Bench to bedside: The technology adoption pathway in healthcare

Abstract

Abstract New technologies have the potential to revolutionize the way we manage health and wellbeing now and in the future. But often seen as expensive and difficult to implement, the challenge is to identify the best technology to deliver real patient benefit and support its rapid adoption to help address the funding difficulties faced by all modern healthcare systems. In this paper we consider the traditional linear model of the technology adoption pathway as it pertains to healthcare, look at common challenges faced traversing this path and suggest solutions. In so doing, we recognise the limitations of the linear model and describe our version of a more realistic, non-linear model. Throughout, we will be looking at the key role of the Clinical Engineer to successful healthcare technology adoption based on our experience of supporting medical device products through to adoption and present the key lessons we learnt along the way.