The pace of orthopedic innovation must accelerate for the industry to meet the rapidly growing demand for new technologies while providing the best possible outcomes for patients. As orthopedics evolves, it becomes more difficult to identify truly consequential challenges and opportunities. What current solutions have peaked in effectiveness? What new technologies are fads? Companies that prioritize patient-focused innovation and convention-breaking solutions will remain competitive in the future.
The OMTEC keynote brings unique perspectives from surgeon entrepreneurs with vast clinical experience and demonstrated success in the executive suite. Their discussion provides insight into what pressures are driving orthopedic innovation, what unmet clinical needs represent the largest future growth opportunities and why companies must shift their current thinking to meet the challenges of tomorrow.
Michael Evers is a Senior Market Analyst and writer at ORTHOWORLD. He leads the development of ORTHOWORLD’s proprietary revenue models, covers industry trends and co-authors THE ORTHOPAEDIC INDUSTRY ANNUAL REPORT. Before joining ORTHOWORLD in 2018, Mr. Evers served in analyst roles within the cardiac rhythm management and physician practice management industries.
Ira Kirschenbaum, M.D., is the Chair of Orthopaedic Surgery of the BronxCare Health System, one of the largest non-profit, non-governmental safety net health systems. It services the 15th Congressional District in New York, which is the poorest congressional district in the nation. In this role he developed, from the ground up, what is considered the largest and highest quality full-time orthopedic department for a safety net hospital.
Dr. Kirschenbaum continues to have a notable and unique career as an orthopedic surgeon with in-depth and wide-breadth entrepreneurial, corporate and healthcare leadership experience in operations, process reengineering, information technology and innovation design. His accomplishments include founding Prodigy Medicine, Medscape Orthopaedics and SwiftPath. He serves as the Founder and Editor in Chief of The Journal of Orthopaedic Experience & Innovation. and Senior Advisor and Board Member of Gate Science.
Sharat Kusuma, M.D., is a physician executive who brings a unique combination of business, finance and clinical experience to his roles. Since 2019, he has served as the Chief Strategy Officer, Senior Vice President of Business Development and Chief Medical Officer at Exactech. Most recently he was appointed President of JointMedica, an orthopedic company focused on hip arthroplasty implants. Exactech and JointMedica are TPG Healthcare portfolio companies.
Before Exactech, he served as a senior leader at Apple’s headquarters, heading the development of digital health products and partnerships between Apple and pharma/medical device companies. He also worked as a Senior Engagement Manager at McKinsey and Company in the healthcare provider, payor, pharma and medtech space. Before starting his medtech career, Dr. Kusuma enjoyed a successful tenure as an academic orthopedic hip and knee surgeon.
