A company that provides products for the heating process industry has introduced a bi-monthly e-blast designed specifically for OEMS and manufacturers needing process heating, including those in the medical device industry. The e-blast,”Infrared Hot-Line News,” will share the latest in new industrial applications utilizing infrared. The first issue was distributed October 29.The e-blast covers new applications for individual infrared lamps or infrared heaters, customer tips, and customer testimonials on product quality or manufacturing efficiencies stemming from the use of infrared heat sources. There will also be quick links for quotes, technical papers, and general information.

Anderson Thermal Devices
Hawthorne, NJ

Nonin Medical was among the first manufacturers to introduce a Bluetooth–enabled medical device to the market with the release of its 4100 Patient Module OEM wrist-worn pulse oximeter, in 2004. Now the company plans to again lead the industry with a pulse oximeter that incorporates Bluetooth low energy technology. 

VanderWerf

 “It is definitely one of the primary [wireless technologies] we’re looking at,” says Mark VanderWerf, vice president of ehealth and OEM for Nonin Medical. “With so many options available, Bluetooth low energy appears to be emerging as one of the winners.”

Bluetooth low energy is a feature of Bluetooth v4.0, the newest Bluetooth Core Specification, which was adopted by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) in July 2010. The first smartphone equipped with the technology, the iPhone 4S, was introduced in October 2011, and the Bluetooth SIG hopes it will be incorporated into most phones by the end of the year.

Nonin, a member of the Bluetooth SIG, was interested in Bluetooth low energy before the specification was released. The company is also looking into other wireless technologies, such as Zigbee, VanderWerf says.

“But we see Bluetooth low energy as having a lot of the same advantages and maybe some added advantages as well,” he says.

VanderWerf says Nonin Medical sees three primary benefits from Bluetooth low energy: simplified pairing, reduced energy demand, and lower cost.

“The biggest thing will be just the simplicity of integrating devices in the field,” he said. “Bluetooth low energy works with Apple—that’s a big advantage—and Microsoft Windows 8 is going to support it as well.”

But the technology also comes with challenges, VanderWerf admits, including the lack of an application programming interface for Android.

“I understand that’s going to be rectified soon, but the sooner, the better, because we’d like to integrate to a lot oot of companies that prefer using Android,” VanderWerf says.

Blazing the trail for Bluetooth v4.0 in pulse oximetry also has its disadvantages.

“We know we’re early adopters, and being early has its unique bridges to overcome,” VanderWerf says. “We’re going to be doing a lot of the footwork and fundamental writing of a profile for pulse oximetry—that has been the challenge.”

Still, VanderWerf says Nonin Medical is optimistic.

“We’re pretty excited about Bluetooth low energy,” he says. “We think that it really resolves some of the issues with Bluetooth Classic, and we think it’s a superior radio solution.”

—Jamie Hartford is the associate editor of MD+DI. Follow her on Twitter @readMED.

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With the election less than a week away, MD+DI has identified the key races that will be of particular interest to the medical industry. Beyond the presidency itself, there are congressional races that have potential for major impact on the industry on several levels, including the status of the medical device tax. Click below to get of details the races, candidates, and their stances on healthcare and medtech-related issues.

 

2012 Presidential Race (Barack Obama vs. Mitt Romney)

 

Massachusetts Senate (Scott Brown vs. Elizabeth Warren)

 

Minnesota Congressional Race (Erik Paulsen vs. Brian Barnes)

 

Minnesota Senate Race (Amy Klobuchar vs. Kurt Bills)

 

 

Utah Senate Race (Orrin Hatch vs. Scott Howell)

 

 

Michigan's 6th Congressional District Race (Fred Upton vs. Mike O'Brien)

 

 

 

 

The results of MD+DI's annual medical device and diagnostic industry salary survey are in!

While we can't release the full set of data until next month, we have prepared a sneak preview. Click through the slide show to see some interesting insights from the topline data. 

Check back here in December or pick up our Medtech PowerSource issue next month to see the full results from 2012. You can also browse last year's results.

Company Data

The median salary in medtech held steady from last year, at $100,000. The median value of total compensation was again $120,000.

The average raise reported was 5.5%, and 13% of respondents got a bump of 10% or more. However, more employees than last year have not received a raise from their current employer. Most raises did not come with a promotion or change in job responsibilities.

At $7,500, the median bonus fell by more than 20%. A lower percentage of employees than last year reported getting a bonus at all.

Slightly fewer employees are enjoying benefits such as health insurance, 401(k), dental insurance, life insurance, stock options, educational benefits, profits sharing, incentive pay, and pensions.

More than two-thirds of respondents say they are satisfied with their level of compensation, whereas almost one-third say they don’t make enough.

Job Security and Satisfaction Data	Demographics

According to our survey, the average number of full-time employees at medtech firms is 477—down 8.4% from 2011.

Median sales volume is $128 million—down almost a quarter from last year.

Just over one-third of respondents report that their company has been involved in an acquisition or merger in the past 12 months. That’s down from 42% last year.

Introduction	Employee Data

Respondents have worked in the industry for an average of 15.7 years. More than one-third have 20 or more years of experience in the industry.

The average respondent to our survey supervises more than 7 employees.

The median budget managed by survey respondents increased more than 16%, to $457,000, in 2012.

Employees work 48.8 hours on average. More than half put in 50 hours or more per week.

Almost two-thirds of respondents have been with their current organization for at least five years. The average employee has worked at their current organization for 9.7 years. Among those surveyed, 40% have worked at the same company for a decade or more.

Company Data	Job Security and Satisfaction Data