The Future of Medicine

While this post is a departure from our usual medicine-focused content, we at D&D wanted to acknowledge the recent passing of Regis Philbin. A few members of our staff were fortunate enough to meet Regis during his 88 years on earth — their reminiscences are below.

From Greg Dennis, retired co-founder of Dowling & Dennis:

“Regis Philbin had a son who was confined to a wheelchair and relied upon a small piece of technology made by a large medical company. As it happened, Dowling & Dennis did some PR consulting work for that company.

Patients hate needles.

This basic fact makes IV therapy a pressing healthcare issue affecting nearly every specialty, according to Lee Steere, RN, CRNI, VA-BC, Manager of IV Therapy Services at Hartford Hospital – especially when you consider that nearly 90 percent of hospitalized patients will require a peripheral IV (PIV) catheter at some point during their stay.

In the United States, PIV failure rates average around 53%, meaning one out of every two catheters fail to last until the end of treatment. This could be the reason that needle sticks are among the top ten patient fears, according to a national survey of hospitalized patients.

“Patients seeking care at healthcare facilities receive too many needle sticks,” Steere said. “My passion is to achieve the goal of one PIV per patient which entails getting an IV inserted on the first attempt and lasting until the prescribed treatment is complete.” Continue reading “Transforming IV Therapy: Using the Right Approach to Get the Right Result” →

Barry Rosen, MD, Guest Contributor

Recovery from breast cancer can be a difficult journey, both physically and emotionally. An important part of recovery from the trauma of cancer diagnosis is to be able to put the entire experience in the rear view mirror, so to speak. But it’s hard to do that if you have a daily reminder in the form of a disfiguring scar.

It was once common for surgeons to focus solely on removing a breast cancer tumor with little regard for the appearance of the breast. But we now know we can deliver excellent cosmetic outcomes without compromising oncologic safety. There have been tremendous advances in the past 20 years in the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer that enable us to help our patients look and feel better after breast cancer.

One of these important advances is oncoplastic surgery (OPS). Though popular in Europe for several decades, it’s only begun to gain traction in the United States within the last 10 years. OPS combines breast surgery with plastic and reconstructive techniques to achieve the best possible cosmetic outcomes without compromising cancer care. It can be as simple as closing the cavity and hiding the scar, or performing a more complex procedure like a breast lift or reduction in conjunction with removing the tumor. Continue reading “From Reconstruction to Going Flat – Helping Women Look & Feel Better After Breast Cancer with Oncoplastic Surgery” →

It will come as no surprise to medical device startups that the funding climate in medical devices is still challenging. We talked recently with two experts who come to this question with two different perspectives.

– Alice McKeon is VP Healthcare Investment Banking at Network 1 Financial, which is based in Red Bank, N.J.

– Dan Clark is a Cofounder and the Chief Marketing Officer at Linear Health Sciences, makers of the Orchid Safety Release Valve.

The power and policies emanating from Washington DC are on the minds of many people these days. How will the Trump Administration affect the investment climate in medical devices?

“The short answer is, no one really knows,” McKeon said. It’s unclear what will happen to the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). That in turn raises questions in potential investors’ minds. Continue reading “Following the (Investment) Money in Medical Devices” →

Many drivers have experienced the kind of fender-bender or sudden stop that made them glad they were wearing a seat belt. But a seatbelt can only protect us from so much — which is why airbags and more advanced safety approaches were invented.

To use another auto analogy, think of the breakaway hoses at gas stations pumps. They prevent the full hose from being pulled out of the pump when an absent-minded driver drives away without removing the nozzle from the gas tank.

Similarly in nursing care, there’s only so much that catheter stabilization can do when it comes to protecting IV lines. Given those limitations, a better safety option is now being developed to address a pain point for nurses: accidental dislodgement of IV lines. Continue reading “When Catheter Stabilization Isn’t Enough for Patient Safety” →