Over the past 25 years, I have observed a remarkable evolution in the role medical devices play within the broader healthcare ecosystem. From bulky, standalone instruments used primarily in acute care settings and operated by specialized staff, we’re now entering an era defined by smaller, intelligent, digitally connected devices – used in varied settings and by a wider group of healthcare professionals. Today, AI-powered innovations enable providers to access real-time data and, more importantly, obtain actionable insights into a patient’s health status – right at their preferred point of care. This shift is helping move healthcare from episodic, snapshot-based interventions to continuous, smart monitoring. As we continue to innovate, we must remain focused on addressing the evolving needs of patients, providers, health systems, and policymakers – designing solutions that benefit the entire ecosystem.
Patients: As our devices transition from traditional clinical settings into more distributed environments such as the home, one principle must remain constant: advancing patient care and safety. Today’s patients expect healthcare to be convenient, accessible, and tailored to their unique needs. By designing intelligent devices that allow faster, accurate detection of conditions – and using automation to enable timely actions like medication dispensing – we can make care more responsive and personalized.
Providers: Healthcare professionals today operate in increasingly complex and challenging environments – surrounded by a growing number of devices, screens, and data streams that often lack the ability to provide meaningful insights. This digital overload hinders their ability to focus on delivering high-quality patient care. To truly support them, we must move beyond disjointed applications and invest in seamless, connected experiences that enable informed decision making. By using AI to transform complex monitoring data into clear, real-time insights, we can also democratize clinical intelligence – extending critical knowledge beyond specialists and enabling a broader community of providers to deliver high-quality care.
Health systems: We know that our health systems are under immense pressure, facing rising costs, funding cuts and critical workforce shortages. We have a unique opportunity to help alleviate these burdens through innovations that support clinicians and improve patient care. By harnessing the data collected from our devices and gaining visibility into care delivery across diverse settings – from ICUs to hospital-at-home programs – we can generate transformative insights that support decision-making at both the micro level (individual patient and unit optimization) and the macro level (system-wide shifts in care delivery). These optimizations can enhance outcomes, elevate the experience for both patients and providers, and drive meaningful cost savings for health systems.
Public-Private partnerships: To fully realize the promise of connected care, collaboration between industry and government is essential. Policymakers play a critical role in shaping regulatory and reimbursement frameworks that support innovation and affordability, especially in underserved or rural communities. Public-private partnerships can accelerate access by aligning incentives, streamlining approval pathways, and supporting pilots-for-scale that validate impact across diverse populations.
As we stand at the intersection of technology and care, the MedTech industry has a profound opportunity to redefine our role – from device manufacturers to enablers of smarter, safer, and human-centered care.
Bilal Mushin, EVP and President, Connected Care Segment, BD
