care.

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Focus on Science, Not Technique, says Orthopedic Surgeon and Academic

Over the last five decades, the orthopedic career of Hendrik Delport, M.D., Ph.D. has evolved from surgeon to researcher to teacher to innovator. He says further advancement in total knee arthroscopy requires a change in surgeon performance, not in device design.

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Innovation and Surgeon Advocacy Key for Small Company Success in Purchasing & Value Analysis Navigation

Patrick Vega’s quarterly column is intended to prompt orthopedic device company thinking beyond price by better understanding the provider environment and by pursuing provider partnerships that convert one-time sales into long-term strategic and trusted partnerships. He explores core elements of hospital value analysis and purchasing, and ways that your sales channel can successfully navigate the processes.

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Prior Authorization Chaos is the New Normal for Spine Surgery

A 2017 physician survey revealed that 86% of offices’ prior authorization activities had increased significantly over the last five years, with the average office spending two full workdays to receive a prior authorization. Kim Norton, Vice President of Reimbursement at Simplify Medical, lends insights on how this trend affects the spine market.

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Paragon 28’s CTO on Engineering, Extremities and Career Experience

Not everyone can credit a decades-long successful career to their dog. But Frank Bono, CTO and CO-Founder of Paragon 28, Inc. does exactly that. He shares what he learned at startups and large orthopedic corporations, offers advice for the next generation of new hires and shares his thoughts on extremities reconstruction, the last orthopedic frontier.

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X-BOLT Introduces New Hip Fracture Treatment Concept

X-BOLT Orthopaedics addresses the issue of screw cutout in hip fracture repair with technology that replaces the lag screw for femoral head fixation. Studies indicate that the system significantly reduces the reoperation rate.

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Member Success Story: Marty Altshuler Shares Lessons Learned in Building a Spine Company

Marty Altshuler and Rick Henson were given an opportunity to acquire spinal products and transition from distributorship to a full line implant manufacturing company. They made the deal and founded ChoiceSpine back in 2006.

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3 Questions on the Spine Reimbursement Environment

The spine market’s evolving reimbursement landscape can be hard for device companies and surgeons to navigate. While at NASS, we asked reimbursement expert Kim Norton for a high-level view of the reimbursement shifts taking place today. Ms. Norton is Vice President of Reimbursement for Simplify Medical and serves as a consultant, including in reimbursement and payor relations for Aesculap.

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ORTHOWORLD Member Success Story: Magnus René on Integrum’s OPRA Prosthetics, Additive Manufacturing Adoption

Magnus Rene has been part of the additive manufacturing revolution in orthopedics. Now he serves on the Board of Directors for Integrum, developer of the OPRA osseointegrated prosthetic implant system.

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OMTEC Recap: Orthopedic Surgeons Waiting for Technology to Catch Up to Their Needs

Surgeons were clear: they are interested in leveraging innovations in materials, robotics, AI and wearables for the benefit of their patients and their practices. They will look to the data to measure progress.

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Surgeons Weigh in on Robotics’ Role in Orthopedics

Robotics remains a hotly-discussed topic amongst orthopedic surgeons. OMTEC® 2019 provided a stage for the continued debate during the surgeon keynote, with active robotic users calling for technology advancements and a non-user recommending that adoption be based on data and outcomes.

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Orthopedic Market Forces to Watch: A Conversation with Ali Madani

The growth of robotics, additive, outsourcing and mid-sized device companies and contract manufacturers are among the main narratives that we-like Mr. Madani-expect will shape industry dynamics in the coming years.

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Member Success Story: David Hovda, Simplify Medical

David Hovda, CEO of Simplify Medical, shares how he got from the U.S. Navy to orthopedics, lessons he learned along the way andhis outlook for the spine industry.

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Surgeon Insight: The Future of the Anterior Approach in Hip Replacement

DePuy Synthes announced the Anterior Advantage Matta Method in 1Q19. The namesake of the program, Joel Matta, M.D., is a surgeon at The Steadman Clinic, Co-founder and Chairman of the Anterior Hip Foundation and a pioneer of the anterior approach. He began using the anterior approach in the late ’90s and has remained dedicated to the technique, noting that it results in tissue preservation and shorter recovery time. More than two decades later, he remains committed to teaching and advancing the anterior approach.

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Capitalize on These Opportunities in the Emerging Outpatient Surgery Market

In this fourth installment of his quarterly column, Patrick Vega of Vizient Advisory Solutions provides a description of ambulatory settings and strategies, and suggests ways that device companies can capitalize on the shift from inpatient surgical settings to hospital outpatient departments, ASCs and outpatient sites of care. Contributors to this article hypothesize that device companies that better understand the outpatient setting can more effectively adapt their products, services and support to meet customer needs.

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Orthopedic Players Say Industry is Ripe for Business Model, Supply Chain Disruption

Ortho Spine Partners’ business model is new to us. Using complementary perspectives from device company and hospital purchasing sides as a team approach, they serve as hired strategists and executors for product commercialization and corporate activities. Orthopedics is a relationship-driven industry, and the modern sales process requires different relationships. OSP’s leadership is betting that its surgeon, hospital, sales rep and device company contacts, as well as its out-of-the-box thinking, can be leveraged to provide small partnering companies with national scale typically not attainable by young companies.

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Future-Minded Orthopedic and Spine Surgeons Will Advise Industry Stakeholders and Manufacturing Community at OMTEC® 2019

Future-minded orthopedic and spine surgeons will advise industry stakeholders and the manufacturing community at OMTEC® 2019.

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Global Orthopedic Technology and Manufacturing Community Will Convene for OMTEC® 2019

The global orthopedic technology and manufacturing community will convene for OMTEC® 2019.

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Hospital Trends: What Hospitals Want Orthopedic Manufacturers to Know

As hospitals, health systems and their associated provider environments become ever more complex, traditional approaches to establishing relationships, selling products and servicing accounts have become less effective. OEMs that endeavor to both understand the customer environment, in its full continuum, and meaningfully invest in a partnership with providers can be rewarded with market share growth, reciprocal value and more permanence in their relations with providers and IDNs.

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CCJR Founder A. Seth Greenwald Reflects on Joint Replacement Advancements

In January, The Hip Society and The Knee Society in partnership signed an agreement to acquire Current Concepts in Joint Replacement. For nearly 40 years, CCJR has educated thousands of joint replacement surgeons around the world, giving them a platform to debate surgical techniques and discuss trending topics of the day-conversations that have advanced orthopedics. The bi-annual conference will hold its Spring Meeting from May 8-11 in Cleveland, Ohio, and is expected to host surgeons, device companies and contract manufacturers.

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Knee Replacement Innovation Led by Materials, Design and Computer-Assisted Surgical Improvements

Dr. Bob Poggie reflects on trends in materials to increase durability of articulation and reliability of implant fixation; design solutions to improve kinematics; computer-driven advances in design and manufacturing and surgical tools to increase accuracy, reliability and efficiency of procedures.

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Foot and Ankle Implant Opportunities Lie in Design, Technique Improvements

The world of foot and ankle is vibrant and full of opportunity to solve real problems. Honesty in implant improvement must take place at the design stage. Foot and ankle has the trifecta of implants. Depending on the case, I need hardware, soft tissue reconstruction and a biologic enhancer. This is unique in orthopaedics, and the company that wins recognizes the problem to be solved in its totality and not just a piecemeal approach.

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3 Things to Know about the Japanese Market

What is the size of the Japanese orthopedic market and its subsegments? What market forces should companies consider in 2019?What are the orthopedic technology buzzwords in Japan today?

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Considerations for Expanding in the Japanese Orthopaedic Market

Companies often treat the Japanese market as an afterthought-after they’re established in the U.S. and Europe, they’ll decide what it takes to enter Japan. But as the U.S. market shifts to value-based care and as hospitals consolidate suppliers, and as the EU implements the stricter Medical Device Regulation, the Japanese market may look more attractive.

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Smart Devices, Robotics, Sensors: Tools to Improve Patient Outcomes

Dr. Martin Roche: “The surgeon still wants to operate, but if this technology makes the procedure more consistent, efficient and generates improved outcomes, the patients will request it and surgeons will utilize the data to potentially develop the next surgical procedures and personalized implants.”

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Investors Prioritize Care Delivery, Post-Revenue Companies

Extremities, sports medicine, digital health and the hospital supply chain remain attractive areas for orthopaedic innovation, according to investors who spoke during this year’s Musculoskeletal New Ventures Conference. This seems like a natural course, with extremities and sports medicine being high-growth segments of orthopaedics and innovations in digital health and supply chain routinely mentioned as solutions to complex industry challenges. The sentiment that we took away from the discussion was optimism about the number of investment opportunities available, and about orthopaedics as a whole.

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How the EU’s MDR Will Impact Your Supply Chain

The forthcoming EU Medical Device Regulation will impact your supply chain, both in manufacturing and distribution. You must talk with your partners now to ensure that you possess the information you need from themand they from youto meet regulatory requirements, your timeline for CE Market Approval and critical considerations for audits. Mike Wolf, Director of Solutions Delivery at Maetrics, outlines some talking points for you and your suppliers.

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NASS Launches Multidisciplinary Spine Registry: Here’s what OEMs need to know

To measure and improve patient care, NASS has launched a diagnosis-based clinical data registry to track outcomes. The web-based platform will allow healthcare providers to collect and analyze their spine care data and compare it to the de-identified data in the entire registry.

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How Will Orthopaedic Procedures Change in the Next 10 Years?

The OMTEC 2018 Closing Keynote panel of surgeon entrepreneurs and executives fielded an audience question on ways that surgical techniques will change over the next five to 10 years, and what might that mean for new products. We thought it was great question with insightful answers, which we have recapped here.

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Surgeons Seek Innovation in Instruments, Delivery of Care

We need to address the real problem. To orthopaedic surgeons on the OMTEC Closing Panel, the problem is delivery of care. Current instrument options, according to them, lead to changes in surgical planning, downtime between surgeries, significant cost assumed by the hospital or surgery center and inventory management conundrums.

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Hospitals, Surgeons Provide Insight into Purchasing Priorities

The OMTEC 2018 opening Keynote Panel offered perspective on hospital actions and priorities while addressing critical industry topics including pressure from public and private payors, bundled payments, value analysis committees and outpatient surgeries.

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Micro C Imaging: Conversations with Chief Medical Executives

Startup company Micro C Imaging is entering the fluoroscopy space by developing a hand-held x-ray and digital imaging device no larger or heavier than a digital camera.

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The Age of Biology Comes to Orthopaedics

In the field of orthopaedic surgery, over the last 100 years we have migrated from therapies based on limb removal to joint replacement to tissue repair, and we are beginning to see clinical solutions for tissue regeneration. These four Rs represent the history and future of clinical orthopaedics.

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Orthobiologics: Conversations with CEOs

At AAOS, we sat down with the CEOs of Bioventus and Histogenics to ask about opportunities that their companies are embracing, as well as the health of the orthobiologics market. Both mentioned advancements in therapies demonstrated through clinical trials and outcomes, and both discussed the importance of keeping younger, active patients healthy and mobile. Here we recap a portion of those conversations.

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Why One Surgeon Entrepreneur is Focused on MIS, Orthobiologics and UDI

Patrick Sweeney, M.D., is a spine surgeon with a special interest in minimally invasive surgery. He is also Founder and Medical Director of the Center for Minimally Invasive Surgery, an ASC, as well as an inventor/entrepreneur, and founder of a device company and an eHealth entity. We spoke with him about his diverse orthopaedic endeavors.

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New Total Knee and Hip Products Focus on Additive, Materials, Robotics

Orthopaedic device manufacturers’ ability to gain market share in the total knee and hip reconstruction spaces will be dependent upon their response to the shift of procedures to ambulatory surgery centers an uptick in bundled payments and any or all measures focused around cost. That was the message we took away from our conversations at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Annual Meeting.

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Surgeon Leadership Essential to Influence Implant Purchasing Committees

The changes in hospital purchasing methods reflect a multitude of stakeholders who must learn to work together to truly create value for the system, by realistically assessing needs, features, volume and durability when making purchasing decisions. It simply cannot stand on price alone. Like anything else, if surgeons want a voice in the process, they need to step up and become involved in these new processes and committees to ensure that their patients best interests are represented equitably.

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OTA Recap: Trauma Surgeon Identifies Areas for Device Improvement

Two of the greater challenges that trauma surgeons face today are an increased number of complex fractures and complications from fractures. Michael D. McKee, M.D., Program Chair of the Annual Meeting, outlined four trending surgeon issues that device companies could consider for product enhancement.

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Additive, Materials and Robotics Remain Spine Companies’ Product Focus

Topics that resonated in exhibit hall conversations and surgeon presentations at NASS 2017 were advancements in additive manufacturing, replacement or coating of traditional PEEK and the adoption of robotics and navigation. We chose five of our conversations to recap, including Mazor, Stryker and Zimmer Biomet, because they speak to the aforementioned technology trends and give insight into future product launches.

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Bruce Stroever on 30 Years of Leadership at MTF

In his nearly 30 years with MTF, Bruce Stroever has watched the entity grow to more than 1,100 employees and over $400 million in annual revenue. An ORTHOWORLD Member, we asked Mr. Stroever to share how he has experienced success.

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Bone Solutions CEO Offers Startups Product Launch Advice

We spoke to Bone Solutions CEO, Drew Diaz, about topics ranging from data collection to struggles for startups and the future of orthopaedic technology.

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NuVasive Founder Talks Minimally Invasive Surgery

Minimally invasive surgical (MIS) products are a staple of todays spine company portfolios. In anticipation of new devices to be launched at the NASS Annual Meeting, we asked James F. Marino, M.D., a thought leader in MIS and founder of companies NuVasive and Trinity Orthopedics, about the technologies.

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China: Do You Need to Revamp Your Customer Channel?

An effective and efficient pathway to customers is important everywhere in orthopaedics, but perhaps nowhere is it more critical and complex than in China as the country moves to a Two Invoice policy. Manufacturers must prepare to eliminate the number of layers in their distribution channel.

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Reimbursement: What Payors Want

The complexity of reimbursement may be great, but the burden may be lessened if you begin with the end in mind and know what you’re up against and make good choices throughout the process.

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Value Analysis Committees: Develop Your Own

The influence of hospital VACs has created a market access risk that you must consider when assessing new technologies-before product development begins. How do you reduce that risk?

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Leading Supply Chains Adopt These Principles

Device companies are prioritizing supply chain alignment to achieve company vision, leverage expertise and obtain significant cost savings. For insight we turned to Jeoff Burris and Ken Jones, two thought leaders in this area, to show us how to accomplish these objectives.

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3D Skeleton Reconstruction Research Drives Attention to Orthopaedics

The Trillennium Man was made with 3D scans of knees, hips and shoulders compiled into morphs that show the change in joint shape over the last 350 million years, and what joints might look like 4,000 years from now.

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The Forgotten Phase of M&A: Post-Close Supply Chain Integration

Proper implementation post-acquisition-close will allow your supply chain to deliver immediate and long-term value, and avoid integration delays and disruptions.

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AAOS President Forecasts Orthopaedic Technology Advancements

AAOS President Gerald R. Williams Jr., M.D., offers perspective on prominent areas for near-term technology advancements. His five-year outlook aligns with hot topics of recent years.

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Hospital M&A, Priorities Offer OEMs Strategic Direction

The U.S. hospital landscape steadily continues to be shaped by consolidation that is forced by competition, declining reimbursement and public and private payor cost and control measures. As these trends are expected to endure at least through the next decade, it’s imperative that you understand what your hospital customer base will look like several years from now.

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China’s Directives Set to Reshape Orthopaedic Market

The Chinese government has prioritized medical device development, as well as local and international investments by domestic device companies. Whether you’re a leader in the Chinese market or thinking of entering, its important to understand the trends and government initiatives shaping the country’s orthopaedic industry.

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Startups Seize Opportunities Through Vetted Distribution

A shifting healthcare landscape in the U.S. presents opportunities for early-stage companies, who can use these tips to set up proper marketing and distribution channels right from the start.

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The Forgotten Phase of M&A: Mitigating Supply Chain Risks

The primary responsibility of the supply chain team post-M&A is the assurance of uninterrupted upstream and downstream product supply. These essential steps will assist you in identifying supply chain risk and developing a plan to minimize that risk.

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Revisiting Predictions: Orthobiologics, Insurance and ASCs

How device manufacturers, surgeons and insurance companies are shaping the future of sustainable medicine.

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The Forgotten Phase of M&A: Supply Chain Infrastructure

Avoid disruptions in customer service and financial performance by reviewing the people, processes and supporting systems of upstream and downstream supply chains.

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Postmarket Surveillance and M&A

Data collection is paramount to the success of any orthopaedic device. What happens to the much-coveted postmarket data/initiative during and after a merger or acquisition? We posed this question to Vicki Anastasi, Vice President & Global Head, Medical Devices & Diagnostics Research with ICON plc.

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NASS Preview: NASS Survey Finds Spine Professionals Independent and Influencing Decisions

In 2015, NASS conducted a survey taken by nearly 650 Members in the U.S. to support a clearer understanding of its Members practice settings.

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Developing New Orthopaedic Business Models: 2020 and Beyond

To thrive in the healthcare environment of tomorrow, orthopaedic device companies will need to operate within a greater portion of the supply chain, assisting upstream and downstream customers in finding operational value. This will require companies to forge stronger relationships, focus on internal efficiencies and launch services, not just devices.

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Trauma Surgeon Reflects on Experiences with R&D, FDA and Zimmer Biomet Partnership

ORTHOKNOW interviewed the surgeon inventor of N-force’ to understand his take on the trauma market and the future of implant delivery.

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Computer-Assisted Technologies Gain Traction in Orthopaedics

The use of computer-assisted surgery systems that incorporate robotics, surgical planning and navigation have the potential to bring reproducible results to orthopaedics through imaging, alignment and guidance tools that control surgical variables. But, will hospitals pay for these technologies?

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The Pursuit of Infection Prevention: Curbing Readmissions and Costs

Post-surgical infection control is a priority in the reduction of complications, revisions and costs. It’s a topic of importance along the spectrum of development, from the research level, to start-up, through to the industry’s largest companies.

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Arthroscopy/Soft Tissue Companies Address Meniscus, Rotator Cuff Repair

The arthroscopy/soft tissue segment reached sales of $4.5 billion in 2015, a four percent increase over 2014, according to ORTHOWORLD estimates. Growth in the market is buoyed by several factors: strength of the main players, smaller players expanding their portfolios to complement other product lines, industry focus and surgeon adoption of minimally invasive techniques and surgeons’ push to drive new technologies and techniques in ligament and tendon care and repair.

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Surgeons, Distributors Diversify and Protect Revenue Streams with Orthopaedic Urgent Care

As declining margins squeeze every facet of orthopaedics and reimbursement undergoes yet another change, independent surgeons seek to diversify their practices to protect existing revenue and develop new streams. Some are aligning with or opening an orthopaedic urgent care center. In turn, the growth of orthopaedic urgent cares has attracted interest from other industry stakeholders, like major hospital systems and device distributors.

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Demographics and Distribution: Finding the Best Foreign Market for a Device

Companies that achieve success in their home market are frequently compelled to expand to international soil to take advantage of desirable demographics and less competition. However, selecting the right market for your product, and setting up an efficient and effective sales and distribution network, can be daunting tasks – especially for a young business.

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Shoulder Surgeon Embraces Push for Value in Rotator Cuff Repairs

The concept of value continues to dominate conversations in the orthopaedic industry. Brett Sanders, M.D., an orthopaedic sports medicine and shoulder surgeon, created Tensor Surgical to respond to industry trends.

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Proving Medical Necessity: the Need for Evidence in Reimbursement

ORTHOWORLD Members of all stripes-providers, OEMs and suppliers-say that they’ve been impacted by complexities in the reimbursement system. One theme-that is not new, but a necessary reminder-is that the sooner a company includes reimbursement in their commercialization preparations, the better-armed they are for market entry.

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Bundled Payments: AAOS Conversations Center on CJR and Beyond

The advent of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid’s Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement (CJR) program fueled AAOS Annual Meeting conversations regarding the best response by hospitals, surgeons and device companies to bundled payment reimbursement models, including those that extend beyond joint reconstruction.

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Supply Chain Evolution Emphasizes Visibility, Control

The capital associated with instrument sets is significant and, to some companies, somewhat unknown once inventory enters the field. As orthopaedic companies seek to speed their service to hospital customers and cut waste from operations, a greater focus has been placed upon inventory management.

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Emerging Business Models Address Disruption in Orthopaedics

To offset the shifting economic and regulatory environment, Bill Tribe, Ph.D., partner at consulting firm A.T. Kearney, foresees the need for companies to abandon traditional business models and begin to develop and implement distinctive, proprietary ones. Those will be based on the interplay of every facet of an organization, from executives to engineers to sales staff to supply chain managers.

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The Changing Role of the Orthopaedic Sales Rep

Amid efforts to lower costs and increase value in the orthopaedic industry, sales and purchasing models are shifting. This is exemplified by the introduction of rep-less approaches, technology-driven inventory models and the evolving role of value analysis committees.

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Trauma Surgeon Credits Strong Team in Development of Tendon Product

Erik Kubiak, M.D., an orthopaedic trauma and adult reconstruction surgeon, co-founded CoNextions Medical to treat tendon repairs differently.

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Peter Bonutti Shares Ways to Balance Clinical Work and Product Development

Peter Bonutti, M.D., an orthopaedic joint reconstructive surgeon and inventor, discussed his many entrepreneurial endeavors and experiences in product and practice development.

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Orthopaedic Hand Surgeon Creates Product and Company Out of Patient Needs

Virak Tan, M.D., an orthopaedic hand surgeon, decided to invent his own external fixator for the finger after seeing patients in need of an improved technology.

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Success in Orthopaedics Lies in Products that Improve Quality, Decrease Costs

Price pressure will continue to drive the orthopaedic industry’s narrative in coming years as cost containment measures from public and private payors trickle through the healthcare supply chain. Executives at OMTEC 2015 offered key insight on overcoming industry’s challenges.

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OEMs, FDA Take Closer Look at Mobile Medical Applications

Mobile communication devices, particularly smartphone and applications, have already changed how we handle many aspects of our lives, such as personal finance, shopping, travel and entertainment. They are also radically changing the way we think and make decisions about our healthcare.

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Training Your IP Police Force to Catch Infringement

Due to the rapidly changing product development landscape and the need to protect one’s own IP, as well as the increased difficulty in monitoring competitive product information, it is critical for all companies to establish and properly train their own IP police force if they want to enforce their own protected inventive designs.

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Private Label Products May Fill Portfolio Gaps

Rarely does one company have the resources necessary to produce all of the products required to satiate the diverse demands of healthcare providers. Private labeling is one outsourcing tool for potential to meet customer needs.

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Surgeon Charges Spine Companies to Make These Product Improvements

Robert S. Bray, Jr., M.D., charged spine companies to make improvements in the following areas.

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The Seven Phases of M&A

This article highlights the typical process of buying a company, with specific context for buyers and sellers who may be new to the process or are interested in picking up a few tips.

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Emerging Markets Favored Over Europe for Global Expansion

To better understand the expanding orthopaedic markets, the OMTEC 2014 Keynote CEO Discussion sought perspective on the trends in developed and developing countries.  Here are their thoughts.

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Boost Sales by Understanding Healthcare Economics

To succeed in the new market reality, manufacturers must be aware of the financial pressures and craft strategies to help surgeons and hospitals minimize costs and improve patient care.

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Trends in Design and Delivery Call for Greater Conversation

Orthopaedic device companies that can demonstrate innovation in design and delivery, as well as efficiency in use and cost, will be best-positioned to succeed.

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Investors Focused on Growth-stage Companies vs. New Technologies

Large, cash-rich orthopaedic device companies have increasingly opted to acquire companies and product lines that allow for scale over focusing resources on in-house development.

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Protecting Inventions and Brands: IP Due Diligence in the Product Development Process

Orthopedic product development must walk hand-in-hand with focused, timely intellectual property (IP) due diligence.

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An Integrated vs. Piecemeal Approach to Product Development

An integrated approach to commercialization maximizes the value of an idea and minimizes the monetary risk, says Stuart Lindquist of Kapstone Medical.

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Accelerating Pricing Pressure: Five Ways That Device Companies Can Prepare

Device companies that adapt their strategy and approach have the opportunity to address pricing pressure head-on.

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Rethinking the Role of Clinical Affairs

A more expansive view than the traditional IDE paradigm allows for greater benefits in the overall life of a medical device firm.

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The State and Future of the Orthopaedic Industry: A High Altitude View – FDA: The Fly in the Ointment?

Orthopedics will be more challenging in the future than in the past, but there are opportunities to do well.

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Saving Medicine: The Three Cs

American medicine today is truly in crisis, but not for the reasons most often reported.

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Creating Exponential Value, Part II: What is Your Idea Worth?

Your best chances of creating exponential value are found when you invest your own resources to more fully develop the idea before shopping it around.

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Do You Know Your Customer’s Boss?

Hospital executives and administrators are entering the sales equation and must be part of the device company’s product positioning strategy.

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Creating Exponential Value, Part I: How Far Should You Take Your Idea?

Conceiving the idea is just the first step. Deciding how far to take the idea on your own is a challenge, no matter how much experience you may have.

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