Post 2 in a 6-part series: Why Partner with a Medical Design & Manufacturing Services Company.

Faster Time-to-Market

Design and manufacturing services companies help accelerate time-to-market for new products, thus speeding up return-on-investment. For low-volume devices in particular, healthcare manufacturers may find it cost-prohibitive to hire the required experts and purchase the technologies. Because many manufacturing services companies already have facilities, staff, equipment and supply chains in place, they can begin design, optimization, testing or manufacturing quickly.

Replicating such an infrastructure in a new geography would require a significant investment of resources and a minimum of 12 to 18 months of activity, including identifying the site, registering the firm, building the facility, and hiring and training employees. However, large manufacturing partners like Jabil offer a local presence in key regions/countries such as the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, and China) nations, allowing OEMs to produce devices locally with reduced ramp time.

Another speed advantage offered by a manufacturing partner stems from their extensive knowledge of other market areas. For example, Jabil’s experience in consumer electronics manufacturing, along with high quality standards from the aerospace and automotive sectors, allows for a seamless transfer of knowledge to the medical sector. However, it is key to find a partner that combines electronics expertise with a true understanding of the market-specific requirements of medical products, in particular the requirements for validation and design controls.

Electronic Components and Remote Monitoring Faster with EMS Involvement

More medical devices are integrating electronics into their design to not only provide the desired medical purpose, but also maintain historical data such as time and dosage, as well as functions like reminders and alarms.

Remote monitoring is a growing area because of its potential to improve outcomes in chronic illness management and reduce costs through shorter inpatient stays and less-frequent office visits. The integration of wireless and other electronic functionality requires expertise in circuit board design, user interface creation, data transfer protocols, custom software and other areas that have traditionally been the domain of design and manufacturing services companies.

Increased Speed Leads to Decreased Cost

Ten to 15 years ago, medical device companies were not as interested in outsourcing their manufacturing, in part, because they did not feel as much cost control or speed-to-market pressures. Today, OEMs are investing more in research, product development and utilizing a manufacturing partner’s facility and already existing infrastructure to cut costs and speed up production.

Ask yourself just what additional equipment and infrastructure you need to accelerate your product launch and can that be done quicker internally or with a manufacturing partner?

Check back for post 3 in this series to answer the question – How do medical companies acquire instant expertise by working with a manufacturing partner?

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Why Partner with a Medical Design & Manufacturing Services Company

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