The Consumerization of Medical Products

It almost goes without saying that ensuring a medical device safely fulfills its purpose is the most critical aspect of its design. But as in many other industries, even medical devices are beginning to modernize with a new look and feel.

As technology advances, the medical and consumer electronics industries are starting to converge.  Just as computers, phones and music players have become more compact and easy to use, so have the tools medical professionals work with every day. Today’s products are smaller, lighter and easier to understand, resulting in an improved user experience for both doctors and patients.

Perhaps there is no better indication of this trend than the digital health exhibit at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show.  The digital health movement is quickly merging cutting-edge technologies with the growing need for medical devices that help consumers manage their care more flexibly. Medical tools are looking more and more like consumer electronics devices, with many wearable, mobile medical products already (or soon to be) on the market.

So how did this merging of industries come about?

Perhaps the prime driving force behind this “consumerization” of medical products has been the need for comfort. Both patients and medical staff are increasingly at ease using digital technology in their daily lives, and medical product designers are much more familiar with consumer electronics than they may have been a few decades ago. As a result, we’re seeing many design trends from the realm of consumer electronics translate to what patients, as well as device manufacturers, ask for and what medical designers are developing.

This comfort level isn’t just skin deep; it improves the safety of a given product. By creating medical devices with design elements and features that function in ways already familiar to consumers, users are much less prone to operator errors. Because the medical staff already uses similar products throughout their lives outside the hospital or clinic, they are not forced to think in unfamiliar or novel ways to interact with these products. The result? A more confident and stress-free work environment.

Familiar product designs also benefit patients, as they may not fear or worry about a device they understand more clearly than the more obtrusive devices of the past. A more relaxed line of communication develops between the device and patient, resulting in a better experience for everyone in the chain of care.

The logical next step for medical products would be a transition to multi-purpose devices, much like smart phones and tablet PCs in the consumer electronics industry. This, however, is where hurdles have (perhaps appropriately) slowed advancement in the industry. Currently most medical devices are designed for just one function.  Until recently, the technology didn’t exist to combine multiple functions into one device, so multi-use products were not a priority for either device manufacturers or physicians.

Multi-use products also can be risky as they increase the chances of confusing users. This can slow the healthcare process and, more seriously, risk the safety of a patient. The current protocol of designing medical products for only one function helps ensure that each device is being used correctly.

Through our daily use of today’s consumer electronics, we’re also all aware of how easily information can be shared. In the medical field, that could translate into simple sharing of records. Instead of filling out long forms at each new office, users can potentially transfer their medical information from prior doctor visits for seamless continuity of care. But confidentiality concerns, as well as healthcare clinics’ desire to retain patients rather than encourage easy moves, has slowed such information sharing opportunities.

Similar hurdles exist in the home healthcare industry. With current technology, there are certainly opportunities for more advanced medical products making their way into the home. This will be especially important as our society—particularly the baby boomer generation—reaches retirement age. Healthcare providers are reluctant to send patients home early with these new devices, however, because of cost incentives. Insurance companies, for example, generally compensate doctors and hospitals for days spent in care, not for money-saving technology. The incentive to push through new technology is simply not there. Until the financial incentives align with the benefits of new technology, the medical device industry will be slow to evolve.

But that doesn’t mean we won’t see any advancement, particularly in market segments where there is already a great deal of medical / consumer alignment. At-home diabetes monitoring, for example, is becoming increasingly common with improved equipment that’s designed from the start to be patient friendly. Other consumer electronics inspired examples will soon include smart phones that double as heart rate monitors and watches incorporating GPS locators to track elderly loved ones.

Product Development Technologies has recently developed consumer-electronics inspired devices as part of a study to improve the lives of Alzheimer’s patients. Especially in the case of Alzheimer’s victims, making the products look familiar was a key focus. Initial designs include a medication reminder and dispenser reminiscent of a modern smart phone, and a biometrics monitor disguised as an electronic bracelet.

As more designers follow this trend, the digital health movement will continue to grow. The future of medical devices will likely be linked to the consumer electronics industry for many years to come. Some hurdles do remain, but as technology advances medical developments will continue to emphasize simplicity and safety. And as our medical products become more and more like the electronics we use every day, both medical professionals and patients will find it more intuitive to utilize the latest in medical technology.


With a background in corporate law and business, and 15 years in product development, Joel understands the business side of creativity and how to strategically guide innovation and design. He’s spent 11 years with Product Development Technologies (PDT), having helped to build and grow PDT’s industrial design and research departments. He is currently focused on strengthening PDT’s growing West Coast presence, and works regularly with large medical, defense and electronics clients. Prior to joining PDT, Joel spent time as a senior designer for Zenith Electronics, Cousins Design and Henry Dreyfuss Associates (New York).  He also practiced corporate law with Gunster, Yoakley & Stewart in Florida and has a great deal of experience with the business side of design, including licensing of technology and intellectual property issues. Joel received his Master of Industrial Design from Pratt Institute, his law degree (corporate and patent) from Harvard Law School and his Bachelor in Economics from New York University’s Stern School of Business.