2022 Medical Device Technology Trends
In the past two years, the global economy has been hit hard by the spread of the new crown epidemic, forcing more and more companies to fully embrace digital transformation, and the medical device industry is no exception.
To gain an in-depth look at some of the technology trends for 2022, we spent months interviewing medical device manufacturers and industry experts and inviting them to talk about 2022 technology trends.
Here are five recognized trends across industries that resonate with customers in the medical device market in particular.
01. Manufacturers are fully embracing digital transformation, and industrial cloud services are taking the lead
Industrial cloud services provide a shared platform (or multiple interconnected platforms) with functions such as data normalization, enterprise-level workflow automation, and comprehensive business intelligence customization. Next-generation industry cloud services can improve responsiveness, visibility and collaboration along the entire value chain, resulting in faster time-to-market, higher customer satisfaction and lower operating costs, ultimately creating exceptional value for consumers.
02. Medical technology will accelerate integration with high-tech to speed up product launch
High-tech manufacturers, especially those in the wearable device business, have transformed themselves into the device itself and software as a medical device (SaMD). At the same time, medical devices are becoming increasingly interconnected, setting off a revolution in the concept of patient care services in just a few years. High-tech manufacturers fully recognize the need and value of incorporating quality and compliance management into the design process, while medtech companies are eager to improve the efficiency and speed of their product development processes.
03. Incorporating quality and compliance management early in the product life cycle is an important guarantee for product development
Integrating quality and compliance management into the product development process can help reduce time-to-market, reduce costs, and improve long-term quality. Most manufacturers focus on quality and compliance only from the production stage until the end of the product. Finding and fixing quality issues from production to shipment is only half the problem. In 2022, incorporating quality and compliance management into the product development process can help medical device manufacturers improve performance while increasing long-term customer satisfaction.
04. The market lacks a big-picture view of long-term supply chain transformation, which will have a major impact in the coming years
The long-term supply chain transformation has just begun. If the medical device industry relies too much on overseas resources or prepares to transfer its strategy to domestic/surrounding resources, it is undoubtedly necessary to formulate a proper response plan. The long-term decoupling of China and the United States will completely change the global low-cost procurement supply chain model formed in the past 30 years. China’s supply chain isn’t going away—if anything, it’s growing in importance globally. But for some manufacturers, breaking away from countries like China is a headache. If you happen to be involved, it’s best to plan ahead and plan a new supply chain strategy early.
05. Inflation continues to increase
In 2021, U.S. inflation soars to 6.8%, the highest since 1982, and the momentum is likely to continue. Unfortunately, the tide of rising costs of raw materials, daily necessities, and parts and components will also spread to the medical device industry. The shift from a global single-line supply chain to a decentralized redundant supply chain will stimulate the procurement costs of medical device manufacturers and exacerbate production costs. Manufacturers with a digital mindset can quickly adjust to lower cost, lower risk components of the same or higher quality with comprehensive insight into multiple suppliers, thereby reducing expenses. But most medical device manufacturers have little awareness of this, and a slight supply chain disruption could force them to switch to higher-cost suppliers, which in turn will pass the cost on to consumers.
It is undeniable that market conditions such as supply chain disruptions caused by the early stage of the epidemic will be difficult to reverse in the short term, and may even worsen. Not only is the gap in demand an inconvenience, it can also hinder growth and the emergence of new business opportunities, but capturing some of these technology trends in 2022 will help companies stay ahead of the competition.
Source: Medtec Medical Device Design and Manufacturing
Cheersonic is the leading developer and manufacturer of ultrasonic coating systems for applying precise, thin film coatings to protect, strengthen or smooth surfaces on parts and components for the microelectronics/electronics, alternative energy, medical and industrial markets, including specialized glass applications in construction and automotive.
