MASSDEVICE ON CALL — The medical device industry has some pretty big hurdles to face, but companies can still land big wins if they can hit the market’s "sweet spot", according to St. Jude Medical (NYSE:STJ) CEO Daniel Starks.

Speaking at the Collaborative’s Minnesota Venture and Finance Conference this week, Starks told the audience that the secret to success for medical device makers is to aim for technologies that help lower the cost of care while improving patient health, Minnesota’s Star Tribune reported.

"That’s always been the sweet spot for medical device technology," Starks said. "There are significant challenges, and it has gotten more expensive, and the time-lines are more uncertain, but the payoff for a well-targeted technology, going after the right disease state, can be just huge."

 Fed shutdown does wonder for Obamacare
The popularity of the Affordable Care Act has increased since the federal government shutdown, with positive sentiments about healthcare reform gaining 7 points since last month.
Read more

 Former S.C. HHS worker admits illegal breaches of healthcare data
Former South Carolina Health & Human Services worker Christopher Lykes Jr. pleaded guilty to illegally accessing confidential health records for about 228,000 patients, a crime punishable by up to 25 years in prison.  
Read more

 Device makers balk at new standards for imaging system maintenance
Medical device companies warned that a new proposal that would let hospitals set their own standards for maintenance of imaging equipment would erode safety guarantees.
 
Read more

 Tom Hanks reveals Type II diabetes diagnosis
Hollywood legend Tom Hanks revealed this week that he has been diagnosed with Type II diabetes, but that his condition is manageable with proper diet.  
Read more