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Hi ,
In this edition of the newsletter, we’re looking back on a couple of recent episodes of our podcast, the Health Connective Show, that focused on innovation in medtech.
These guests, Eric Muehlbauer, CEO of the North American Spine Society (NASS), and Dr. Bipin Patel, CEO of electronRx, are two of the voices that are helping to shape the future of medtech innovation. Our conversations with them offer a candid look at the pressures and potential within our industry—from building meaningful technologies to reshaping how we connect with physicians and patients. |
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Highlights from the Episodes:
1. Innovation Has a Roadmap—But It’s Not Linear
“A lot of good products don’t go anywhere because they just can’t get a toehold in the market.” – Eric Muehlbauer
In our discussion with Eric, he broke down the challenges startups face in today’s spine and orthopedic ecosystem—from hospital consolidation to complex reimbursement hurdles. His goal with NASS is to demystify the process for startups in the spine space and offer a sounding board for those in the industry. |
2. Embracing Failure as a Catalyst
Eric shared that the upcoming NASS Innovation Summit includes “Fail Tales and Cocktails,” a networking-driven session dedicated to real startup setbacks and lessons learned. It’s a refreshing departure from the highlight-reel culture and offers marketers an authentic lens into the medtech journey.
Rand Fishkin hosts a similar type of event with his company, Sparktoro, called SparkTogether. It’s a closed, no-recordings-allowed session where marketers can share with one another. This kind of strategy is something that medtech companies could adopt internally, because failures DO happen, and understanding what went wrong can help you do things differently in the future. |
3. Marketing as a Strategic Lever, Not an Afterthought
“It’s not just about technology anymore. We need to become better storytellers.” – Dr. Bipin Patel
Dr. Patel emphasizes how marketing is now central to medtech growth—the technology alone isn’t enough for startups to make an impact. You have to be able to tell the story of how your product can really help people and make a difference in the world if you want it to catch on. |
4. AI & Multidimensional Thinking Are Reshaping Go-to-Market Strategy
AI isn’t just speeding up workflows—it’s shifting the very foundation of how we learn, communicate, and compete. Dr. Patel calls on medtech leaders to embrace “multi-dimensional thinking,” where domain knowledge meets AI-driven insight. |
Key Takeaways For Medtech Marketers
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Lead with Empathy & Truth: Events like "Fail Tales" highlight the power of vulnerability and storytelling. Drop the buzzwords. Focus on real, relatable impact.
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Marketing Fuels Innovation: It’s not a support function—it’s a strategic driver for adoption, funding, and differentiation.
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AI is Changing the Game: From summarizing meetings to simulating patient interactions, AI can extend your team’s capabilities—if guided by the right insights.
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Listen & Learn
Catch the full conversations with Eric and Dr. Patel on the Health Connective Show:
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Or add to your queue on these networks: |
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Let’s Keep the Conversation Going
What’s your take on the evolving role of marketers in medtech? We’d love to hear your perspective.
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