Episodes

Healthcare is moving deeper into value-based care, and MedTech companies will need to change how they sell. As payment models evolve, the person buying a technology may not be the person who ultimately benefits from it. In this episode of the MedTech Business Academy, Scott Alexander and Barbara Strain break down what the shift toward value-based care means for MedTech manufacturers. They discuss why cost and value often sit in different departments, why selling only to the department using the...

Hospitals are posting record 5%+ operating margins, yet medtech commercial teams are facing radio silence, longer sales cycles, and tighter budgets. Hospital rejections aren't about a lack of innovation—they reflect a sharp disconnect between hospital financial priorities and traditional sales pitches. In this episode of the Medtech Business Academy, Barbara Strain, Scott Alexander, and Skender Daerti break down the modern hospital margin paradox. They discuss how health systems are systematica...

Value Analysis Committees strike fear into medtech commercial teams, but hospital rejections are rarely about product quality. Instead, they reflect a flawed commercial strategy. In this episode of the Medtech Business Academy, Barbara Strain, Scott Alexander, and Tom Hickey break down modern hospital purchasing. They discuss the rise of triad leadership structures, the shift toward operational nurse leads, and why pitching only physicians guarantees a stalled committee review. The panel expla...

Trade shows are expensive, time-consuming, and frequently disappointing. Yet medtech companies continue attending them because exhibiting is treated as a cost of doing business rather than an investment that must produce a measurable return. In this episode of the Medtech Business Academy, Skender Daerti, Barbara Strain, and Mike Sperduti examine why 86% of companies rate their conference ROI as poor or fair and what the successful 14% do differently. They discuss how shrinking provider travel ...

In this episode of the Medtech Business Academy, Mike Sperduti is joined by Skender Daerti, Tom Hickey, and Scott Alexander for a conversation about what winning medtech companies are doing differently in today’s market. The group breaks down why the old medtech sales playbook is no longer enough. Physician employment, value analysis, longer sales cycles, tighter budgets, and workflow pressure have changed how hospitals evaluate new technology. A strong clinical claim still matters, but success...

Education is often treated as something that happens after a medtech product is sold. In this episode of the Medtech Business Academy, Eric Poirier, CEO of Atmosphere Apps, joins Scott Alexander, Barbara Strain, and Skender Daerti to explain why education should be viewed as a core part of adoption, customer satisfaction, and long-term account protection. The conversation centers on a simple but important idea: education can become a moat. When clinicians, sales teams, educators, and hospital s...

The way medtech buyers learn, evaluate, and engage has changed, but many commercial teams are still working from an older playbook. In this episode of Medtech Business Academy, Scott Alexander is joined by Skender Daerti, Barbara Strain, and Mike Sperduti for a conversation on how medical device companies need to rethink their approach to sales, marketing, and customer education. The panel discusses why buyers are no longer waiting for a rep to bring them information, how hospitals are looking ...

The Inflection Point Medtech Can't Ignore For years, medtech commercialization has largely been driven by product expertise, relationships, and the efforts of individual sales representatives. But healthcare buying decisions have changed. In this episode of the MedTech Business Academy, Skender Daerti, Barbara Strain, and Scott Alexander discuss what they believe is a major inflection point for the industry: the shift from transactional selling to strategic commercialization. The conversation...

In this episode of the MedTech Business Academy, Scott Alexander, Barbara Strain, and Mike Sperduti sit down with Frank Jaskulke of Avio Medtech for a practical conversation on what really separates successful medtech startups from the ones that stall. From credibility and execution to commercialization, networking, market fit, and the hidden costs of scaling sales, Frank shares clear, experience-based advice for innovators trying to move from concept to adoption. The discussion also covers com...

Healthcare value is changing fast in 2026. Cost pressure, CMS policy shifts, and the move toward value-based care are forcing hospitals, suppliers, and value analysis teams to rethink how value is defined and measured. In this kickoff episode of the Creating Value Series, host Skender Daerti is joined by value analysis experts Barbara Strain, Jenell Robinson, and Terri Nelson to break down the evolving value equation in healthcare. They discuss the classic formula Value = Quality ÷ Cost, why t...

Medtech’s New Battleground In this episode of the Medtech Business Academy, Skender Daerti, Barbara Strain, and Scott Alexander discuss the forces shaping the medical device industry today. With strong earnings and renewed M&A activity, capital is flowing back into medtech. At the same time, hospitals continue to face staffing shortages, labor pressures, and operational constraints. The conversation explores why workflow and operational efficiency are becoming critical factors in technology ad...

2026 Kickoff sets the stage for what’s ahead in medtech. In this episode of the MedTech Business Academy, Skender Daerti is joined by Barbara Strain, Scott Alexander, Mike Sperduti, and Tom Hickey to reflect on the turbulence of 2025 and unpack what it means for selling, marketing, and implementing medical technology in 2026. The panel discusses why uncertainty stalled decision-making last year, how tariffs and supply chain pressures changed provider behavior, and why conversion fatigue and imp...

How do you build advisory boards that actually change your commercialization trajectory instead of checking a box? The panel breaks down who to invite, what to ask, and how to turn insight into action. In this episode of the Medtech Business Academy, host Scott Alexander sits down with Skender Daerti, Barbara Strain, and Mike Sperduti to go deeper on voice of customer by focusing on one of the most underused tools in medtech: advisory boards. They unpack what a modern advisory board really is,...

In Episode 7 of the Value Analysis Expert Series, Skender Daerti sits down with Barbara Strain, Terri Nelson, and Jenell Robinson to unpack indirect spend and why it belongs inside the value analysis conversation. From rentals and courier services to waste, valet, instrument repair, and placement agreements, the panel shows how these choices shape patient flow, compliance, budgets, and outcomes. Learn the questions value analysis teams ask, the metrics that matter, and how to engage supply chain...

The team unpacks a practical playbook for voice of customer in medtech. Learn how to recruit across the real buying committee, ask intent questions that forecast adoption, and focus on operational ease so your product clears the bandwidth barrier inside hospitals. Walk away with first steps to build buyer personas, create an internal champion, and keep a non-sales conversation running in the market. Key takeaways: Do not generalize one cohort’s feedback across the committee Test intent with d...

In this episode of the Women in Medtech series, host Colleen Patterson is joined by Linda Lybert, founder and executive director of the Healthcare Surfaces Institute, for an eye-opening conversation about the unseen role that materials and cleaning practices play in patient safety. Linda shares how a simple sales visit led to a decade-long mission to improve the way hospitals think about surface disinfection and design. From launching global task forces to breaking down silos between infection ...

In this episode of the Value Analysis Expert Series, Jenell Robinson, Terri Nelson, and Barbara Strain discuss how Unique Device Identifiers (UDIs) are transforming value analysis. From recall management to data-driven product evaluations, UDIs provide a common language that helps hospitals and suppliers align on outcomes, cost, and operational impact. Learn how UDIs: Improve traceability and safety during recalls Enable more accurate product comparisons and evaluations Connect clinical, fin...

Our 100th episode is a look back and a look ahead. Skender Daerti is joined by Barbara Strain, Colleen Patterson, Scott Alexander, and Mike Spurduti to reflect on how the show began during the Great Isolation and what four years of industry change have taught us. In this episode you will hear: How inside sales, digital marketing, and virtual education reshaped commercial models in medtech Why listening to the real world through voice of customer, human factors, and market research beats build...

Host Scott Alexander sits down with Barbara Strain and Mike Sperduti to cut through the AI noise and focus on where it truly delivers value in the medical device world. Rather than debating models, the panel shares real use cases that speed decisions, strengthen commercial execution, and reduce costs. What you’ll learn: How AI shifts us from data rich and information poor to faster, better decisions for providers and suppliers Practical sales applications like customer prep, role play, and bu...

In this episode of the Women in Medtech series from the Medtech Business Academy podcast, host Colleen Patterson sits down with Tiffany Wilson, President and CEO of the Science Center in Philadelphia. With over 20 years of experience bringing healthcare technology from bench to bedside, Tiffany shares what it really takes to transform innovation into impact. She breaks down the key risks every startup must overcome, why leadership development is just as critical as funding, and how health syste...

In this episode of the Medtech Business Academy, Skender Daerti, Scott Alexander, Mike Sperduti, and Barbara Strain explore the evolution of medtech buying decisions and the growing influence of centralized purchasing. The discussion covers how value analysis committees and supply chain teams are reshaping the decision-making process, the critical role of marketing in driving strategy, and how sales teams can adapt to this new reality. From leveraging digital tools to leveling the playing field...

Medtech is heating up in the second half of 2025—is your company ready? In this episode of the Medtech Business Academy podcast, Skender Daerti is joined by Tom Hickey, Barbara Strain, and Scott Alexander to explore how smart medical device companies are navigating renewed momentum, shifting provider dynamics, and emerging investment opportunities. You’ll learn: ✅ What’s driving renewed activity in the medtech and healthcare markets ✅ How provider constraints are impacting purchasing decisio...

In this episode of the Women in Medtech series, host Colleen Patterson is joined by Abby Norfleet, Barbara Strain, and special guest Jennifer O’Reilly, Vice President of National Accounts at B. Braun’s Outpatient Division and Board Chair for Corporate Partners at Professional Women in Healthcare (PWH). Together, they unpack the myths of leadership, the invisible labor holding professionals back, and the real steps to building a fulfilling career in medtech. Jennifer shares candid insights from ...

In Episode 94 of the Medtech Business Academy, Skender Daerti and Barbara Strain tackle the uncertainty gripping today’s healthcare ecosystem. With macroeconomic signals sending mixed messages and the passage of the so-called “Big Beautiful Bill” creating new Medicaid challenges, both providers and suppliers are frozen in indecision. This episode breaks through the paralysis. Skender and Barbara explore the current “deer in headlights” moment across the industry and outline tangible steps medt...