Medtech innovation guide : an empiric model to support medical technology innovation

Innovation has become increasingly important for most industries to cope with rapid technological changes as well as changing societal needs. Even though there are many sectors with specific needs when it comes to supporting innovation, the medical technology sector is facing several unique challenges that both increases the lead-time from idea to finished product and decreases the number of innovations that are developed. This paper presents a proposed innovation guide that has been developed and evaluated as a support for the innovation process within medical technology research. The guide takes the unique characteristics of the medical technology sector into account and serves as a usable guide for the innovator. The complete guide contains both a structure for the process and a usable web application to support the journey from idea to finished products and services. The paper also includes a new readiness level, Sect. 4.2 to provide support both when developing and determining the readiness for clinical implementation of a medical technology innovation.