Sam Brusco, Associate Editor05.03.22
On April 27, more than 200 people representing all corners of the orthopedic device industry gathered in the University of Memphis FedEx School of Technology's 'The Zone'—a technologically outfitted lecture hall reminiscent of the United Nations' headquarters—to attend this year's ODT Forum, a full day of presentations and panel discussions covering critical topics in orthopedic technology.
The biannual conference and networking event previously took place in 2019 at the very same location. Although the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the event by one year, the 2022 ODT Forum’s attendance rocketed upward almost 30% from the previous meeting.
After ODT publisher Howard Revitch warmly welcomed attendees to this year’s conference, Stryker’s VP and GM of Foot and Ankle Patrick Fisher welcomed them to Memphis and explained why the area was so important to the orthopedic industry—the most significant point being major orthopedic device manufacturers Stryker, Smith+Nephew, Medtronic Spine, MicroPort Orthopedics, and more inhabit this orthopedic device hub.
“I was very impressed by how well attended the conference was by both OEMs and contract manufacturers across our industry. It was a pleasure to see old faces and meet new ones with multiple suppliers,” Britton Crafton, sourcing manager for Stryker told ODT. “Given that I live close by, the conference was a great opportunity for me to catch up with suppliers and have meetings as needed. I thought the speakers and topics were informative and engaging, especially the one regarding supply chain challenges in our present time.”
The first topic was the conference’s traditional “state of the orthopedics industry” presentation. Robin Young, CEO of RRY Publications (Orthopedics This Week) and PearlDiver Technologies described an industry in transition because the pandemic halved elective procedures yet additive manufacturing, robotics, and payors employing AI systems to manage reimbursements flourished.
Following Young, MCRA associate director of regulatory affairs Mehdi Kazemzadeh-Narbat, Ph.D., PMP, CQA spoke about orthopedic device biocompatibility considerations from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) perspective, explaining the rationales and justifications acceptable for biological risk assessment of orthopedic devices to remove or reduce unnecessary burdens associated with biocompatibility endpoints.
“Last week’s ODT Forum in Memphis was excellent,” Young told ODT. “Great attendance. Every seat was filled, and the speakers were excellent. Several people told me it was the best networking since before COVID.”
The conference also included breaks between sessions for attendees to network with their orthopedic industry compatriots and explore a handful of tabletop exhibitors stationed around the FedEx Institute of Technology’s lobby.
The conference’s first panel discussion covered critical issues impacting the industry from the point of view of orthopedic device OEMs. ECA Medical president and CEO Lane Hale moderated the discussion between panelists from orthopedic device companies large and small, which included:
“Last week I had the honor to, once again, sit on an esteemed panel of orthopedic colleagues for Orthopedic Design & Technology's 2022 forum,” Shankle told ODT. “The caliber of the other panelists was humbling, and I am thrilled that I had the privilege of joining them. Howard Revitch and the rest of the ODT team developed a very informative and relevant agenda, found outstanding speakers, and managed an exceptional event. In addition to the educational agenda, it was so nice to connect, and reconnect, with so many talented orthopedic professionals. The Zone at the FedEx Institute of Technology was jam packed, and the passion and energy about the future of orthopedics was truly an inspiration.”
“I came out from the West Coast and really didn’t know what to expect,” Pratt added. “Now I understand why it is a must go-to meeting for anyone who makes decisions and solves problems in orthopedics and spine. It was uniquely focused and formatted for our industry and the payback was unmatched in terms of learning and networking—and I’ve been going to MD&M and AAOS for years. The speakers were all authoritative, the networking breaks allowed for thorough follow-up, and the presentations and Q&A were well balanced between depth and variety. I enjoyed making new industry friends and meeting potential vendors. All in all, I now consider it a strategic resource.”
After lunch, supply chain expert, Next Life Medical CEO/co-founder, and Emergent Respiratory CEO Christopher Oleksy discussed the pandemonium of the world’s healthcare supply chains during and after the crux of the COVID-19 pandemic and strategies to follow should further “black swan” events occur. He explained there has never been a time in modern history where the term “supply chain” has been more important, and misunderstood, than now.
Then, Amplify Inc. CEO/founder Brian McLaughlin and Empirical Technologies Corp. director of consulting Meredith May, MS, RAC, CQA, presented a dialogue about regulatory considerations for additively manufactured (3D printed) orthopedic implants. They discussed their two different, yet similar, experiences with clients and what types of questions the FDA has been asking more recently.
“The ODT Forum was a wonderful gathering of like-minded people with the goal of improving patient outcomes,” May said. “It was a pleasure to be involved with a day that was dedicated to education.”
The conference’s final panel discussion examined the planning of critical strategies alongside orthopedic product development. The presentation brought together key stakeholders from the orthopedic device product lifecycle who may be often brought in after design freeze. They shared insight on why it’s important to have them involved during the early development phase rather than after its conclusion. Troy D. Drewry; Professor of Practice—Biomedical Engineering; Operations Manager—Center for Diagnostics, Design, Devices, and Biomechanics; The University of Mississippi moderated the discussion that included:
“The ODT Forum is the best attended and highest quality medical device meeting I have ever attended in Memphis and at the FedEx Institute of Technology,” professor Drewry told ODT. You guys are welcome back any time—well done!”
“I found the ODT Forum meeting to be an incredibly productive day,” Sharp added. “Networking with both former and new contacts as well as participating in and listening to the various speakers and panel sessions provided a diverse learning experience. I will definitely be returning for the next meeting.”
The ODT Forum agenda attempted to touch all facets of the industry, ensuring attendees from all corners of the industry would be able to take something useful back to their offices. First-time attendees were particularly impressed with the extensive coverage the ODT Forum provided.
“I have not previously attended this meeting but will plan to attend again next time,” commented Lawrence Boyd, VP of product development for N.C.-based active healing and surgical orthobiologics firm Bioventus. “The meeting was well-organized and the speakers covered a wide range of topics relevant to our business. I found the meeting to be both an excellent source of information and a tremendous networking opportunity. “
“As a first-time attendee, I was very pleased at the content I heard from well-known and seasoned colleagues in the medical device industry,” said Anthony Swoboda, VP of sales and marketing for TruSpine Technologies, a U.K.-based spinal stabilization technology company. “It was fantastic seeing and meeting new faces around the industry. The topics discussed did apply to my organization in its startup phase.”
“I really liked the ODT Forum I attended since it was well so well organized and the speakers were terrific,” said Rick Treharne, VP of Active Implants, an orthopedic implant maker based in Memphis. “I am only sorry more people from my company were not there to attend.”
“This was my first time attending the ODT show but it will not be my last,” said Greg Commer, engineering manager, advanced sourcing at Medtronic. “The presentations, meet/greet, and catching up with old colleagues was terrific. I especially enjoyed learning about the medical device industry in Memphis! I have lived in Memphis for over 20 years but never realized the history of the medical device industry here before. The show was great and I highly recommend attending next time!”
Save the date! The ODT Forum will return again in two years with more high-impact orthopedic device industry presentations and discussions. The ODT staff thanks speakers, sponsors, attendees, and the FedEx Institute of Technology for everything you do to support this conference. We hope to see you next time!
The biannual conference and networking event previously took place in 2019 at the very same location. Although the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the event by one year, the 2022 ODT Forum’s attendance rocketed upward almost 30% from the previous meeting.
After ODT publisher Howard Revitch warmly welcomed attendees to this year’s conference, Stryker’s VP and GM of Foot and Ankle Patrick Fisher welcomed them to Memphis and explained why the area was so important to the orthopedic industry—the most significant point being major orthopedic device manufacturers Stryker, Smith+Nephew, Medtronic Spine, MicroPort Orthopedics, and more inhabit this orthopedic device hub.
“I was very impressed by how well attended the conference was by both OEMs and contract manufacturers across our industry. It was a pleasure to see old faces and meet new ones with multiple suppliers,” Britton Crafton, sourcing manager for Stryker told ODT. “Given that I live close by, the conference was a great opportunity for me to catch up with suppliers and have meetings as needed. I thought the speakers and topics were informative and engaging, especially the one regarding supply chain challenges in our present time.”
The first topic was the conference’s traditional “state of the orthopedics industry” presentation. Robin Young, CEO of RRY Publications (Orthopedics This Week) and PearlDiver Technologies described an industry in transition because the pandemic halved elective procedures yet additive manufacturing, robotics, and payors employing AI systems to manage reimbursements flourished.
Following Young, MCRA associate director of regulatory affairs Mehdi Kazemzadeh-Narbat, Ph.D., PMP, CQA spoke about orthopedic device biocompatibility considerations from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) perspective, explaining the rationales and justifications acceptable for biological risk assessment of orthopedic devices to remove or reduce unnecessary burdens associated with biocompatibility endpoints.
“Last week’s ODT Forum in Memphis was excellent,” Young told ODT. “Great attendance. Every seat was filled, and the speakers were excellent. Several people told me it was the best networking since before COVID.”
The conference also included breaks between sessions for attendees to network with their orthopedic industry compatriots and explore a handful of tabletop exhibitors stationed around the FedEx Institute of Technology’s lobby.
The conference’s first panel discussion covered critical issues impacting the industry from the point of view of orthopedic device OEMs. ECA Medical president and CEO Lane Hale moderated the discussion between panelists from orthopedic device companies large and small, which included:
- Dan Justin, CEO of Nanovation Partners
- William Pratt, VP operations and director of creative design at Kinamed
- Scott Shankle, VP of operations at MicroPort Orthopedics
- Carlton Weatherby, VP and GM of Spine & Biologics at Medtronic
“Last week I had the honor to, once again, sit on an esteemed panel of orthopedic colleagues for Orthopedic Design & Technology's 2022 forum,” Shankle told ODT. “The caliber of the other panelists was humbling, and I am thrilled that I had the privilege of joining them. Howard Revitch and the rest of the ODT team developed a very informative and relevant agenda, found outstanding speakers, and managed an exceptional event. In addition to the educational agenda, it was so nice to connect, and reconnect, with so many talented orthopedic professionals. The Zone at the FedEx Institute of Technology was jam packed, and the passion and energy about the future of orthopedics was truly an inspiration.”
“I came out from the West Coast and really didn’t know what to expect,” Pratt added. “Now I understand why it is a must go-to meeting for anyone who makes decisions and solves problems in orthopedics and spine. It was uniquely focused and formatted for our industry and the payback was unmatched in terms of learning and networking—and I’ve been going to MD&M and AAOS for years. The speakers were all authoritative, the networking breaks allowed for thorough follow-up, and the presentations and Q&A were well balanced between depth and variety. I enjoyed making new industry friends and meeting potential vendors. All in all, I now consider it a strategic resource.”
After lunch, supply chain expert, Next Life Medical CEO/co-founder, and Emergent Respiratory CEO Christopher Oleksy discussed the pandemonium of the world’s healthcare supply chains during and after the crux of the COVID-19 pandemic and strategies to follow should further “black swan” events occur. He explained there has never been a time in modern history where the term “supply chain” has been more important, and misunderstood, than now.
Then, Amplify Inc. CEO/founder Brian McLaughlin and Empirical Technologies Corp. director of consulting Meredith May, MS, RAC, CQA, presented a dialogue about regulatory considerations for additively manufactured (3D printed) orthopedic implants. They discussed their two different, yet similar, experiences with clients and what types of questions the FDA has been asking more recently.
“The ODT Forum was a wonderful gathering of like-minded people with the goal of improving patient outcomes,” May said. “It was a pleasure to be involved with a day that was dedicated to education.”
The conference’s final panel discussion examined the planning of critical strategies alongside orthopedic product development. The presentation brought together key stakeholders from the orthopedic device product lifecycle who may be often brought in after design freeze. They shared insight on why it’s important to have them involved during the early development phase rather than after its conclusion. Troy D. Drewry; Professor of Practice—Biomedical Engineering; Operations Manager—Center for Diagnostics, Design, Devices, and Biomechanics; The University of Mississippi moderated the discussion that included:
- Mike Carroll, founder/president of Focus Medical Design and Development
- Dawn Norman, MS, partner at MRC Global
- David Sharp, VP of global marketing for Catalyst OrthoScience
“The ODT Forum is the best attended and highest quality medical device meeting I have ever attended in Memphis and at the FedEx Institute of Technology,” professor Drewry told ODT. You guys are welcome back any time—well done!”
“I found the ODT Forum meeting to be an incredibly productive day,” Sharp added. “Networking with both former and new contacts as well as participating in and listening to the various speakers and panel sessions provided a diverse learning experience. I will definitely be returning for the next meeting.”
The ODT Forum agenda attempted to touch all facets of the industry, ensuring attendees from all corners of the industry would be able to take something useful back to their offices. First-time attendees were particularly impressed with the extensive coverage the ODT Forum provided.
“I have not previously attended this meeting but will plan to attend again next time,” commented Lawrence Boyd, VP of product development for N.C.-based active healing and surgical orthobiologics firm Bioventus. “The meeting was well-organized and the speakers covered a wide range of topics relevant to our business. I found the meeting to be both an excellent source of information and a tremendous networking opportunity. “
“As a first-time attendee, I was very pleased at the content I heard from well-known and seasoned colleagues in the medical device industry,” said Anthony Swoboda, VP of sales and marketing for TruSpine Technologies, a U.K.-based spinal stabilization technology company. “It was fantastic seeing and meeting new faces around the industry. The topics discussed did apply to my organization in its startup phase.”
“I really liked the ODT Forum I attended since it was well so well organized and the speakers were terrific,” said Rick Treharne, VP of Active Implants, an orthopedic implant maker based in Memphis. “I am only sorry more people from my company were not there to attend.”
“This was my first time attending the ODT show but it will not be my last,” said Greg Commer, engineering manager, advanced sourcing at Medtronic. “The presentations, meet/greet, and catching up with old colleagues was terrific. I especially enjoyed learning about the medical device industry in Memphis! I have lived in Memphis for over 20 years but never realized the history of the medical device industry here before. The show was great and I highly recommend attending next time!”
Save the date! The ODT Forum will return again in two years with more high-impact orthopedic device industry presentations and discussions. The ODT staff thanks speakers, sponsors, attendees, and the FedEx Institute of Technology for everything you do to support this conference. We hope to see you next time!