TITLE:
Open Innovation and Involvement of End-Users in the Medical Device Technologies’ Design & Development Process: End-Users’ Perspectives
AUTHORS:
Selim Hani, Nathalie de Marcellis-Warin
KEYWORDS:
Medical Device Technologies, Open Innovation, End-Users’ Involvement
JOURNAL NAME:
Technology and Investment,
Vol.7 No.3,
August
12,
2016
ABSTRACT: Literature and Regulatory bodies growing interest in End-Users’ implication in Medical Device
Technologies (MDTs) development processes are a clear proof of the importance of this involvement
and the positive impacts it can have on the development, implementation and use of MDTs,
thus subsequent improvements in healthcare services’ delivery. However, existing research has
mainly been focused on the theoretical importance of this involvement, and the manufacturers’
views and attitudes, with little attention focused on End-Users’ concerns and thoughts concerning
this process. The aim of this paper is to identify the perspectives of Nurses and Doctors as the best
representatives of MDT End-Users, regarding their own involvement in MDT development processes.
The results of 49 semi-structured interviews conducted with End-Users, helped identify a number
of high-level themes: 1) End-Users’ conflicting perspective with that of manufacturers regarding
the impact of their involvement in MDT development; 2) End-Users’ concerns regarding the nature
of their contribution, its level and their suggestions for a potential amelioration. These results reveal
the importance End-Users attach to their involvement in MDT development processes, and
the added value they perceive for the proper development as well as upgrade of MDTs. It also underlines
many concerns they have regarding the current patterns of involvement, and suggests
their recommendations for a standardization of this process, with input on forms and levels of involvement.