Consultant Insights: Developing Digital Ecosystems Around Medical Devices

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In this Episode

• 02:32 The Importance of Integrated Experiences
• 05:43 Stakeholder Feedback and Communication
• 08:41 Building a Cohesive Digital Ecosystem
• 14:22 Challenges in Different Surgical Specialties
• 17:29 Learning from Industry Leaders

Quotes From This Episode

There’s a lot of stakeholders. There’s a lot of people who need a lot of things in the digital space surrounding the device. You build the device, the device is doing a great job, but that’s not enough. How are you getting updated documentation, IFUs, the kind of critical information back out to your customers in an updated manner, in a compliant manner, right? Someone’s gonna have to solve that problem.

Justin Bantuelle

If the device is not a consistent experience with then these digital solutions that are surrounding it, you’re not gonna look like you really know what you’re doing. You’re gonna create a lot of friction points for your customer. Your overall brand experience gets harmed as a result of it.

Justin Bantuelle

Take a phased approach. It’s something we’re always advocating, but plan a cogent roadmap. Make sure you know where you’re trying to go and communicate that out so that when you’re developing phase one, you’re not digging a hole for yourself and having to redo a bunch of stuff in phase two or phase three.

Justin Bantuelle

Building Digital Ecosystems Around Medical Devices: Why Integration Matters More Than Ever

In the rapidly evolving landscape of medical robotics and devices, success isn’t just about engineering excellence anymore. As Health Connective’s leadership team recently discussed, companies that thrive understand a crucial truth: the device itself is only part of the equation. The real competitive advantage lies in creating a comprehensive digital ecosystem that supports every stakeholder, from surgeons and hospitals to field service teams and engineers.

Beyond the Robot: Why Digital Ecosystems Matter

The core challenge facing medical device companies today is deceptively simple yet profoundly complex: how do you create an integrated experience that serves all your stakeholders effectively? As Scott Zeitzer, President of Health Connective, explains, it fundamentally comes down to feedback loops. “You have this desire for your robot to be great in its first round…Well, that requires good feedback.”

But feedback alone isn’t enough. The real value emerges when companies break down the silos that naturally form between departments. Marketing needs to know what sales is doing. Field service insights should inform engineering decisions. Hospital administrators and surgeons often have different priorities that need to be balanced. Without a cohesive digital strategy, these groups operate in isolation, missing critical opportunities for improvement and innovation.

The Hidden Cost of Fragmentation

Justin Bantuelle, COO of Health Connective, paints a vivid picture of what happens when digital solutions develop organically without coordination. Different departments build their own tools. Documentation systems don’t talk to training platforms. Engineers create data dashboards while a separate team builds physician interfaces that contain the same information.

The result? Companies find themselves “treading water,” updating multiple disconnected applications with each device iteration. This creates friction for customers and dilutes their brand experience. Worse yet, they’re likely paying to solve the same problem multiple times across different departments.

Learning from the Leaders (Without Copying Them)

Intuitive Surgical’s dominance in the surgical robotics space offers valuable lessons, but not necessarily a template to copy. Their extensive ecosystem was developed over years with significant funding, which may not be the right model for every company. The key insight isn’t to replicate what Intuitive has built, but to understand the principle: your digital ecosystem should solve the specific problems your customers face.

Different surgical specialties have vastly different needs. Orthopedic procedures might prioritize inventory management and reordering systems. Soft tissue robotics might need more sophisticated data analytics for procedure variability. ASC settings have different requirements than hospital ORs. One size doesn’t fit all.

A Practical Roadmap for Building Your Ecosystem

Phase 1: Assessment and Planning

Start by mapping out all stakeholder needs across your organization. Who needs what information? What problems are they trying to solve? Where are the overlaps? This isn’t just about customer-facing features; you should also consider internal needs for engineering, field service, sales, and marketing teams.

Phase 2: Prioritize Ruthlessly

Not everything needs to be built at once. As Bantuelle emphasizes, “Take a phased approach…plan a cogent roadmap.” Identify your minimum viable ecosystem. What absolutely must exist for your device to succeed in the market? Often, this includes:

• Updated documentation delivery systems
• Basic performance data dashboards
• Training and educational materials
• Inventory/reordering capabilities (where applicable)

Phase 3: Build for Integration, Not Isolation

When developing solutions, think platform, not point solutions. Can your physician data dashboard share infrastructure with engineering analytics? Can your documentation system also handle training materials? Every isolated solution you build becomes technical debt you’ll carry forward.

Phase 4: Listen, Iterate, and Pivot

Your Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) at major institutions will have different needs than surgeons at ambulatory surgical centers. What seems critical in planning meetings might prove less important once deployed. Build in feedback mechanisms and be prepared to pivot based on real-world usage.

The Time-Saving Principle

When evaluating what to build, Bantuelle offers a powerful guiding principle: “How do I save my customers time?” This extends beyond procedural efficiency. Consider the entire workflow: case documentation, administrative tasks, training requirements, inventory management. Every minute saved outside the OR is a minute that can be spent on patient care or additional procedures.

Avoiding Common Pitfalls

The Perfection Trap

Companies that spend years perfecting their ecosystem before launch often find the market has moved on. Start with a solid foundation and iterate based on actual user feedback.

The Copycat Syndrome

Just because a competitor has a feature doesn’t mean you need it. Your niche might have entirely different priorities.

The Silo Spiral

Once departments start building separate solutions, integration becomes exponentially harder. Establish governance early.

Your Next Steps

If you’re developing a medical device or already have one in the market, here’s your action plan:

1. Audit Your Current State: Map all existing digital touchpoints and tools across your organization.
2. Identify Your Champions: Find someone who can bridge technical and business stakeholders.
3. Define Your Minimum Viable Ecosystem: What do you absolutely need to support your device effectively?
4. Create a Phased Roadmap: Plan 6, 12, and 24-month horizons with clear milestones.
5. Budget Appropriately: Include digital ecosystem development in your financial planning from day one.
6. Seek External Perspective: Consider bringing in consultants who’ve built these systems before.

The Bottom Line

As Scott Zeitzer succinctly puts it: “It’s not just about the robot. It’s how you support the robot and how you support the people who are using the robot.” In today’s competitive landscape, having an excellent device is table stakes. The companies that will thrive are those that recognize the device is just the beginning. Success comes from creating an integrated digital ecosystem that makes everyone’s job easier, provides actionable insights, and ultimately improves patient outcomes.

The message is clear: start planning your digital ecosystem strategy now, even if your device is still in development. Because by the time you’re ready to launch, having that supporting infrastructure won’t be a nice-to-have, it will be the difference between success and failure in an increasingly connected healthcare world.

Note: This written summary of the podcast episode has been created by an AI language model and is intended to provide general information. While we strive to deliver accurate and reliable content, it may not always reflect the latest developments or expert opinions.