Groundbreaking Technology Allows Surgeons and Sales Reps to Perform Ultra-realistic Virtual Procedures Remotely
By Tom Donnelly, Chief Revenue Officer, Level Ex
When Netflix launched its streaming services in 2007, few people foresaw what that would mean for brick and mortar video rental stores. I’m reminded of the complete transformation of that industry as I stand at a similar precipice: The direction of medical device training is about to shift, and my team is at the forefront.
Here’s the situation. The medical device industry has been trying to pivot to accommodate the current climate. There is a lot of pressure for hospitals to limit the number of people in the OR. For many sales representatives, that means they can’t enter the OR anymore to train surgeons, and if they can, they stand 6 feet away with a PowerPoint. Training centers are shuttered and doctors are not flying to conferences where they typically would attend training sessions to learn about new devices and techniques. The industry is faced with trying to train doctors remotely but the tools that are available like PPT slides, videos, and Zoom fall short. Consider the fact that some surgeons train by watching slides instead of using a device in context: How is this 2020? Surgeons and reps deserve a better way. And now there is one.
Finally, a Game Changer for Surgical Training
Step into the remote OR with Level Ex’s Virtual Technique Guides™
Virtual Technique Guides (VTG) by Level Ex transport surgeons, sales reps, and trainers to a virtual operating room, collaborating without having to be in the same physical space. They go step by step, completing the sequence, simulated in spectacular detail and streamed from the cloud. By simply clicking on a link or scanning a QR code, medical device sales reps can continue their video conversation over web conferencing with VTG integrated into the experience. That means that in one click, without downloading any app or software, a sales rep in Boston can perform virtual surgery together with a surgeon in Maine. Learning from 6 feet away is hard—but somehow learning from 60,000 feet away is easier. Case in point, the first medical device company to use VTG reported a 28% increase in information recall by healthcare professionals, demonstrating VTG’s ability to improve product competency.
How is this possible? Level Ex applies video game technology and the neuroscience of game design to healthcare education to give healthcare professionals opportunities to hone their skills experientially. In 2019, they began exploring cloud gaming technology to improve surgical training outside of the OR, which would allow an unprecedented level of interactivity and lifelike graphics. Cloud gaming technology has so far only been used for consumer gaming by companies like Google, Sony, and Microsoft—this marks the first time it’s being used in healthcare.
Besides VTG’s high-fidelity visuals and experiential learning capabilities, there are other benefits. First, the surgeon can go back and reference the training on their own time and follow the steps themselves, which saves the trainer time and gives the surgeon agency. It also helps companies find a balance between unimpressive PowerPoints and expensive solutions like fragile portable simulators or traveling to conduct face-to-face meetings. VTG closes this gap by providing high value training that’s widely scalable.
A Long Awaited Paradigm Shift Is Coming
I’ve spent my entire career on the vendor side in the pharma, healthcare, and med device space. Before I came to Level Ex, everywhere I went, I heard (especially when I was in advertising), “Give me something different, something new, something innovative.” There’s only so much you can do in advertising that pushes those boundaries without actual industry innovation. Then I talked to the CEO of Level Ex, who showed me VTG, and I literally thought to myself, this is what all of my clients have been asking for for the last 15 years—something new and truly different, that’s not just a “new take” on something else, but game changing.
I feel so passionately that this product is going to strongly supplement and change the way that surgical training is done—and cause a paradigm shift. We can bring down training costs and still have the same level of interaction; we can build this out across any device. Post COVID, when things get back to “normal,” VTG is going to have a place in the surgical training toolbox and become the standard training delivery method.
To learn more about Level Ex or request a demo, visit www.levelex.com/partnerships.
About Tom Donnelly
Tom is a veteran commercial and operations leader with over 20 years of management experience in integrated healthcare marketing, advertising, and consulting. At Level Ex, he oversees multiple teams including pharmaceutical, biotech, and medical device sales and partnerships, customer success, and revenue operations. Tom joined Level Ex from Evoke, a top 10 global marketing services agency that he helped grow from less than 10 to over 500 employees and that works with dozens of the largest life sciences companies in the industry. Follow Tom on LinkedIn.
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