The moment a patient receives an orthopaedic product from our Osteosynthesis division, it can be the beginning of a new life. Leading up to that moment is an exhaustive research and development effort—an objective, methodical process we call “evidence-based design.” Research and development leader Bernd Robioneck and his team have redefined how we innovate through our relationship with Dr. Mohit Bhandari, a world-renowned surgeon from Hamilton, Ontario, and a fierce advocate for evidence-based orthopaedics in clinical practice. Dr. Bhandari’s approach calls for rigorous procedures and ongoing data analysis to confirm the potential effectiveness and efficiency of treatments long before they reach patients, physicians and hospitals. Building this viewpoint into a discipline, Bernd and his team now use evidence-based methods in product and clinical study design.
This means that, rather than relying on a surgeon’s subjective opinion on how a product’s effectiveness compares to an implant or treatment already in the market, Stryker can validate protocols while products are still being developed in our R&D labs. “It’s a cascade of biomechanical and anatomical studies, proving that better patient outcomes are possible,” describes Bernd. “The ultimate benefit to physicians and hospitals is greater confidence in a newly commercialized product—better documentation, educational resources and clinical effectiveness.” Stryker’s relationship with Dr. Bhandari began five years ago, and together we have developed training courses for surgeons participating in evidence-based clinical studies and published medical papers to define and encourage this approach worldwide.