For those who are unaware, The MedTech Conference is AdvaMed’s annual meeting. It’s an opportunity for industry to come together, discuss critical issues, be informed, and network with new contacts. This year’s event took place in San Diego, and according to the organization, it was the largest gathering yet.

Attending the affair is always on my “to do” list each year. While some of the sessions mirror the content already being shared through MPO and ODT, there are certainly opportunities to be informed about new innovations, trends, or concerns from leading industry voices. In addition, it gives me the opportunity to think of the implications of what’s being discussed for the industry now and into the future. I thought it possibly of interest to you to share some of the ideas generated this year.

In 2025, the theme for the event was Medtech Redefines the Future of Health Care. If you were going to provide the full version of that theme for this year’s conference, it would have concluded as “…with Artificial Intelligence.” AI was prevalent throughout most of the sessions, with speakers providing some context for its use through success stories and future plans. Overall, however, I find discussions of AI and its potential impact on medtech to be lacking. It resembles sessions from the past on additive manufacturing and big data, where real-world applications were somewhat lacking and instead, the discussion centered around what changes AI would bring about. That said, if the trend holds true for AI, future conferences will feature more application-specific discussions and real-world examples. 

I’m certainly not opposed to speculating on the future of medtech. I’ve done it more than a couple times in this space. However, when you have a meeting the size of The MedTech Conference, I think it’s important to be sure other subjects are covered so as to prevent burnout from one topic dominating the conversation. That said, I recognize that can be challenging and I hardly lay blame on the organizers. They presented a fine agenda with different topics being tackled. But when AI stands to permeate virtually every aspect of medtech development and manufacturing, from R&D through to commercialization, it’s going to get discussed. 

What I didn’t hear brought up, however, with the exception of a couple of specific examples, were the concerns still inherent with AI. Aspects such as patient privacy, bias, inaccuracies, and cybersecurity were absent from most conversations. Before medtech is able to realize the full potential of AI (and what that will be is going to be truly incredible), challenges need to be addressed. 

More than likely, solutions will originate from other sectors and then be ported over to the medical device industry. For example, someone brought up online banking and the general security and trust users have with it. That’s what’s needed for the healthcare sector. Patients must have an inherent trust in the system they are using to access and communicate with their providers. We’re partially there—does anyone else use an online patient portal to view notes from an appointment, test results, and other information? But is the trust present with AI and applications leveraging it? Undoubtedly, it’s an evolution and we’ll get there. Think how many patients were likely reluctant to have a robot perform a procedure on them; now, I’m hearing people mention it about themselves or a relative much more often. 

One notable difference with AI, however, has been the speed at which it is developing and new capabilities are introduced. Just when one thinks they have a handle on the limits of AI, it’s announced those limitations have been exceeded significantly. And this progress isn’t taking years like it did with robotic surgical systems. We’re hearing of new advancements almost every month. I can’t think of another technology that’s been so fluid in its evolution in a similar timeframe. 

While speed of advancement is fantastic and offers great opportunities in virtually real time, it does present its own set of new problems. How does the FDA keep up with such progress in its review of new innovations? Similarly, how does reimbursement come into play for such technologies? AI can be leveraged for the greatest medical advancements, but if it’s not given the OK by FDA or its not paid for by CMS, adoption will never take place. We may need to revisit the policies around these areas to ensure AI is able to grow and benefit healthcare as necessary. 

A final comment I found interesting. During one of the panels, Mick Farrell, CEO of Resmed, said, “AI won’t replace you, but the person next to you using AI better than you will.” 

For those seeking a more well-rounded assessment of the event, read MedWorld Advisors’ article in this issue.

Sean Fenske, Editor-in-Chief
sfenske@rodmanmedia.com