MASSDEVICE ON CALL — Abbott (NYSE:ABT) said its vascular devices plant in Conmel, Ireland, won the Shingo Prize from Utah State University’s Huntsman Business School.
The prize is given each year by the business school’s Shingo Institute to an organization that’s demonstrated "a culture where principles of operational excellence are deeply embedded into the thinking and behavior of all leaders, managers and associates," according to a press release.
"Only the highest-performing organizations are considered for the Shingo Prize," Shingo Institute executive director Robert Miller said in prepared remarks. "Organizations that receive the top Shingo Prize have successfully created a culture characterized by excellence, respect, humility, the quest for perfection and flow of value to the customer. Ultimately, these are some of the best organizations in the world."
The prize, established in 1988, is named for Japanese industrial engineer Shigeo Shingo, "who distinguished himself as one of the world’s thought leaders in concepts, management systems and improvement techniques," according to the release. The Clonmel facility is the 1st in Europe to win the Shingo Prize, Abbott said.
"Abbott’s dedication to excellence is a driving force across all functions and roles, and is central to our development of innovative business solutions so that we can continue to deliver world-class products to our customers," vascular senior vice president Chuck Foltz said in prepared remarks. "Receiving the top Shingo Prize for our manufacturing facility in Clonmel is a testament to the deep commitment of our employees and to our ongoing focus on serving the people who benefit from our products."
Medtech Innovator competition puts up $100k no-strings prize
The Medtech Innovator competition (formerly known as Medtech Idol)
is putting up a no-strings-attached prize of $100,000 to the winning medical device firm. Applications are now being accepted for the competition, slated to be held during the Wilson Sonsini Medical Device conference in June, from early-stage medical device companies. University-stage technologies and companies seeking seed, Series A and B rounds are encouraged to apply. Ten firms will be selected as semi-finalists by a panel of medical device venture capitalists, with the winner selected by an audience vote. The application deadline is May 19.
Read more
Data breach leads to largest-ever HIPAA fine
The U.S. Health & Human Services Dept. leveled $4.8 million in fines against a pair of New York hospitals for a data breach that exposed electronic protected health information on 6,800 patients, including patient status, vital signs, medications, and laboratory results. The settlement by New York & Presbyterian Hospital and Columbia University Medical Center is the largest ever for HIPAA violations, HHS said.
The breach was caused when a Columbia physician who developed applications for both organizations "attempted to deactivate a personally-owned computer server" on the network containing the patients’ data. That left the data open to Internet search engines – the breach was only discovered after "a complaint by an individual who found the [electronic protected health information] of the individual’s deceased partner, a former patient of [New York Presbyterian], on the Internet," the agency said.
Read more
Survey: Device makers doubt offset theory for medical device tax
A survey of 119 medical device executives in Massachusetts found increased uncertainty that an influx of newly insured patients from Obamacare will offset the 2.3% excise tax on medical device revenues. The survey, sponsored by MassMedic, also found that FDA hurdles to U.S. approval are considered as significant for companies’ chances of success as their ability to innovate.
Read more
Significant decline in deaths after Massachusetts’ health reform
The mortality rate in the Bay State declined 2.9% in the 4 years after it passed its 1st-in-the-nation healthcare reform law in 2006, compared with similar populations in states that didn’t expand health coverage, according to a new study led by Harvard School of Public Health researchers. Massachusetts’ near-universal health insurance coverage prevented approximately 320 deaths each year, or 1 life saved for 830 insured, the researchers estimated.
Read more