“Medical devices must be within the reach of doctors”

2023-05-01 20:00:02

• Mexico is considered the eighth largest exporter of medical devices in the world.
• The Academy of Surgical Innovation is located within the International Institute of Metabolic Medicine in Tijuana and one of its goals is to train more than 100 surgeons a year.
• In addition to his work at Medronic, Héctor was elected as the new president of the Mexican Association of Innovative Industries of Medical Devices (AMID) for the period 2023-2025.

Technology is a fundamental part of the lives of millions of people. It is immersed in different areas and one of the most important is the field of health. through the medical device development Not only is a better quality of life provided to patients, but doctors are supported to fulfill their duties.

To better understand the concept of this type of innovation, there is the Official Mexican Standard NOM-240-SSA1-2012. The document mentions that a medical device is the substance or mixture of substances, material, apparatus or instrument (including the computer program necessary for its proper use or application), used alone or in combination in the diagnosis, monitoring or prevention of diseases. in humans or auxiliaries in the treatment of the same and of the disability, as well as those used in the replacement, correction, restoration or modification of the anatomy or of human physiological processes.

On the other hand, it cannot be overlooked that Mexico is a world power within this category. Only in 2021 it was revealed that our country is the eighth largest exporter of medical devices in the world.

With this context, in Greetings we had the opportunity to interview Héctor Orellana, who is Vice President and General Director of Medtronic Mexico and Central America. In addition, he was recently elected as the new president of the Mexican Association of Innovative Industries of Medical Devices (AMID) for the period 2023-2025.

The meeting took place during the inauguration of the Academy of Surgical Innovation. It is a new space located within the International Institute of Metabolic Medicine in Tijuana. One of its goals is to train more than 100 surgeons a year. For the equipment, Medtronic invested a million dollars with medical equipment of the highest technology.

Héctor Orellana, Vice President and General Director of Medtronic Mexico and Central America

Why did Medtronic choose to support and fund the Academy of Surgical Innovation?

Something very important to us as a company is the medical training. We focus on developing technology for all health professionals, but it would not make sense if we do not pay attention to the people who are going to use it to care for patients.

It is not enough to provide the tools to doctors, but it is also necessary for each one to know how these innovations work so that they can take advantage of them in the best possible way.

At the same time, Baja California and specifically Tijuana is one of the largest points in terms of medical tourism in Mexico. Therefore, it makes a lot of sense to us that there is a space for medical updating in this city.

Within Medicine, changes are constant. In what way has technology transformed it during the last five years?

The changes are many because every day innovations appear that until not long ago seemed impossible but today they are a reality. One of the most sensational recent inventions is the PillCam. It is a device and as the name suggests it is a pill but also a camera. A patient only has to ingest it and it automatically offers a visualization of the digestive tract and in the end the body discards it naturally.

A few weeks ago you were appointed president of the Mexican Association of Innovative Industries of Medical Devices (AMID). What is your work plan?

First of all, we are at a fundamental moment because as AMID we have just received recognition in medical devices. Now we are no longer divided into medicines and health supplies, but we are all part of the same team.

What remains is not only to promote the development of cutting-edge medical devices, but to make them available to all doctors. In the end, all these innovations are intended to complement your professional activities.

Also read:

Academy of Surgical Innovation, new high-level Mexican center for the training of surgeons

All NOMs on medical devices and office equipment

Mexico is the eighth largest exporter of Medical Devices in the world