The medical device industry has seen substantial growth in past years and the need for innovative, value-driven devices is rising. The sustainability of the current healthcare system, however, is dependent on minimizing spend and maximizing resources to ensure that for each dollar spent, there is some improvement to the health and quality of life of the individual. In order to achieve the necessary value and quality in the design of new devices, more and more manufacturers are striving to develop a collaborative culture in which the needs of the patient and those of the end user, such as the nurse, physician or other care giver, are taken into account during the pre-development stage. James Donnelly, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer, Global VP, Medical, Scientific & Statistical Affairs, Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics says “it’s not just how the patient benefits from a product, procedure, or test result—it’s everybody in between us and the patient that also need to be considered. It’s how the device and its functions will fit into their workflow and how it will add value to their system. You can build the best product in the world, but if they can’t use it in a way that is efficient and cost effective for them, it will fail.” “Device manufacturers need to look now and act fast to understand whether or not, in this changing environment, they are still creating products that represent today’s definition of state-of-the-art while anticipating what is needed in the future,” Donnelly says. “By bringing the patient and user perspective …