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COVID-19 has forced the majority of orthopedic professionals to employ digital tools, whether to work from home, connect with customers or consider new product enhancements. Even though adoption of digital technology has taken a major leap in recent months, there will be winners and losers—both from technology and company standpoints, said Stefano Bini, M.D.
Dr. Bini serves as Professor of Clinical Orthopaedics and Chief Technology Officer, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California San Francisco, as well as Founder and Chair of Digital Orthopedics Conference (DOCSF). He has a finger on the pulse of how the vast scope of digital technology is being used to deliver patient care or optimize systems in a hospital or O.R.
Telehealth platforms are a boon right now, while new orthopedic robots are not, he said. Artificial intelligence to support supply chain efficiency and sensors to track patient movement are absolutely the future.
We asked Dr. Bini how COVID-19 will spur the digital disruption in orthopedics and what advice he has for the orthopedic industry.
He said, “If we’ve learned anything from COVID-19, it’s that those that have really invested in digital technology and infrastructure are more likely the ones that will weather the storm and be able to support their clients effectively.” He went on to push orthopedic companies to consider technology that responds to the long-term needs and evolution of the industry. “It’s not just COVID. There are going to be floods, there are going to be earthquakes, there are going to be wars.”
