Consumerism has already arrived in the orthopedic implant business, according to John Brown, current chairman of the board and past CEO of Stryker Corporation, in an interview published on the Health Affairs web site. Stryker makes a diverse line of products including artificial hips and knees and other orthopedic implants. “Because of the knowledge gained through the Internet, sophisticated patients and their families know who are the manufacturers, who are the leading surgeons, and they insist on getting the best surgeon and best product,” Brown tells Rob Burns, a professor of health care systems and management at the Wharton School.
Regarding cost medical devices, Burns says, “I think that the American public feels that technology has been good for them. The average Joe doesn’t complain about the cost of his hip, the cost of his knee, or the cost of his pacemaker or defibrillator. On the other hand, you hear countless complaints that someone just came back from the drugstore and they had to plunk down fifty dollars for their prescription.” Brown adds, “Part of it is that a high-cost device is a one-time incident, whereas pharmaceuticals are recurring, long-term costs.”
