Originally Published MDDI April 2005

MDEA 2005

Breakthroughs Come in Many Forms

There are a number of ways in which a medical device can represent a significant leap forward. Nowhere is that more apparent than in the winning products of the 2005 Medical Design Excellence Awards.

Products are judged on five criteria: design and engineering innovations, functional and user-related innovations, patient benefits, business benefits, and improvement to overall healthcare.

Of the 30 products given gold or silver awards by the 13-member panel of jurors, many were cited for embodying a substantial breakthrough within one or more of the criteria. It is that diversity of accomplishment that MD&DI wants to highlight in the following articles.

One article spotlights devices that offer outstanding improvements for clinicians and other users. Another, looks at certain products that achieve excellence in providing better comfort, quality of life, and even chances of survival to patients. A third, sheds light on winning entries that blend top-notch design and function to achieve overwhelming process improvements.

“There was cutting-edge technological innovation that went into a lot of these devices,” says juror Eliot Lazar, principal of ElCon Medical (Buffalo, NY). “We are seeing the convergence of different new technologies that is culminating with great effect on medicine and patient management.”

The best products stand out, says juror Jay R. Goldberg, director of the healthcare technologies management program at Marquette University (Milwaukee). They “provide medical or dental personnel with new approaches to treating patients; make current approaches safer, less costly, or more comfortable; or provide incremental improvements to existing products in the form of new, innovative features.”

MD&DI's coverage also includes a comprehensive list of information about all the winning products and profiles of the jurors.

A ceremony honoring the winners will take place on June 14, 2005, at the Medical Design & Manufacturing East trade show, held at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York City. At that time, it will be revealed which products won gold awards and which won silver awards. The ceremony is open to all show attendees, and the winning products will be on display during the entire show. Until then, you can admire the products and the accomplishments of their designers on the following pages.

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