Innovation vs. Impact: A Judge’s Guide to Winning MedTech Awards

In a recent episode of TAG’D: Beyond the Award, returning judge MaryBeth Privitera, PhD, shared her seasoned perspective on what truly makes a MedTech & Life Sciences innovation worthy of recognition. Fresh off her retirement from the University of Cincinnati and embarking on a "design revival," she focuses her insights on the intersection of human factors, product design, and real-world clinical impact.

Product Design is the Most Important Variable

For Privitera, the design is the cornerstone of a successful product. She emphasizes that good design is entirely context-dependent, meaning what works for one user (e.g., a physician) may not work for another (e.g., a tired nurse or a patient).

An interesting idea is separated from an impactful solution not only by scientific merit but also by the ability to successfully navigate trade-offs. The goal is a manufacturable and commercially viable solution that balances competing variables (e.g., long-lasting battery and lightweight design are often incompatible) to create a product that effectively improves health.

The Regulatory vs. Business Challenge

A common refrain in the industry is that regulatory bodies, like the FDA, impede innovation. Privitera strongly argues against this "age-old excuse," contending that the FDA and a company fundamentally want the same thing: a safe and effective product.

The added cost and time in medical device development come from the necessary rigor and testing, particularly in human factors, that are not required for consumer electronics. Regulatory demands evidence for a validated, usable product, which has nothing to do with whether the product has a competitive business model, a separate challenge companies must solve.

Weaknesses and Strengths in Award Submissions

To create a high-performing award entry, MedTech and BioTech companies must focus on a compelling and complete narrative.

• Critical Weakness: The primary weakness she observes is that entries often fail to tell the complete story. They focus on what the product is and who it's for, but neglect the most interesting and crucial part: its impact on clinicians, patient health, and lives.
• Best Practices: Short, effective videos are "100% helpful." They create a "show me situation" that visually explains the details of product design and its use case. However, attention spans are shorter than ever, so videos must be concise to deliver the 'nugget' of information quickly.

Key Industry Trends and Collaboration

Privitera is closely following the integration of new technology to enhance current care methodology, citing her work with the augmented reality company SentiAR. She stresses that integrating new technology into existing hospital systems is difficult due to IT and infrastructure challenges. Startups must effectively communicate the value of their product to facilitate this change.

She also champions collaboration between the medical device industry and end-users. While historically difficult to observe care in hospitals, new initiatives (like those from the American Hospital Association) are making contextual inquiry more accessible, allowing startups to work out kinks and ensure their innovations solve the right problems before commercial launch.

Finally, she notes that third-party recognition is vital for building a startup’s reputation, bringing awareness to the clinical market, and serving as a powerful tool to attract future engineers and regulators to an "award-winning company."

In addition to her consulting work, MaryBeth Privitera is working on the next edition of her book, Applied Human Factors in Design.