MedTech Business Academy

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 i...

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 discuss...

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 th...

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-...

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 evo...

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 conver...

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, h...

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 mos...

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. L...

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 marke...

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 d...

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 safe...

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 list...

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 decisio...

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 sta...

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 sal...

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 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, a...

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 e...

Why do so many promising medical technologies stall in the value analysis process? In this episode of the Value Analysis Expert Series, Skender Daerti is joined by three of the most respected leaders in the field: Terri Nelson, Jenell Robinson, and Barbara Strain. Together, they explore the real-world barriers medtech suppliers face when navigating hospital Value Analysis Committees (VACs)—and wha...

Market Pressures, Medtech Strategy, and Provider Perspectives In this special two-person episode, Scott Alexander and value analysis leader Barbara Strain discuss the state of medtech commercialization in 2025—from shifting provider priorities to evolving supplier expectations. You’ll hear insight on: Mid-year pressures on provider systems and medtech companies Why traditional goals no longer appl...

Chait Razdan, CEO of Care+Wear, joins the Medtech Business Academy to discuss innovation in patient-centered design, navigating tariffs, and building trust with hospitals. Learn how transparency, community, and iteration drive success in today’s complex medtech landscape.

In this episode of the Value Analysis Expert Series, Terri Nelson is joined by seasoned value analysis leaders Barbara Strain and Jenell Robinson to tackle a critical but often overlooked topic: supplier education. Whether you're a medtech sales rep, clinical liaison, or value analysis professional, this conversation unpacks what suppliers don’t know—and what hospitals must do to ensure better eng...

In this episode of the Women in Medtech podcast, we welcome back Emily Levy, CEO and co-founder of Mighty Well, for an inspiring update on her entrepreneurial journey. Emily shares how Mighty Well secured an Innovation Voucher from the state of Rhode Island, expanded its partnership with Prism Medical, and is leading a new conversation about recovery, wellness, and patient-centered design in medte...

In this episode of the Value Analysis Expert Series, Skender Daerti is joined by Barbara Strain, Jenell Robinson, and Terri Nelson to explore how suppliers and value analysis professionals can move beyond transactional interactions and build true partnerships. They discuss common missteps in supplier engagement—like rigid volume commitments and outdated messaging—and share how to approach contract...