The scope of meditech embraces all textile materials used in health and hygiene applications in both consumer and

medical markets. Depending on the nature of application, many medical products are disposable and made out of
nonwoven fabrics.

Textile products are used in medical and healthcare sector in various forms. The complexity of applications has
increased with research and developments in the area of medical textiles. The surgical gown, operating room
garments and drapes require special antibacterial properties combined with the wearers comfort. Other major uses of
medical textiles are incontinence diapers, sanitary napkins and baby diapers. Wound dressing, bandages and swabs
are also widely used conventional medical textiles.

Textiles are also being used as sutures, orthopaedic implants, vascular grafts, artificial ligaments, artificial tendons,
heart valves and even as artificial skins. Recent advances in medical textiles to be used as extracorporeal devices are
also significant; these include artificial kidney, artificial liver, mechanical lungs etc. New materials are finding
specialized applications like antimicrobial and antifungal fibres and additives used in barrier fabrics, abdominal post-
operative binders, applications in neurodermatitis treatment and various other wound management and surgical
treatments.

Although the type of fibre used and the fabric structure varies with the specific end use, all medical fibres must be
non-toxic, non-carcinogenic, non-allergic and capable of being sterilized without suffering chemical or physical
damage. In addition, for many applications absorbency is essential, favoring the use of cotton or viscose. In most
applications, cotton has been replaced by synthetics such as polyester (because of its durability and low linting
characteristics), by polypropylene (the most popular fibre, largely due to its capillary & inert characteristics), and by
viscose rayon (due to its absorbency and biodegradability)

Sr
No.

Item
Market Size(Estimated) Market Potential
2001-02 2003-2004
2007-008
(Projected)
Qty Value(Rs.Cr) Qty Value(Rs.Cr) Qty Value(Rs.Cr)
1
Sanitry Napkins
959.69
mn.
nos
335.89
1228.11
mn.
nos
429.84
1997.44
mn. nos

699.10
Nonwoven
Fabric(TTC)
718.81
tonnes
(8.32)
919.85
tonnes
(10.62)
1496.08
tonnes
(17.27)
2
Incontinence Diapers
3.50
mn.nos
20.00
8.99
mn.nos
53.96
22.51
mn.nos
135.07
Nonwoven
Fabric(TTC)
32.97
tonnes
(0.36) 84.71 (0.93)
212.07
tonnes
(2.33)
3
Baby Diapers
53.85
mn.nos
70.00
61.65
mn.nos
80.14
80.81
mn.nos
105.05
Nonwoven
Fabric(TTC)
161.55
(1.78)
184.95
(2.03)
242.43
(2.67)
tonnes tonnes tones
4
Surgical Dressings
(100% TTC)

-
450.00

-
520.03

-
694.48
5
Healthcare Textiles
(100% TTC)
(Spunbond/Spunlace)

-
3.20

-
11.15

-
120.24
6
Sutures
(100% TTC)

-
225.0

-
282.00

-
441.00
7
Vascular Grafts
(100%TTC)

-
3.00

-
3.19

-
3.59
8
Heart Valves
(100%TTC)

-
49.00

-
56.00

-
73.00
9
Artificial tendon
(Mesh) (100%TTC)

-
20.00

-
25.00

-
37.00
10
Artificial joints
(100%TTC)

-
7.20

-
9.00

-
14.21
11
Artificial Kidney
(100%TTC)

-
10.00

-
13.00

-
17.00

Total
(TTC)

1193.29
(777.86)

1483.31
(932.35)

2339.74
(1422.79)
TTC- Technical textile Component

Sanitary napkins:

Sanitary napkins are absorbent disposable single use products designed to receive, absorb and retain body fluids. In
the sanitary napkins, non-woven is generally used which is normally made up of polypropylene. However, a
combination of viscose and polypropylene is also gaining acceptance. Some of the premium brands of sanitary
napkins have also started using plastic films instead of non-woven.

Sanitary napkins have highly promising market potential provided there is extensive promotional activity, advertising
and publicity through the print and electronic media. The assessed requirement of non-woven for sanitary napkins is
around 920 tones per annum and the bulk of the requirement is met through imports and a few local suppliers also
provide the non-woven fabrics.

An all out effort also needs to be made to make this product available at affordable price to Indian consumers. This
may require setting up of economic size non-woven fabric (spun bond with Minimum economic size: 690 kg/hour
and thermal bond with Minimum economic size: 200 kg /hour) manufacturing units to meet specific requirement of
the MNCs.

Survey has revealed that Indian market for sanitary napkins shows immense future potential. The market size of
sanitary napkins is estimated to increase from 1228 mn. numbers with a value of Rs.420 crore in 2003-04 to 1997.44
mn. numbers with a value of Rs.699 crore in 2007-08.

The sanitary napkins are reportedly reserved for production by the SSI sector. The cost of core machinery required for
production of napkins exceeds the SSI ceiling for investment. Therefore, there is reported to be large scale under
invoicing of machinery to bring the same under SSI limit. SSI reservation prevents setting up of large scale MES units.
Therefore, there is strong need to dereserve the sanitary napkins.

Incontinence diapers:

Incontinence diapers are absorbent, disposable single use product designed to receive, absorb and retain body fluids.
The use of incontinence diapers is hygienic as the diapers prevent fungal infection of the skin since the aggressive
substance present in the urine does not come in contact with the skin.

The diapers are made up of cellulose and super absorbent materials and cotton having polyester sheet covering. The
key performance parameters for incontinence diapers are similar to the other categories of absorbent hygiene
products, viz., high absorption capacity and skin dryness; reduced odour; protection from leakage; maximizing user
comfort, particularly when saturated with liquid and; simple to use.

The end user segment for diapers is senior citizens and hospitals, mostly the people above 75 years of age suffering
from incontinence. The present level of awareness about the product is low even in the metro cities and high-income
groups. Further, the price (Rs.45 Rs.80 per diaper) is also on higher side. On account of high price structure and lack
of awareness, this product has not penetrated significantly in the target customer segment even in the metro cities /
hospitals.

The incontinence diapers market is dominated by a few MNCs which are primarily engaged in bulk import and
repacking. The Indian market of incontinence diapers is estimated to be about Rs.54 crore and total consumption of
nonwoven fabrics by this segment would be around 85 tonnes. However, since all the major players are presently
engaged in bulk imports and repacking, the non-woven fabrics are not sourced locally.

The diapers are currently imported and in view of the high customs duty of 20 percent, the cost for the customer is
rather high. In view of the product being consumed by the senior citizens, and hospitals the produce should be made
duty free. This would certainly increase the product demand and the market size. With growing awareness the
demand is estimated to increase from 9 mn pieces with a value of Rs.54 crore in 2003-04 to 22.51 mn. pieces with a
value of Rs.135 crore in 2007-08.
The incontinence diapers are reportedly reserved for production by the SSI sector. The cost of core machinery
required for production of incontinence diapers exceeds the SSI ceiling for investment. Thus, SSI reservation prevents
setting up of large scale MES units. Therefore, there is strong need to dereserve the incontinence diapers.

Baby diapers:

Baby diapers also come under the disposable category and the properties required in diapers are liquid strike through,
liquid acquisition, liquid distribution, liquid storage, liquid barrier, surface dryness etc.

World over, disposable diaper market penetration is very high, particularly in advanced countries. However, the use
of this product has been limited in India compared to the washable terry towel diapers. But, the situation has been
changing very rapidly in the recent years. The growing Indian economy means lot many people with higher disposable
incomes. These people understanding the importance of hygiene and advantages of disposable nappies have taken to
the product in a significant way.

The number of working women in the total work force is increasing. The number of double income families is
increasing correspondingly. The numbers of double income families with higher disposable income have a positive
impact on the market. The market is expected to increase from Rs.80.14 crore in 2003-04 to Rs.105.05 crore in 2007-
08.

The baby diapers are reportedly reserved for production by the SSI sector. The cost of core machinery required for
production of baby diapers exceeds the SSI ceiling for investment. Thus, SSI reservation prevents setting up of large
scale MES units. Therefore, there is strong need to dereserve the baby diapers.

Surgical dressings:

Surgical dressings include wound care products and bandages. Wound care products include wound contact layer /
absorbent pad / base material / nonadherent dressings / perforated films, while bandages include inelastic bandages
/elastic bandages / light support bandages / orthopedic cushion bandages / plasters /waddings / guazes / lint.

Wound healing is a dynamic process and the requirements of dressing change as the wound healing progresses
and no single dressing is universally available for all types of wounds.

Wound dressings were some of the earliest forms of medical textiles and lately have witnessed rapid
developments. Wound healing depends not only on medication but also on the use of a proper dressing technique and
suitable dressing material.


The prerequisite of wound dressings are ease of application, good padding characteristics, non-sticking nature to
the wound and painlessness on removal, creation of an optimal environment for wound healing, softness, pliability,
high absorbency, etc.


Modern wound dressings are composed of absorbent layers held between the wound contact layer and a base
material. The wound contact layer (primary dressing) is generally placed directly over the wound and covered with an
absorbent pad and the whole dressing retained with a base material. The wound contact layer has low adherency and
can be easily removed without disturbing new tissue growth. The wound contact layer made of silk, polyamide,
viscose; polyethylene is of woven or non-woven material. The absorbent layer (pad) is of non-woven type, made of
cotton, viscose, acrylic etc. Viscose helps to absorb the fluid while acrylic helps to maintain the thickness of pad even
after absorbing the fluids. The base material is non-woven or woven type made of viscose or is a plastic film.

Absorbent pads are also available as individual single use items. They are cotton pads covered with a guaze cloth.

Non-adherent dressings are applied to avoid adhesion when dealing with large area wounds such as burns and
skin grafts. They are paraffin guaze dressings having a soft paraffin base. These dressings are also medicated with an
antibiotic or any topical antiseptic.

Perforated films are porous polyester films used for rapid dressing of surgical incisions.

Bandages can be used for many purposes like support, dressing retention and compression.

Elastic bandages are cotton crape bandages consisting of high twist yarn imparting the necessary elasticity and
used in treating vericose veins. Inelastic bandages are medicated cloth bandages. These two bandages are grouped
together as adhesive bandages and they have a layer of adhesive impregnated on the cloth layer.

Orthopedic cushions are made of cotton and synthetics. These bandages retain their cushioning effect in the
moist atmosphere between skin and plaster. The plaster of Paris bandages are made of cotton gauze material of leno
weave cloth. The interlocking thread is impregnated in the plaster of Paris solution and dried to get the bandages.

Traditionally cotton guazes were used for dressing because of their good absorption property and softness. Even
today hospitals use the gauzes for dressing purposes mostly in layers to form swabs for better and higher absorption.

Lint is used as wipes or swabs for primary cleaning of wounds before applying the dressings.

Waddings are single use cotton pieces in great demand abroad. In India, for clinical practices as well as domestic
purpose cotton rolls are preferred, pieces of cotton are removed as and when required. In the foreign countries, sterile
single use cotton waddings are highly popular.

There are government established standards for various surgical dressings such as handloom cotton bandage
cloth: IS: 863, cotton gauze absorbent, non-sterilized: IS: 758.

The wound care and wound management industry is distributed between the organized sector represented by
few MNCs and the decentralized sector of SSIs / cottage industry using obsolete technology, no testing facilities and
absence of research and development facilities.

There are no standard testing facilities available at the all India level while these products need to be checked for
bio-burden, bio-compatibility and cytotoxicity.

The market size of wound care surgicals in 2001-02 was estimated at around Rs.450 crore with the units
concentrated in Delhi, Ichalkaranji, Jalgaon, Meerut, Modinagar, Mumbai, Palghar, Tamilnadu etc.

The institutions / hospitals account for about 60 percent sales of the surgical dressings, while individual and
general practitioners account for the remaining 40 %. Further, bandages account for about 65 percent of the market
share and wound care for the remaining 35 percent.

The growth of surgical dressings is estimated to be in the range of 5-10 percent (avg. 7.5 percent), accordingly,
market size is expected to increase from Rs.520 crore in 2003-04 to Rs.694.48 crore in 2007-08.

Healthcare textiles:

Healthcare textiles comprise surgical clothing (gowns, caps, masks, uniforms etc.), surgical covers (drapes, covers
etc.) and beddings (sheets, blankets, pillow cases etc.). Healthcare textiles can be disposable or non-disposable. In
India health care textiles continue to be predominantly non-disposable though in the global markets disposables are
fast replacing non-disposable health care textiles.

All over the world, disposable healthcare textiles are replacing non-disposables due to ease of use and hygiene,
infection free nature and also being cost effective by eliminating laundering. However, in India the use of non-
disposable healthcare textiles is still quite significant, though there is a distinct shift towards use of disposable items.
For the disposable healthcare items, polypropylene spun bond is most popular in India due to its low cost. However,
in Western countries, spunbond- meltblown- spunbond (SMS) and spun lace are more popular because of their
inherent advantages in terms of absorption, breath ability etc.

Healthcare textiles which have found acceptance in the Western countries are yet to make inroads in the Indian
market in a significant manner due to various factors such as low hygiene awareness, pricing policies of the non-
woven, disposal problems, and availability of cheap washing facilities favoring reusable cotton garments.

Though the general perception is reusable healthcare textiles are more expensive, a preliminary calculation done by
committee reveals that in some cases disposable healthcare textiles are more cost effective.

The details are given below:

Cost of caps & masks


Cost of re-usable Cost of disposable
Caps
(Rs.)
Masks
(Rs.)
Caps
(Rs.)
Masks
(Rs.)
No.Of usage 10 10



2.00-3.00



3.00
Cloth+Stitching(Fixed cost) 35.00 17.50
Laundry +
sterlisation(Recurring Cost
at Rs 1.50 per cycle for 10
cycles)
15.00 15.00
Total Cost 50.00 32.50
Cost per Usage 5.00 3.25

The growth of healthcare textiles is expected to grow at very high rate over the years with increase in awareness about
advantages of its usage coupled with cost effectiveness vis--vis reusable healthcare textiles. The growth of the
healthcare textiles is linked to the growth of healthcare sector which is growing at around 13 percent - 16 percent.
However, non-woven disposal is expected to register higher growth as it would be penetrating into the share of
reusable medical textiles. It is estimated that disposable healthcare textiles would increase from Rs.11 crore in 2003-
04 to Rs.120 crore in 2007-08.

Sutures:

Sutures are the simplest example of a textile bio-medical device. Sutures are used for wound closure to close cuts and
incisions and thus prevent infection and are an integral part of all operations. In fact no surgery can be performed
without the sutures. Absorbable sutures are ideal for wounds inside the body as they dissolve and get absorbed into
the body after the operation.

Absorbable sutures are of two types:
synthetic absorbable sutures made up of poly glycolic acid (PGA) which are absorbed into the body within 20
days 90 days and \ natural absorbable sutures made up of mucosa of sheep intestine.

Non-absorbable sutures which are made up of nylon, polypropylene, silk, polyester, and polytetrafluoroethylene
(PTFE) are not absorbed into the body and need to be removed by the surgeon. Non-absorbable sutures are generally
used in external applications where they are easily accessible, removal is easy and prolonged high strength is
required. Non-absorbable sutures are used for serious and complex wounds, where the need is that stitches should
not dissolve fast to give the wound a chance to heal while preventing wound re-opening and scar tissue formation.

The Indian market for sutures is assessed at around Rs.280 crore with absorbable sutures having 60 percent of the
share amounting to Rs.168 crore while 40 percent of the share is accounted for by non-absorbable sutures. Further,
the market share of non-absorbable sutures produced using silk accounts for 50 percent, nylon 10 percent and the
remaining 40 percent by other raw materials.

Indian exports of sutures are mostly to countries like Tunisia, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Netherlands, and Philippines
etc. The exports have been in the range of Rs.11.15 crore to Rs.17.34 crore during the period 1999-2002. The imports
of sutures have been from Denmark, Germany, Korea, USA etc. and were in the range of Rs. 3.39 crore to Rs.6.46
crore during the last three years.
The annual expenditure of hospitals on sutures has been increasing in the range of 10-20 percent per annum on
account of increased number of operations being performed and the rise in accident cases. Accordingly, the demand
for sutures is expected to grow from Rs.280 crore in 2003-04 to Rs.441 crore in 2007-08.

Medical implants and devices:

Medical implants and devices cover items like cardiovascular implants (vascular grafts, heart valves etc.), soft tissue
implants (artificial tendon, artificial skin, artificial ligament, artificial cornea etc.), orthopedic implants (artificial
joints) and extra corporeal devices (artificial kidney, artificial liver, mechanical lung, artificial heart etc.).

Vascular grafts:

Vascular grafts are used to treat hindrances to blood flow caused by vascular and other diseases. A vascular graft
replaces the damaged artery or creates a new artery in order to increase blood flow.

The vascular grafts are sterile and single patient use only. They are of following types: Polyester grafts - used to
repair thoracic and abdominal occluded arteries, Dacron grafts - for aortic surgeries and
polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) grafts - to repair occluded arteries and veins in the hands and feet and for
dialysis treatment of chronic renal failure patients.

The vascular grafts marketed in the country are imported by the players like W.L. Gore & Associates, who dominate
the market with a share of about 60 percent followed by Edwards Life Sciences, Boston Scientific, Sri Chitra. The
price of these grafts is in the range of about Rs.10, 000-Rs.20, 000 per piece.

The prerequisites of good vascular grafts are:

Bio-compatibility,
Non-fraying properties,
Flexibility,
Durability,
Resistance to sterilization,
Bacteria resistance and
Non-thrombogenicity.

The survey has revealed that the market for vascular grafts would grow at an annul growth rate of about 2 percent - 3
percent. Accordingly, the demand for vascular grafts is estimated to increase from Rs.3.19 crore in 2003-04 to Rs.3.59
crore by 2007-08.

Heart valves:

The heart valves assist cardio-thoracic surgeons in treating valvular diseases. The heart valves are of two types,
namely, mechanical valves and tissue valves.

Mechanical valves are used for younger patients and require periodical check-ups and after a particular period, the
patients need to be operated a second time. Mechanical valves are made of titanium, around which is a knitted fabric
to be stitched to the original tissue called as sewing ring. The sewing ring of the caged-disc type of prostheses uses a
silicon-rubber insert under a knitted composite PTFE and polypropylene fibre cloth. The price of mechanical valve is
in the range of Rs.30, 000 to Rs.50, 000 each.

Tissue valves are used for slightly aged patients and do not require any periodic checkups. The life of these valves
is 15-20 years and the price is in the range of Rs.45, 000 to Rs.65, 000 each.

Mechanical and tissue valves are available in sizes ranging from 17 mm to 35 mm. Mechanical valves constitute
about 90 percent of the total market while tissue valves account for about 10 percent of the total market.


Indian exports of artificial heart valves have been in the range of Rs. 0.15 crore to Rs.0.72 crore during the last three
years. The imports of artificial heart valves have been from Canada, USA, Switzerland, Singapore etc. and were in the
range of Rs. 11.54 crore to Rs.23.86 crore during the last three years.

The market size for artificial heart valves is estimated to grow at an average annual growth rate of 7 percent.
Accordingly, the future market size of the heart valves would increase from Rs.56 crore in 2003-04 to Rs.73 crore by
2007-08.

Artificial tendon (Mesh):

The composite meshes made up of polyester, polypropylene and polyester / carbon fibre are used for repairing hernia.
The utilization of mesh grafts in humans for hernia operations is based on the fact that during the absorption period a
neomembrane is formed at the site where the mesh has been implanted. The mesh graft prevents recurrence of hernia
and hence has an advantage over the tissue repair technique practiced for a long time in India.

The imported meshes are purchased in sterilized packaged form and sold in the Indian market. The existing market
size for artificial tendon (mesh) was assessed at about Rs.20 crore in 2001-02.The market size for artificial tendon
(mesh) is estimated to grow at an average annual growth rate of 11 percent. Accordingly, the market size of artificial
tendon (mesh) would increase from Rs.25 crore in 2003-04 to Rs.37 crore by 2007-08.

Artificial joints:

The artificial joints are made of stainless steel, chromium cobalt, titanium or some other inert material. The textile
material present in the joints is Ultra High Molecular Weight HDPE (UHMWHDPE). Artificial joints are covered
under BIS No. IS : 5810. The imports of artificial joints have been from Germany, France, Switzerland, USA etc. and
were in the range of Rs. 0.59 crore to Rs.4.07 crore during the last three years. Indian exports of artificial joints were
in the range of Rs. 1.03 crore to Rs.1.90 crore during the last three years.

The market size for artificial joints is estimated to grow at an annual rate of 12 percent and accordingly, the market
size of artificial joints is estimated to increase from Rs.9.00 crore in 2003-04 to Rs.14.21 crore by 2007-08.

Artificial kidney:

Artificial kidney consists of a semi-permeable membrane, on one side of which blood passes while a special dialysate
solution is passed along the other. The artificial kidney is made of polyacetate and polysulphone in equal proportions.

The market size for artificial kidneys has been growing at an annual rate of 5 to 10 percent and accordingly, the
market size of artificial kidneys is estimated to increase from Rs.13.00 crore in 2003-04 to Rs.17.00 crore by 2007-
08.

According to Textile Commissioner and Chairmen expert of the committee estimates the textile industry the next few
years and India will be able to emerge as one of the technical textile economy to be reckoned with in the
international scenario. The market size of the technical textile component of the technical textile industry in the
country is estimated at Rs.19,130 crore during 2003-04 and Rs.29,580 crore in 2007-08.

Reference:

Report of the Expert Committee on Technical Textiles -Volume I
Creating the future of textiles: Developments
in medical textiles
Medical textiles meet the growing need for protection and
comfort in health care apparel.
Specialty Fabrics Review | April 2012
By Ben Favret
What are the newest, most exciting or intriguing
developments in the industry in advanced textiles?
Active barrier protective fabrics are a game changer for medical textiles and a tremendous leap
forward because they provide vital protection to health care workers while still offering comfort.
These professionals often have intermittent exposure to blood and bodily fluids and frequently
encounter the threat or risk of transferring infection to patients or the community.
Last year a number of industry reports examined the problem of contaminated health care worker
uniforms, both in the United States and abroad. A team at Virginia Commonwealth University
published a clinical study that documented evidence that the active barrier protective uniforms
actually did repel the superbug MRSA as compared to regular scrub uniforms, demonstrating
that these garments provide a clinically proven solution to this problem.
The active barrier protective uniforms used in the study contained a fluid barrier combined with
biocidal decontamination and comfort properties in the fabric. These three components work
together to prevent, reduce or eliminate the acquisition and retention of contaminants on the
uniforms. The fabrics are designed for continuous wear throughout a shift and can be worn with
personal protective equipment to keep both the workers and patients safe.
Who is driving new developments, the researchers or the
market?
The health care market is evolving and driving the need for new technologies. A long time ago,
all serious sickness was handled in the hospital or in the operating room in highly controlled
environments for patients and workers. Today, patient care takes place in hospitals, surgery
centers, nursing homes, clinics, labs, doctors offices and sometimes even in patients homes.
Workers in some of these settings are not always required to wear protective clothing and as such
can be exposed to microorganisms that transmit disease. At the same time, there has been an
explosion in superbugs such as MRSA, adding another element of risk. Health care is one of the
largest employment segments within our economy and is dedicated to promoting health and
healing yet it also has a high rate of injury and illness for its workers. Thats a disconnect, and
we must do a better job at protecting the folks who are working to keep us healthy.
What is the market demanding and how is your company
responding to market demands?
Studies by Lu, Kyratsis and others all point to three things health care workers want:
Protection from exposure, colonization and infections
Comfortable fabrics that fit well and look nice
Evidence of effectiveness of technologies in peer-reviewed medical literature
Traditional uniforms in the health care field are not protective and workers are well aware of
this. Nurses, for example, are exposed to a variety of contaminants, and many will immediately
remove their uniform and shower after completing their shift because they know that their
garments do not provide them any sort of protection.
Research also shows that health care professionals are willing to pay for performance when they
have the evidence that their apparel will protect them on the job. To meet these needs, our
Vestex line has a complete offering of lab coats, shirts, gowns, and scrub tops and pants that
repel fluids and resist stains, contain an antimicrobial element and keep wearers cool, clean and
dry.
Are new technologies finding their applications and
markets?
Major medical universities, hospital systems, departments and offices have been early adopters
of Vestex Active Barrier uniforms based on its design and early research. With the release of the
studies showing the benefits of these garments, Vestagen has seen a significant acceleration in
adoption. Emergency medicine and trauma departments, emergency medical technicians and
health care employees at risk of infection due to their work in critical care, cancer care,
transplant, neonates, dialysis, diabetes, and surgical areas recognize the benefits. Our biggest
challenge is educating the market and making available to our customers all of the colors and
styles they desire in their uniform apparel.
What new products or processes are being developed now
that will have the most profound impact on the way in which
end product manufacturers do business tomorrow?
In his book, The Innovators Dilemma, Harvard Business School professor Clayton M.
Christensen discusses how large companies tend to ignore disruptive innovations and focus on
what they perceive as the competitive demands of the current market or customers as they have
always know them.
If you do not innovate and understand that real business value comes from creating new market
opportunities, you can run the risk of failure. Be a market maker, not an order taker. Work to
understand the tasks performed and conditions encountered by the actual users and then solve the
problems they do not even know they have. This process is not driven by the product or process,
but rather by the problem.
We use a translational research model to develop an in-depth understanding of the problem our
clients face clinically, operationally and financially, and then define the design parameters
required to solve the problem. The final step is to test multiple solutions in the lab and in a
patient care clinical setting to develop the evidence of effectiveness and safety. The result is a
product that is proven to work, and thats good business for everyone involved.