Brandon Black

We may be witnessing the early days of the bundling of surgical and interventional platforms of robots. It may also add credence to heading to the ASC’s right now if you are going to be releasing a surgical or interventional robotic platform any time soon. Reminder to not fight a kickboxer in a ring. Drag the fight to a phone booth. The strategy that Intuitive is using that is one of the critical components to the rapid deployment of the Ion system as well as its new Davinci 5 Tower is in plain sight if you are willing to look. It is happening on a few fronts. Intuitive’s sales and clinical teams from soft tissue have paved the way for the Ion system. The bundling potential of digital surgical and interventional robotic platforms with this playbook should be horrifying to the large strategics. Stryker is feeling it on their 1788 towers reorder / upgrade plans. Whereas until the release of the DaVinci 5, there would be a brand affinity as well as technical advantage to the current stack holder incumbent in the OR. Not so fast. Even the best Stryker reps are starting to hear from hospitals, “Instead of ordering five of the 1788’s, we are going to order three, because we can utilize the tower on the incoming DaVinci 5 System”. There is concern. While Johnson & Johnson with their #Monarch System and Noah Medical with #Galaxy are trying to grab market share while Intuitive is using its existing customer base built over time through the Si, Xi, and now Davinci 5 to plow through and grab the early users. That conversation with the squad of Intuitive soft tissue and Ion sales and clinical teams together goes something like: Want to trade out or upgrade your current Intuitive soft-tissue system? Sure thing. Why don’t we trade out the three Xi’s for a few Davinci 5’s and we will throw in two Ion Systems into the deal, no charge. 1-year lease – no problem Fee per use – no problem We will come back around and renew the lease with our next amazing platform. Yes, that’s the sound of a door being slammed shut on competition. When you can dominate on the economic front, technical front, and have a stronghold in soft tissue and then start to use that playbook and a powerful lever arm into other markets, the outcomes are not too difficult to extrapolate. The emerging endoluminal and endovascular markets are even bigger than the current soft tissue robotics market. Intuitive is going there. Currently it will likely be hospital based as the economics and influence are more easily scalable there. As a competitor, how far is too far gone? When do you decide to get into the fight or not into the fight with a massively successful digital surgery / interventional robot so that you can claim excellence to battle against the incumbent? Is there a way to leverage bundling strategies from the other end on your current position with other products you sell into the hospital? How much time do you have?

189

34 Comments

𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝟐-𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐎𝐑/𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝐜𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐚 𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 $𝟑𝟔𝟒,𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝐢𝐧 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐮𝐞. An ASC is likely at least $215,000. 𝑺𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒄𝒂𝒔𝒉, 𝒉𝒐𝒎𝒊𝒆. But it's worse than that. Imagine a patient who hasn't eaten all day long in anticipation of his/her surgery being told "Hey, we are going to delay your case 2-3 more hours because we don't have the equipment ready". Remember, patient experience surveys are tied to Medicare reimbursements... "𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒕'𝒔 𝒂 𝒍𝒐𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒆𝒔𝒆" 𝒂𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑴𝑩𝑨𝒔 𝒔𝒂𝒚. Imagine a surgeon who brings his/her surgical cases to your hospital or ASC being told... "We don't have enough equipment because of a hole in a wrapper, so we are going to cancel your case." If your cases migrate down the street, you'll have big revenue problems. 𝐋𝐨𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐣𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐞 𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐭. The only way to stop this from happening is to look at new technology. It could be software. It could a process improvement. It could be a medical technology that accelerates current processes. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐝𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐀𝐒𝐂𝐬. A small investment in SPD can mean saving hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost revenue. Thinking Parallel versus Sequentially helps. And by the way? Patients AND staff like it. Not all staff. But most do. #sterileprocessing #sales #medicaldevices

126

23 Comments

Paying homage to pioneers in restoring spinal balance like Dr. Pierre Roussouly (Lyon, France) and Prof. jc le huec (Bordeaux, France), whose foundational work has shaped our understanding how to maintain or restore spinal alignment in the management of spinal pathologies. It’s exciting to see the torch carried forward by leaders like Dr. Alan H. Daniels, MD and Dr. Bassel George Diebo, MD (Providence, RI), whose recent contributions highlight the critical importance of proper spine realignment specifically in lumbar degenerative spine pathologies. The evolution of our field continues to be driven by these incredible minds, pushing boundaries for better patient outcomes. #spinesurgery #spinalalignment #surgicalprecision #patientoutcomes

4

It's Sales Manager Monday! Let's be real—too many medical sales reps cruise through their territories like tourists hoping for a miracle. They hit the big accounts, say "hi" to a few docs, grab a coffee, and call it a day. Meanwhile, there's a TON of potential just sitting there, waiting to be tapped. If you're a sales leader, here's how to encourage and help your team to get more of what they were hired to do: 1. Get Curious, Not Comfortable: Encourage reps to step out of their comfort zones. There are stakeholders they've never met, facilities they've never visited, and departments they haven't even thought of calling on. Why? Because it's "easier" to stick with the usual suspects. Time to develop some new relationships and expand opportunities! 2. Bigger Isn't Always Better: Every rep wants to land the high-volume surgeon or account. Remind your team that average volume accounts generate steady business. Plus the "hot" customers are courted by everyone, and at some point there's a higher chance they'll leave you. Take care of your average sized accounts and they can stay with you for life. 3. Know Thy Competition: If your reps don't know who they're up against, they're just running blind. Is your competitor dropping the ball somewhere? Look for opportunities such as competitive backorders and recalls. These can be some of the best opportunities for a rep to get their foot in the door. 4. Creative Access 101: Getting in front of HCPs is like trying to get into an exclusive club. They need to feel like you're going to add something to the practice, not just take up space and distract. There are multiple ways to get in front of prospects that don't require spending a small fortune on lunch and being seen as a glorified Uber delivery driver. Make sure your reps can convey what the prospect gets in exchange for their time—it must be a tangible benefit. The delivery method of the message doesn't matter; the ability to make the prospect CURIOUS about how to solve an issue they care about does! And once your reps are in the door... 5. Know How to Sell to HCPs: Too many reps leave tons of money on the table by defaulting to product-focused sales pitches when they feel the time pressure of selling to doctors and other busy professionals. One of a sales leader's main jobs it to make sure their reps have the skills to have critical conversations that convert business. If they don't know how, get them some help. Your team's territory is loaded with potential if they dig deeper. No more cherry-picking the obvious wins—it's time to work smart, uncover new opportunities, and stop leaving easy money on the table. And if you're a sales rep instead of a sales leader, it's okay to ask for help. In fact, it's one of the best things you can do if you want to sell more and earn more. Ask your managers what you need! If you're a sales leader, what's the best "outside-the-box" strategy you've used to help your team unlock hidden potential?

40

8 Comments

BiVACOR® Implants First-in-Human Total Artificial Heart at The Texas Heart Institute as a bridge to heart transplant Houston, Texas, July 25, 2024 – The Texas Heart Institute (THI) and BiVACOR®, a clinical-stage medical device company, announced today the successful first-in-human implantation of the BiVACOR Total Artificial Heart (TAH) as part of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Early Feasibility Study (EFS). BiVACOR’s TAH is a titanium-constructed biventricular rotary blood pump with a single moving part that utilizes a magnetically levitated rotor that pumps the blood and replaces both ventricles of a failing heart. The first-in-human clinical study aims to evaluate the safety and performance of the BiVACOR TAH as a bridge-to-transplant solution for patients with severe biventricular heart failure or univentricular heart failure in which left ventricular assist device support is not recommended. Following this first implantation completed at Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center in the Texas Medical Center, four additional patients are to be enrolled in the study. “The Texas Heart Institute is enthused about the groundbreaking first implantation of BiVACOR’s TAH. With heart failure remaining a leading cause of mortality globally, the BiVACOR TAH offers a beacon of hope for countless patients awaiting a heart transplant,” said Dr. Joseph Rogers, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Texas Heart Institute and National Principal Investigator on the research. “We are proud to be at the forefront of this medical breakthrough, working alongside the dedicated teams at BiVACOR, Baylor College of Medicine, and Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center to transform the future of heart failure therapy for this vulnerable population.” Daniel Timms, PhD, Founder and Chief Technology Officer of BiVACOR said, “I’m incredibly proud to witness the successful first-in-human implant of our TAH. This achievement would not have been possible without the courage of our first patient and their family, the dedication of our team, and our expert collaborators at The Texas Heart Institute. Utilizing advanced MAGLEV technology, our TAH brings us one step closer to providing a desperately needed option for people with end-stage heart failure who require support while waiting for a heart transplant. I look forward to continuing the next phase of our clinical trial.” Heart failure is a global epidemic affecting at least 26 million people worldwide, 6.2 million adults in the U.S., and is increasing in prevalence. Heart transplantations are reserved for those with severe heart failure and are limited to fewer than 6,000 procedures per year globally. Media Contacts: Inquiries related to the BiVACOR: Alexander Romero-Wilson, Health Commerce [email protected]

157

2 Comments

3️⃣ ways a device broker is positioned to better serve surgeons. 👇 🔹🚫Non-Competes A truly independent medical device broker isn’t bound by a non-compete. This freedom allows us to serve customers in a differentiated and unique way. 🔹🗺️ Geographic Freedom A broker can generally help surgeons access products irrespective of where they live and practice. 🔹⬆️ Commissions Higher commission rates creates margin, and margin better positions a broker to help blend price and service. This balance is especially important in the ASC setting. #medicaldevicebroker #orthopedicsurgeon #orthopedics #ascdx

69

10 Comments

Some cadaveric educational skills labs are worth posting. Today in Ohio I had a surprised visit by Dr. Josue Gabriel, MD a fellow Bohlman fellow trained Orthopedic Spine Surgeon and co-founder. We designed a lot of products together since 2007 and today we revisited FacetFuse and how slick it was to be the first to introduce power drills, taps and screw driver in 2008-9 for transfacet pedicle screws. Angel Walker and I are usually on different coasts today he popped in by special request from Abdul Shahid for a Sacrix case tomorrow. The movement is building at the grassroots state by state, city by city and doctor by doctor willing to change the future today. Thanks for hosting us Dr Mehta. LESS is More. LESS Exposure Spine Surgery Learn more: www.NANISX.com Invest with us to make: LESS Exposure Advanced Spine Technologies (LEAST) Be a member. Be an owner. Invest. www.KICventures.com KIC Ventures NANISX Inspan Sacrix FacetFuse NanoFUSE Biologics MISquito #LESS #LESSExposure #Spine #surgery #invest #Orthopedic

23

Such good tips! I really enjoy this podcast

1

Types of Bronchiectasis…

4

1 Comment

𝑵𝒐𝒏𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒆𝒕𝒆 𝑼𝒑𝒅𝒂𝒕𝒆: 𝐀 𝐟𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐓𝐞𝐱𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐢𝐧𝐣𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐓𝐂s 𝐧𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐧. 𝐔.𝐒. 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐭 𝐉𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐀𝐝𝐚 𝐁𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐓𝐂 "𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐮𝐥𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐧-𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐞 𝐫𝐮𝐥𝐞," 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐬 "𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐢𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬." What does all of this mean for #orthopedic Reps❓ NOTHING... This has been in the news and talked about for several years and we are no closer to having non-compete's banned. This could be tied up in courts for years... 𝐌𝐲 𝐒𝐮𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐓𝐨 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐬 𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐖𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐓𝐨 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐒𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧... 🔹 Clearly articulate what you want your career to look like. Most people in all walks of life cannot articulate what "winning" looks like to them. You may find that what you are currently doing is what you want. 🔹 Make A Plan For Your Exit “𝑰𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒇𝒂𝒊𝒍 𝒕𝒐 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒏, 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝒇𝒂𝒊𝒍!” 𝑩𝒆𝒏𝒋𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒏 𝑭𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒌𝒍𝒊𝒏 Talk with others that have done what you want to do. Ask them what they would do differently. Ask them what they did well. 🔹 Implement Your Plan  "𝑫𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒊𝒕. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝑵𝑬𝑽𝑬𝑹 𝒃𝒆 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕."  𝑵𝒂𝒑𝒐𝒍𝒆𝒐𝒏 𝑯𝒊𝒍𝒍 A well-executed plan could take some time to implement. 𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗻𝗼𝗻-𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗼 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗽𝘂𝗿𝘀𝘂𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁, 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗮𝘆 𝗯𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗟𝗢𝗡𝗚 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲❗ #zimmerbiomet #depuysynthes #stryker #smithnephew

38

22 Comments