Executive Summary Our medical device customers report that up to 70% of new product innovation is being created in the software domain. This represents an increase in both volume and complexity. How do you navigate that complexity with the rigorous compliance...
Background Apublicly traded medical device manufacturer with 33,000 employees and several international locations approached SPK and Associates for assistance in streamlining their validation processes. The validation process took months, but the customer wanted...
The beauty of business process automation How often have we entered the same information into two different systems and wondered, “Why do I have to waste my time doing this?” These are computers, aren’t they? Shouldn’t this information flow where it needs...
The importance of test management, especially in highly-regulated industries, cannot be overstated. Efficient management of testing requirements leads to safer products, effective production, and satisfied customers. The PTC Windchill Requirements Validation &...
An important part of creating any product intended for use in any regulated industry vertical is that the manufacturer should have identified all of the risks involved in using the device. Then, they must have done their best to mitigate those risks before their...
Overview In 2015, SPK and Associates co-founder Chris McHale spoke with Peter Thorne, Director at Cambashi, a Cambridge, England-based independent industry analyst firm. With his over 30 years of experience as a software engineer user, vendor, and now analyst, Peter’s...
The use of open source software (OSS) within the medical device industry is a double edged sword. On one end of the spectrum, you have freely available code that is available for the world to scrutinize. In the process, one would hope that bugs are more easily...
Device manufacturers have until this summer to ensure their devices comply with the EU's Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive – commonly called the RoHS Directive – to be able to earn CE Marking. In short, no RoHS compliance, no CE Marking, no selling in the...
Greater medical device interoperability and the adoption of commonly accepted standards could save the US in excess of $30B, suggests a West Health Institute report published in March. Lack of device interoperability creates significant waste and risk to patient...
With the push by big technology players (Cisco, Google, Intel, etc.) towards connectivity in everyday devices, cyber security is becoming more and more crucial. This push is even seen in medical device design as the industry begins to move toward cloud-integrated and...
As humans, we depend on feedback. Everyone likes feedback, whether a glance in the mirror, a friendly compliment or financial reward for a great job. Now thanks to the advancement of medical device design, high tech trends, and use of micro-computers, you can get...
In the past, medical device design focused on a standalone unit or a group of a couple devices that worked together. While that was a great idea, the number of compatibility issues that could occur also blocked connectivity to other devices. With the stream of new...