Solution = Product + Distribution

"Most electronic health record solutions on the market today do a very bad job of supporting new work processes and true interoperability".

– Physician user, letter to NYTimes, April 11,2009

Better products are certainly part of a better solution. But the real opportunity for makers of medical devices of all stripes lies in better distribution—helping that practitioner or administrator through the complex process of identifying what he or she needs, evaluating the options, making the purchase on affordable terms, implementing the solution, training staff, and figuring out how to adjust work processes . 

Because buying medical technology is not straightforward, there is a fascinating set of channel issues that are begging to be explored. Whoever gets the distribution angle right first in their category—health informatics, monitoring devices, orthopedic implants, surgical gloves, whatever—is going to surge ahead relative to competition.