Medsider: Learn from MedTech and HealthTech Experts show

Medsider: Learn from MedTech and HealthTech Experts

Summary: Learn from proven medtech and healthtech experts. That's our primary goal with Medsider. Through uncut interviews with the world's brightest thought leaders, you'll pick up on helpful insights, lessons learned, best practices, and much more.

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 They Sold Their Company to Boston Scientific and Then Reacquired the Technology Years Later – The Unique Story of NuCryo Vascular | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 2658

Because of diminishing margins, a lot of major medical device companies continue to add products to their sales bag in hopes of meeting top-line revenue goals. But selling the entire bag is challenging. When the bag gets too big, a typical sales force will usually focus only on products that generate the most revenue. So what happens to those products that don’t produce much revenue? Well, they’re sometimes just lost in the dust. In this interview with Kevin Beedon, General Manager of NuCryo Vascular, we learn how their team is taking advantage of this very scenario as they look to commercialize the newly redesigned PolarCath device. Interview Highlights with Kevin Beedon - Why the founders of NuCryo Vascular decided to reacquire the technology they originally sold to Boston Scientific just years earlier.- After initially signing a distribution deal with Vascular Solutions, why the team at NuCryo Vascular decided to go with a direct sales force instead.- How the team at NuCryo Vascular was able to quickly make engineering changes to the PolarCath device and then get FDA approval only 40 days later- Kevin's advice for making career changes within the medical device space.- Kevin's favorite business book, the business leader he most admires, and the advice he'd give to his 30-yr. old self.This Is What You Can Do Next 1) Listen to the interview with Kevin Beedon right now: 2) You can also download the mp3 file of the interview by clicking here. Don't forget – you can listen to this interview and all of the other Medsider interviews via iTunes. And if you get a chance, leave us an honest rating and review. About Kevin Beedon Kevin Beedon is the General Manager and Vice President of NuCryo Vascular, a subsidiary of Gemini Interventional Technologies. Prior to his role at NuCryo, Kevin has held sales and marketing leadership positions for companies like Spectranetics, Boston Scientific, and Pfizer. Kevin received a MBA in finance from Central Michigan University and a B.S. in chemical engineering from Michigan State. The post They Sold Their Company to Boston Scientific and Then Reacquired the Technology Years Later – The Unique Story of NuCryo Vascular appeared first on Medsider.

 The Steady and Successful Climb of BAROnova | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: Unknown

Henry Ford is famous for stating, “If I had asked people what they wanted, I would have built a faster horse.” Although it’s arguable whether he ever uttered those words, the statement is still very powerful. And it’s one that Hugh Narciso has taken to heart. In fact, in the early days of BAROnova, when Hugh and his team were getting feedback from KOL’s, they utilized this framework to help propel their device forward. In this interview with Hugh Narciso, we learn more about the strategies and tactics his team employed throughout BAROnova's steady and successful climb over the past 10 years. Interview Highlights with Hugh Narciso - How Hugh’s early experiences in pharma and medtech helped him advance throughout his career. - Hugh’s advice for building out an initial team within a medtech startup. - Why BAROnova is taking a dual-track approach when it comes to insurance coverage and reimbursement. - Hugh’s experiences in raising funds from both venture capital firms and corporate venture arms. - Why BAROnova’s TransPyloric Shuttle weight-loss system is different than the LAP-BAND. - Hugh’s favorite business book, who inspires him, and what he would tell his 30-yr.old self. This Is What You Can Do Next 1) Listen to the interview with Hugh Narciso right now: Download audio file (Medsider_Interview_with_Hugh_Narciso_of_BAROnova.mp3) 2) You can also download the mp3 file of the interview by clicking here. Don't forget – you can listen to this interview and all of the other Medsider interviews via iTunes.  And if you get a chance, leave us an honest rating and review. About Hugh Narciso Hugh Narciso has more than 25 years of medical-device and pharmaceutical development experience with an emphasis on establishing and building venture-funded start-up companies. Prior to founding BAROnova in 2006, he held senior executive positions or served on the board of directors at a variety of companies including Leptos Biomedical, Inc. (COO), Lambda Pharmaceuticals (board member), Corvascular Surgical Systems, Inc. (COO/VP, Research and Development), and Miravant Medical Technologies (VP, Product Development). Hugh is a named inventor on more than 30 U.S. patents and on a comparable number of international patents. The post The Steady and Successful Climb of BAROnova appeared first on Medsider.

 The Steady and Successful Climb of BAROnova | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 3244

Henry Ford is famous for stating, “If I had asked people what they wanted, I would have built a faster horse.” Although it’s arguable whether he ever uttered those words, the statement is still very powerful. And it’s one that Hugh Narciso has taken to heart. In fact, in the early days of BAROnova, when Hugh and his team were getting feedback from KOL’s, they utilized this framework to help propel their device forward. In this interview with Hugh Narciso, we learn more about the strategies and tactics his team employed throughout BAROnova's steady and successful climb over the past 10 years. Interview Highlights with Hugh Narciso - How Hugh’s early experiences in pharma and medtech helped him advance throughout his career.- Hugh’s advice for building out an initial team within a medtech startup.- Why BAROnova is taking a dual-track approach when it comes to insurance coverage and reimbursement.- Hugh’s experiences in raising funds from both venture capital firms and corporate venture arms.- Why BAROnova’s TransPyloric Shuttle weight-loss system is different than the LAP-BAND.- Hugh’s favorite business book, who inspires him, and what he would tell his 30-yr.old self.This Is What You Can Do Next 1) Listen to the interview with Hugh Narciso right now: 2) You can also download the mp3 file of the interview by clicking here Don't forget – you can listen to this interview and all of the other Medsider interviews via iTunes. And if you get a chance, leave us an honest rating and review. About Hugh Narciso Hugh Narciso has more than 25 years of medical-device and pharmaceutical development experience with an emphasis on establishing and building venture-funded start-up companies. Prior to founding BAROnova in 2006, he held senior executive positions or served on the board of directors at a variety of companies including Leptos Biomedical, Inc. (COO), Lambda Pharmaceuticals (board member), Corvascular Surgical Systems, Inc. (COO/VP, Research and Development), and Miravant Medical Technologies (VP, Product Development). Hugh is a named inventor on more than 30 U.S. patents and on a comparable number of international patents. The post The Steady and Successful Climb of BAROnova appeared first on Medsider.

 Inside the Mind of a Medtech VP of Sales | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: Unknown

Sean Moore went from medical device sales rep to VP of Sales for one of the largest medtech companies in less than 10 years. Pretty impressive, right? Just like me, you might be thinking, “How did he do it? Killer sales results year after year? Right place at the right time?” In this interview with Sean Moore, VP of Sales and Marketing for ConMed, you'll learn the keys to his rapid career advancement within the medical device space. Better yet, you'll walk away with some fantastic insights from one of the rising stars throughout all of medtech. Interview Highlights with Sean Moore - The top 3-5 keys to Sean's rapid career advancement within the medtech space. - What does Sean look for when promoting sales reps and/or sales managers? - The character traits of the most successful medical devices sales reps and sales managers? - What surprised Sean the most when combining the sales and marketing departments at ConMed? - Direct sales vs. distribution. For medtech companies, is one better than the other? Can they work together? - Why is culture so important within a medical device company? - What concerns Sean the most about the rapidly changing healthcare environment? Conversely, what excites him the most? - Specific to medtech companies, what will change the most within the next 4-5 years? How about the next 7-10 years? - What does Sean know now that he wished he knew at the beginning of his medical device career? This Is What You Can Do Next 1) You can listen to the interview with Sean Moore right now: Download audio file (SeanMoore_MedsiderInterviews_2014.mp3) 2) You can also download the mp3 file of the interview by clicking here. Don't forget – you can listen to this interview and all of the other Medsider interviews via iTunes.  And if you get a chance, leave us an honest rating and review. More About Sean Moore Sean Moore is the Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Conmed. He has extensive experience establishing and managing top-producing sales organizations. Sean also has a proven success record generating, negotiating, and winning major national accounts. Feel free to connect with Sean on LinkedIn. And don't forget to check out his personal website, where Sean writes about medical device sales and marketing. The post Inside the Mind of a Medtech VP of Sales appeared first on Medsider.

 Inside the Mind of a Medtech VP of Sales | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 2482

Sean Moore went from medical device sales rep to VP of Sales for one of the largest medtech companies in less than 10 years. Pretty impressive, right? Just like me, you might be thinking, “How did he do it? Killer sales results year after year? Right place at the right time?” In this interview with Sean Moore, VP of Sales and Marketing for ConMed, you'll learn the keys to his rapid career advancement within the medical device space. Better yet, you'll walk away with some fantastic insights from one of the rising stars throughout all of medtech. Interview Highlights with Sean Moore - The top 3-5 keys to Sean's rapid career advancement within the medtech space.- What does Sean look for when promoting sales reps and/or sales managers?- The character traits of the most successful medical devices sales reps and sales managers?- What surprised Sean the most when combining the sales and marketing departments at ConMed?- Direct sales vs. distribution. For medtech companies, is one better than the other? Can they work together?- Why is culture so important within a medical device company?- What concerns Sean the most about the rapidly changing healthcare environment? Conversely, what excites him the most?- Specific to medtech companies, what will change the most within the next 4-5 years? How about the next 7-10 years?- What does Sean know now that he wished he knew at the beginning of his medical device career?This Is What You Can Do Next 1) You can listen to the interview with Sean Moore right now: 2) You can also download the mp3 file of the interview by clicking here. Don't forget – you can listen to this interview and all of the other Medsider interviews via iTunes. And if you get a chance, leave us an honest rating and review. More About Sean Moore Sean Moore is the Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Conmed. He has extensive experience establishing and managing top-producing sales organizations. Sean also has a proven success record generating, negotiating, and winning major national accounts. Feel free to connect with Sean on LinkedIn. And don't forget to check out his personal website, where Sean writes about medical device sales and marketing. The post Inside the Mind of a Medtech VP of Sales appeared first on Medsider.

 Why Medtech Companies Should Care More About Sales Operations | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: Unknown

It's safe to say that IDNs are important customers for the overwhelming majority of medical device companies. Therefore, it's probably rational to assume that medtech companies do a good job of tracking the changing IDN landscape, right? Wrong. Based on the 2014 ZS Associates Commercial Operations Benchmark Study, only 56% of medtech companies track IDN membership. Surprised? Just wait, there's more. In this same study, only 20% of medical device companies have processes in place to measure marketing program results or effectiveness. I wonder what Apple and Google think about that? In this interview with Andrea Traverso, Associate Principal with ZS Associates, we learn more about the Commerical Operations Benchmark Study and what it means for medtech companies. Interview Highlights with Andrea Traverso - Why should medical device companies track IDNs through a CRM? For the few companies that are doing well, what do they have in place that is enabling their success? - Are there business intelligence or CRM platforms that medtech companies should be using? - How should medical device companies manage the “garbage in, garbage out” issue that plague all CRM systems? - When trying to implement a CRM strategy, many medical device sales reps view their respective companies as a “big brother”. How can this be overcome? - Does a large commercial operations team equate to top-line growth? Is there an ideal size medtech companies should strive for? - Why is the marketing analytics function not a top-of-mind priority for medical device companies? This Is What You Can Do Next 1) You can listen to the interview with Andrea Traverso right now: Download audio file (AndreaTraverso_MedsiderInterviews_2014.mp3) 2) You can also download the mp3 file of the interview by clicking here. Don't forget – you can listen to this interview and all of the other Medsider interviews via iTunes.  And if you get a chance, leave us an honest rating and review. More About Andrea Traverso Andrea Traverso, an Associate Principal based in ZS’s Evanston, Ill., office, has more than 16 years of experience in consulting. She has helped companies in the medical device and pharmaceutical industries across a wide range of issues, including go-to-market strategy, commercial excellence, analytics, operations, and a variety of other sales and marketing issues. ZS Associates is a global sales and marketing consulting firm that serves a range of industries including consumer products, high-tech, financial services, medical products and services, and pharmaceuticals. Since 1983, ZS has worked with 49 of the top 50 pharmaceutical companies and 18 of the top 20 medical device companies in the world. The post Why Medtech Companies Should Care More About Sales Operations appeared first on Medsider.

 Why Medtech Companies Should Care More About Sales Operations | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 2683

It's safe to say that IDNs are important customers for the overwhelming majority of medical device companies. Therefore, it's probably rational to assume that medtech companies do a good job of tracking the changing IDN landscape, right? Wrong. Based on the 2014 ZS Associates Commercial Operations Benchmark Study, only 56% of medtech companies track IDN membership. Surprised? Just wait, there's more. In this same study, only 20% of medical device companies have processes in place to measure marketing program results or effectiveness. I wonder what Apple and Google think about that? In this interview with Andrea Traverso, Associate Principal with ZS Associates, we learn more about the Commerical Operations Benchmark Study and what it means for medtech companies. Interview Highlights with Andrea Traverso - Why should medical device companies track IDNs through a CRM? For the few companies that are doing well, what do they have in place that is enabling their success?- Are there business intelligence or CRM platforms that medtech companies should be using?- How should medical device companies manage the “garbage in, garbage out” issue that plague all CRM systems?- When trying to implement a CRM strategy, many medical device sales reps view their respective companies as a “big brother”. How can this be overcome?- Does a large commercial operations team equate to top-line growth? Is there an ideal size medtech companies should strive for?- Why is the marketing analytics function not a top-of-mind priority for medical device companies?This Is What You Can Do Next 1) You can listen to the interview with Andrea Traverso right now: 2) You can also download the mp3 file of the interview by clicking here Don't forget – you can listen to this interview and all of the other Medsider interviews via iTunes. And if you get a chance, leave us an honest rating and review. More About Andrea Traverso Andrea Traverso, an Associate Principal based in ZS’s Evanston, Ill., office, has more than 16 years of experience in consulting. She has helped companies in the medical device and pharmaceutical industries across a wide range of issues, including go-to-market strategy, commercial excellence, analytics, operations, and a variety of other sales and marketing issues. ZS Associates is a global sales and marketing consulting firm that serves a range of industries including consumer products, high-tech, financial services, medical products and services, and pharmaceuticals. Since 1983, ZS has worked with 49 of the top 50 pharmaceutical companies and 18 of the top 20 medical device companies in the world. The post Why Medtech Companies Should Care More About Sales Operations appeared first on Medsider.

 4 Can’t Miss Opportunities That All Medtech Companies Need to Consider | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: Unknown

According to a recent L.E.K. survey of hospital executives, 56% of the respondents haven taken steps to reduce medical device sales rep access to their facilities. In fact, the CEO of an Illinois hospital stated, “We’re constantly trying to limit the sales reps…We want to see what they’re selling before they get a hold of a doctor who brings it in without our knowledge.” At least one answer is obvious, right? Hospitals are clearly not looking for advice from medical device sales reps. So what solutions are they looking for? Here is what a Director of Purchasing at a Minnesota hospital wants: “We would really like clinical outcomes data…For example, we want to know if a knee replacement that costs two times as much as a competitor’s knee is actually going to last double the time as the competitor’s model.” In other words, hospitals want to understand the cost/benefit analysis for the medical devices they purchase. That’s one idea medtech companies need to embrace. But what are the other 3? In this interview with Jonas Funk, Managing Director in L.E.K.’s Chicago office, we learn about the 4-step process that medical device companies should consider in light of the current healthcare environment. And by the way, if you want a copy of L.E.K.'s most recent survey of hospital executives, contact Jonas via email at j.funk@lek.com. Interview Highlights with Jonas Funk - What are the most pressing challenges that medtech executives are facing right now? - Overview of L.E.K.’s most recent strategic hospital priorities study. How was it conducted? Who was involved? Etc. - Are hospital administrators the new KOLs? - In the pursuit of customer excellence, what are the 4 key questions that medtech companies need to answer? - The 4-step process that medtech companies need to embrace. - What is the one concept that medtech companies need to implement now? And what is the one concept that medtech companies absolutely must have on their radar for the future? This Is What You Can Do Next 1) You can listen to the interview with Jonas Funk right now: Download audio file (JonasFunk_MedsiderInterviews_2013.mp3) 2) You can also download the mp3 file of the interview by clicking here. Don't forget – you can listen to this interview and all of the other Medsider interviews via iTunes.  And if you get a chance, leave us an honest rating and review. 3) Read the following transcript from my interview with Jonas Funk. 4) Or, click here to download a copy of the transcript from my interview with Jonas. Read the Interview with Jonas Funk Scott Nelson:    Hello everyone, it’s Scott Nelson, and welcome to another edition of Medsider. And for those of you who are new to the program, this is a show where I interview experienced med tech and medical device thought leaders in an effort to learn as much as possible and then hopefully implement one or two big takeaways. And today’s guest on the program is Jonas Funk, who is a Managing Director and Partner in LEK Consulting’s Chicago office. He has more than 15 years of experience in LEK and has directed hundreds of consulting engagements primarily focused on growth strategy and mergers and acquisitions support within the med tech and life sciences verticals. Jonas also cofounded the Tokyo office and has assisted dozens of clients in developing their Asian strategy. So without further ado, welcome to the program, Jonas. Jonas Funk:      Great to be here, Scott. Thanks. Scott Nelson:    Okay. So Jonas, let's start here. You have the opportunity to consult with, discuss with and probably in a lot of cases present to a lot of med tech executives and decision-makers. 00:01:09 So in your opinion, what do you are the one or two most pressing challenges that those folks are facing right now? Jonas ...

 4 Can’t Miss Opportunities That All Medtech Companies Need to Consider | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 3337

According to a recent L.E.K. survey of hospital executives, 56% of the respondents haven taken steps to reduce medical device sales rep access to their facilities. In fact, the CEO of an Illinois hospital stated, “We’re constantly trying to limit the sales reps…We want to see what they’re selling before they get a hold of a doctor who brings it in without our knowledge.” At least one answer is obvious, right? Hospitals are clearly not looking for advice from medical device sales reps. So what solutions are they looking for? Here is what a Director of Purchasing at a Minnesota hospital wants: “We would really like clinical outcomes data…For example, we want to know if a knee replacement that costs two times as much as a competitor’s knee is actually going to last double the time as the competitor’s model.” In other words, hospitals want to understand the cost/benefit analysis for the medical devices they purchase. That’s one idea medtech companies need to embrace. But what are the other 3? In this interview with Jonas Funk, Managing Director in L.E.K.’s Chicago office, we learn about the 4-step process that medical device companies should consider in light of the current healthcare environment. And by the way, if you want a copy of L.E.K.'s most recent survey of hospital executives, contact Jonas via email at j.funk@lek.com. Interview Highlights with Jonas Funk - What are the most pressing challenges that medtech executives are facing right now?- Overview of L.E.K.’s most recent strategic hospital priorities study. How was it conducted? Who was involved? Etc.- Are hospital administrators the new KOLs?- In the pursuit of customer excellence, what are the 4 key questions that medtech companies need to answer?- The 4-step process that medtech companies need to embrace.- What is the one concept that medtech companies need to implement now? And what is the one concept that medtech companies absolutely must have on their radar for the future?This Is What You Can Do Next 1) You can listen to the interview with Jonas Funk right now: 2) You can also download the mp3 file of the interview by clicking here. Don't forget – you can listen to this interview and all of the other Medsider interviews via iTunes. And if you get a chance, leave us an honest rating and review. 3) Read the following transcript from my interview with Jonas Funk. 4) Or, click here to download a copy of the transcript from my interview with Jonas. Read the Interview with Jonas Funk Scott Nelson: Hello everyone, it’s Scott Nelson, and welcome to another edition of Medsider. And for those of you who are new to the program, this is a show where I interview experienced med tech and medical device thought leaders in an effort to learn as much as possible and then hopefully implement one or two big takeaways. And today’s guest on the program is Jonas Funk, who is a Managing Director and Partner in LEK Consulting’s Chicago office. He has more than 15 years of experience in LEK and has directed hundreds of consulting engagements primarily focused on growth strategy and mergers and acquisitions support within the med tech and life sciences verticals. Jonas also cofounded the Tokyo office and has assisted dozens of clients in developing their Asian strategy. So without further ado, welcome to the program, Jonas. Jonas Funk: Great to be here, Scott. Thanks. Scott Nelson: Okay. So Jonas, let's start here. You have the opportunity to consult with, discuss with and probably in a lot of cases present to a lot of med tech executives and decision-makers. 00:01:09 So in your opinion, what do you are the one or two most pressing challenges that those folks are facing right now? Jonas Funk: Yeah. I think the biggest challenges that they face kind of relate to how to navigate some pretty substantial changes that ...

 Can This Service Solve the Problem of Information Overload in Healthcare? | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: Unknown

Information overload is an issue that all of us face. Finding a decent signal in the midst of a very noisy world is a difficult challenge. Few are able to master it on a consistent basis. And that includes doctors. Check out some of these stats: - 100,000 scientific journals are now in circulation. - 30,000 new clinical trials are funded annually. - 1,500 new articles are published every single day. In fact, if a general practitioner were to spend just five minutes reading each new article published on primary care, it would take 600 hours each month! Yes, that is information overload at its finest. But the end results are even more staggering: - Misdiagnosis is the leading cause of medical error in outpatient facilities. - 40 million patients experience delayed or poor care as a result of missing information, including historical examinations, tests, and medication reports. In this interview with Zvi Mowshowitz, CEO of MetaMed, we learn more about their second-opinion service that is taking on the information overload challenge within healthcare by enhancing medical diagnoses through a robust team of researchers and data analysts. And if you’re in the medtech space, as you listen to this conversation, think about how you could potenitally partner with services like MetaMed as we enter a new era of healthcare in which patients will be more empowered than ever before. Interview Highlights with Zvi Mowshowitz - What is MetaMed and why does personalized medicine matter? - Specific examples of how MetaMed has helped patients with both common and rare diseases. - From initial consultation to end product, what does the MetaMed process entail? - How much does the MetaMed service cost and will health insurance companies pay for it? - Two ways in which the MetaMed “personal health consultancy” can scale. - Will MetaMed face increased competition in the future? - Why Zvi transitioned from the gaming space to healthcare. This Is What You Can Do Next 1) You can listen to the interview with Zvi Mowshowitz right now: Download audio file (Zvi_MedsiderInterviews_2013.mp3) 2) You can also download the mp3 file of the interview by clicking here. Don't forget – you can listen to this interview and all of the other Medsider interviews via iTunes.  And if you get a chance, leave us an honest rating and review. 3) Read the following transcript from my interview with Zvi Mowshowitz. 4) Or, click here to download a copy of the transcript from my interview with Zvi. Read the Interview with Zvi Mowshowitz Scott Nelson:             Hello, hello, everyone.  It’s Scott Nelson, and welcome to another edition of Medsider, the place where you can learn from experienced med tech and medical device thought leaders, and on today’s program we've got Zvi Mowshowitz. He is the CEO of MetaMed. Zvi was a world-class strategist and gamer, and was a Magic: The Gathering World Champion, member of its Hall of Fame. After retiring from that, he founded a profitable startup that was eventually acquired by Pinnacle Sports. Zvi holds a degree in mathematics from Columbia University. Obviously, that was a more formal intro, but without further ado, welcome to the program, Zvi. Really appreciate you coming on. Zvi Mowshowitz:       Sure, happy to be here. Scott Nelson:             Okay, so I'm going to start out our conversation with a quote from, I'm not sure if it's the founder or a founder, of MetaMed, Michael Vassar. Let me quote him first. He states, “We used to rely on doctors to be experts and we've gradually crowded them into being something like factory workers working in a constrained system where their job is to see one patient every 8 to 11 minutes and implement a by-the-book solution. What I'm talking about is ...

 Can This Service Solve the Problem of Information Overload in Healthcare? | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 3171

Information overload is an issue that all of us face. Finding a decent signal in the midst of a very noisy world is a difficult challenge. Few are able to master it on a consistent basis. And that includes doctors. Check out some of these stats: - 100,000 scientific journals are now in circulation.- 30,000 new clinical trials are funded annually.- 1,500 new articles are published every single day.In fact, if a general practitioner were to spend just five minutes reading each new article published on primary care, it would take 600 hours each month! Yes, that is information overload at its finest. But the end results are even more staggering: - Misdiagnosis is the leading cause of medical error in outpatient facilities.- 40 million patients experience delayed or poor care as a result of missing information, including historical examinations, tests, and medication reports.In this interview with Zvi Mowshowitz, CEO of MetaMed, we learn more about their second-opinion service that is taking on the information overload challenge within healthcare by enhancing medical diagnoses through a robust team of researchers and data analysts. And if you’re in the medtech space, as you listen to this conversation, think about how you could potenitally partner with services like MetaMed as we enter a new era of healthcare in which patients will be more empowered than ever before. Interview Highlights with Zvi Mowshowitz - What is MetaMed and why does personalized medicine matter?- Specific examples of how MetaMed has helped patients with both common and rare diseases.- From initial consultation to end product, what does the MetaMed process entail?- How much does the MetaMed service cost and will health insurance companies pay for it?- Two ways in which the MetaMed “personal health consultancy” can scale.- Will MetaMed face increased competition in the future?- Why Zvi transitioned from the gaming space to healthcare.This Is What You Can Do Next 1) You can listen to the interview with Zvi Mowshowitz right now:2) You can also download the mp3 file of the interview by clicking here. Don't forget – you can listen to this interview and all of the other Medsider interviews via iTunes. And if you get a chance, leave us an honest rating and review. 3) Read the following transcript from my interview with Zvi Mowshowitz. 4) Or, click here to download a copy of the transcript from my interview with Zvi. Read the Interview with Zvi Mowshowitz Scott Nelson: Hello, hello, everyone. It’s Scott Nelson, and welcome to another edition of Medsider, the place where you can learn from experienced med tech and medical device thought leaders, and on today’s program we've got Zvi Mowshowitz. He is the CEO of MetaMed. Zvi was a world-class strategist and gamer, and was a Magic: The Gathering World Champion, member of its Hall of Fame. After retiring from that, he founded a profitable startup that was eventually acquired by Pinnacle Sports. Zvi holds a degree in mathematics from Columbia University. Obviously, that was a more formal intro, but without further ado, welcome to the program, Zvi. Really appreciate you coming on. Zvi Mowshowitz: Sure, happy to be here. Scott Nelson: Okay, so I'm going to start out our conversation with a quote from, I'm not sure if it's the founder or a founder, of MetaMed, Michael Vassar. Let me quote him first. He states, “We used to rely on doctors to be experts and we've gradually crowded them into being something like factory workers working in a constrained system where their job is to see one patient every 8 to 11 minutes and implement a by-the-book solution. What I'm talking about is creating a new expert profession where doctors evolve in a more patient-focused and more caretaking profession, and then scientists to evolve into a more argument and critical analysis and management of technology ...

 Can Medical Device Companies Increase Sales and Reduce Costs at the Same Time? | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: Unknown

What do Stryker, Biomet, Medtronic, and Boston Scientific all have in common? Yes, they all manufacture medical devices. But more specifically, all four of these medtech companies have implantable device divisions. And from 2005 – 2011, the implantable device segment has been the most consistent top performer relative to other categories including: in vitro diagnostics, medical consumables, medical equipment, and diversified life sciences. But the times are quickly changing. Why? Well, the implantable devices segment has the highest SG&A expenses in comparison to the other previously mentioned categories. In fact, it’s estimated that orthopedic medical device companies spend $35B per year on sales support. Perhaps “bloated” is the best word to describe this situation? But it’s not just the implantable devices segment that may be in a for a rude awakening. Many medtech companies spend anywhere from 200-500% more on SG&A versus comparable high tech firms. And as gross margins for medical devices continue to be squeezed, all medtech companies (regardless of the specific product segment) will need to reevaluate their SG&A spend. One tool that may help in this process is MedPassage. In this interview with Gavin Fabian, cofounder and CEO, we learn how MedPassage is trying to build a more efficient medtech market through e-commerce and collaboration technologies. Interview Highlights with Gavin Fabian - What is MedPassage and how does the platform work? - How the idea for MedPassage was born. - Can MedPassage be considered the “anti-GPO”? - How MedPassage is overcoming the “chicken and egg” problem as they build out their network. - How have hospitals, surgery centers, and other healthcare providers responded to MedPassage?  And what has the response been like from medical device companies? - What types of medical products are moved through the MedPassage platform? - What cost savings do healthcare providers experience through the network? - How MedPassage reduces price exposure issues for medical device companies. - How do medical device companies transition to the MedPassage platform? - Can medical device companies charge for service and support through MedPassage? - How is MedPassage different than services like Wright Medical Direct and Novation Aptitude? - And much more… This Is What You Can Do Next 1) You can listen to the interview with Gavin Fabian right now: Download audio file (GavinFabian_MedsiderInterviews_2013.mp3) 2) You can also download the mp3 file of the interview by clicking here. Don't forget – you can listen to this interview and all of the other Medsider interviews via iTunes.  And if you get a chance, leave us an honest rating and review. 3) Read the following transcripts from my interview with Gavin Fabian. Read the Interview with Gavin Fabian I hate to have these interviews interrupted.  So before we dig in, listen to these quick messages: First, to get free email updates when another Medsider episode goes live, simply go to Medsider.com/free.  We don't send emails often.  But when we do, they're full of valuable content.  No spam…ever.  Just go to Medsider.com/free to sign up. Second, Medsider is on iTunes.  Just go to Medsider.com/iTunes and you can subscribe to the podcast for free.  That way, all the new episodes will automatically download to your iTunes account.  It's super easy.  Also, if you like the podcast, don't forget to rate it.  That really helps us out. Okay, for you ambitious doers…here's your program… Scott Nelson:    Hello, hello, everyone.  It’s Scott Nelson, and welcome to another edition of Medsider, the place where you can learn from proven and experienced med tech and medical device thought leaders. And on today’s program, we've got Gavin Fabian, who ...

 Can Medical Device Companies Increase Sales and Reduce Costs at the Same Time? | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 3402

What do Stryker, Biomet, Medtronic, and Boston Scientific all have in common? Yes, they all manufacture medical devices. But more specifically, all four of these medtech companies have implantable device divisions. And from 2005 – 2011, the implantable device segment has been the most consistent top performer relative to other categories including: in vitro diagnostics, medical consumables, medical equipment, and diversified life sciences. But the times are quickly changing. Why? Well, the implantable devices segment has the highest SG&A expenses in comparison to the other previously mentioned categories. In fact, it’s estimated that orthopedic medical device companies spend $35B per year on sales support. Perhaps “bloated” is the best word to describe this situation? But it’s not just the implantable devices segment that may be in a for a rude awakening. Many medtech companies spend anywhere from 200-500% more on SG&A versus comparable high tech firms. And as gross margins for medical devices continue to be squeezed, all medtech companies (regardless of the specific product segment) will need to reevaluate their SG&A spend. One tool that may help in this process is MedPassage. In this interview with Gavin Fabian, cofounder and CEO, we learn how MedPassage is trying to build a more efficient medtech market through e-commerce and collaboration technologies. Interview Highlights with Gavin Fabian - What is MedPassage and how does the platform work?- How the idea for MedPassage was born.- Can MedPassage be considered the “anti-GPO”?- How MedPassage is overcoming the “chicken and egg” problem as they build out their network.- How have hospitals, surgery centers, and other healthcare providers responded to MedPassage? And what has the response been like from medical device companies?- What types of medical products are moved through the MedPassage platform?- What cost savings do healthcare providers experience through the network?- How MedPassage reduces price exposure issues for medical device companies.- How do medical device companies transition to the MedPassage platform?- Can medical device companies charge for service and support through MedPassage?- How is MedPassage different than services like Wright Medical Direct and Novation Aptitude?- And much more…This Is What You Can Do Next 1) You can listen to the interview with Gavin Fabian right now:2) You can also download the mp3 file of the interview by clicking here. Don't forget – you can listen to this interview and all of the other Medsider interviews via iTunes. And if you get a chance, leave us an honest rating and review. 3) Read the following transcripts from my interview with Gavin Fabian. Read the Interview with Gavin Fabian I hate to have these interviews interrupted. So before we dig in, listen to these quick messages: First, to get free email updates when another Medsider episode goes live, simply go to Medsider.com/free. We don't send emails often. But when we do, they're full of valuable content. No spam…ever. Just go to Medsider.com/free to sign up. Second, Medsider is on iTunes. Just go to Medsider.com/iTunes and you can subscribe to the podcast for free. That way, all the new episodes will automatically download to your iTunes account. It's super easy. Also, if you like the podcast, don't forget to rate it. That really helps us out. Okay, for you ambitious doers…here's your program… Scott Nelson: Hello, hello, everyone. It’s Scott Nelson, and welcome to another edition of Medsider, the place where you can learn from proven and experienced med tech and medical device thought leaders. And on today’s program, we've got Gavin Fabian, who is the Cofounder and Chief Executive Officer of MedPassage. He cofounded MedPassage with the vision of creating a smarter med tech market where device ...

 Why Early Stage Medical Device Deals Aren’t as Bad as You May Think | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 3124

Warren Buffet is often quoted as stating, “The best time to be greedy is when others are fearful.” But can this same concept apply to the medtech space? Can limited partners (the investors in a venture fund) be sold on the idea of bankrolling early stage medical device companies? In this interview with Mike Carusi, General Partner at Lightstone Ventures, we learn why his firm believes the current medtech environment represents an incredible investment opportunity. Interview Highlights with Mike Carusi - Because of the challenges involved with raising money for early-stage medtech deals, will there be a large innovation gap in 7-10 years?- Is there any sort of mandate within large strategics to keep the medtech ecosystem alive?- For those “bloated” medical device startups that have raised $100+ million, how much pressure are they under?- Why early stage medical device companies should look at biotech and pharma in order to discover creative ways to fund companies.- Will the build-to-suit (“exclusive incubator”) trend continue?- VC firms win by trying to hit home runs versus singles. But if you can be efficient with capital, can hitting singles be a viable model? In other words, can Fred Khosravi's success be duplicated?- Is there room left for the traditional model of incremental product improvements (with minimal clinical data) at higher market prices? AKA the “fast follower” approach.- Are we in a renal denervation bubble?- How does a medtech engineer, physician, or entrepreneur get the attention of Mike and his VC colleagues?- What are medical device acquirers looking for in pre-revenue startups? In other words, what markets should startups be pursuing?- Best practices for “de-risking” a potential acquisition.- How Mike’s early experience in sales helped him throughout his medical device career.This Is What You Can Do Next 1) You can listen to the interview with Mike Carusi right now: 2) You can also download the mp3 file of the interview by clicking here Don't forget – you can listen to this interview and all of the other Medsider interviews via iTunes. And if you get a chance, leave us an honest rating and review. 3) Read the following transcripts from my interview with Mike Carusi. Read the Interview with Mike Carusi I hate to have these interviews interrupted. So before we dig in, listen to these quick messages: First, to get free email updates when another Medsider episode goes live, simply go to Medsider.com/free. We don't send emails often. But when we do, they're full of valuable content. No spam…ever. Just go to Medsider.com/free to sign up. Second, Medsider is on iTunes. Just go to Medsider.com/iTunes and you can subscribe to the podcast for free. That way, all the new episodes will automatically download to your iTunes account. It's super easy. Also, if you like the podcast, don't forget to rate it. That really helps us out. Okay, for you ambitious doers…here's your program… Scott Nelson: Hello, hello everyone. It’s Scott Nelson, and welcome to another edition of Medsider. For those of you who are new to the program, this is a show where I bring on experienced and proven med tech and medical device experts and ask as many questions as I can fit in in about 30 minutes. And on today’s program I’ve got Mike Carusi, who is a General Partner and Team Leader of Lightstone Ventures. He focuses on biopharmaceutical and medical device investments out of the firm’s Palo Alto office. Mike also joined Advanced Technology Ventures in 1998 and serves as a general partner. Some of his representative investments include Altura Medical, Ardian, which was acquired by Medtronic, EndoGastric Solutions, GI Dynamics, and several others. Mike was also featured on the 2011 Forbes Midas List of top technology investors. He is of course a recognized thought ...

 Why Early Stage Medical Device Deals Aren’t as Bad as You May Think | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: Unknown

Warren Buffet is often quoted as stating, “The best time to be greedy is when others are fearful.” But can this same concept apply to the medtech space? Can limited partners (the investors in a venture fund) be sold on the idea of bankrolling early stage medical device companies? In this interview with Mike Carusi, General Partner at Lightstone Ventures, we learn why his firm believes the current medtech environment represents an incredible investment opportunity. Interview Highlights with Mike Carusi - Because of the challenges involved with raising money for early-stage medtech deals, will there be a large innovation gap in 7-10 years? - Is there any sort of mandate within large strategics to keep the medtech ecosystem alive? - For those “bloated” medical device startups that have raised $100+ million, how much pressure are they under? - Why early stage medical device companies should look at biotech and pharma in order to discover creative ways to fund companies. - Will the build-to-suit (“exclusive incubator”) trend continue? - VC firms win by trying to hit home runs versus singles.  But if you can be efficient with capital, can hitting singles be a viable model?  In other words, can Fred Khosravi's success be duplicated? - Is there room left for the traditional model of incremental product improvements (with minimal clinical data) at higher market prices? AKA the “fast follower” approach. - Are we in a renal denervation bubble? - How does a medtech engineer, physician, or entrepreneur get the attention of Mike and his VC colleagues? - What are medical device acquirers looking for in pre-revenue startups?  In other words, what markets should startups be pursuing? - Best practices for “de-risking” a potential acquisition. - How Mike’s early experience in sales helped him throughout his medical device career. This Is What You Can Do Next 1) You can listen to the interview with Mike Carusi right now: Download audio file (MikeCarusi_MedsiderInterviews_2013.mp3) 2) You can also download the mp3 file of the interview by clicking here. Don't forget – you can listen to this interview and all of the other Medsider interviews via iTunes.  And if you get a chance, leave us an honest rating and review. 3) Read the following transcripts from my interview with Mike Carusi. Read the Interview with Mike Carusi I hate to have these interviews interrupted.  So before we dig in, listen to these quick messages: First, to get free email updates when another Medsider episode goes live, simply go to Medsider.com/free.  We don't send emails often.  But when we do, they're full of valuable content.  No spam…ever.  Just go to Medsider.com/free to sign up. Second, Medsider is on iTunes.  Just go to Medsider.com/iTunes and you can subscribe to the podcast for free.  That way, all the new episodes will automatically download to your iTunes account.  It's super easy.  Also, if you like the podcast, don't forget to rate it.  That really helps us out. Okay, for you ambitious doers…here's your program… Scott Nelson:    Hello, hello everyone.  It’s Scott Nelson, and welcome to another edition of Medsider. For those of you who are new to the program, this is a show where I bring on experienced and proven med tech and medical device experts and ask as many questions as I can fit in in about 30 minutes. And on today’s program I’ve got Mike Carusi, who is a General Partner and Team Leader of Lightstone Ventures. He focuses on biopharmaceutical and medical device investments out of the firm’s Palo Alto office. Mike also joined Advanced Technology Ventures in 1998 and serves as a general partner. Some of his representative investments include Altura Medical, Ardian, which was acquired by Medtronic, EndoGastric ...

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