The right people in the room?
Finally, I’d be hard-pressed to not mention that there were fewer participants at this year’s Heart Rhythm Society conference than there were last year. Specifically, I missed seeing more EP lab managers, directors and technicians, whose task it is to understand these technologies and balance the need for new technologies with the need to remain profitable and allow more patients access to EP procedures. On the other hand, there were plenty of international distributors and leading EP clinicians — not to mention representatives from the exhibiting companies.

As always, I’d like to thank the Heart Rhythm Society for maintaining a high standard for its annual convention, as well as the industry at large for continuing to push the boundaries of EP technology. We need to continue to find a balance between technological advancement, the operational and financial realities of EP lab management, and our common obligation to ensure that effective and efficient technologies are accessible so that as many patients as possible can receive the benefits. Today, when looking at new technologies that usually come with a premium price, we must ask: Who is going to pay for it?

About the Author: Lars Thording, Ph.D., has a background in academia, consulting and industry leadership. He has been responsible for the launch of numerous market-disrupting solutions across healthcare, insurance and technology. Originally from Denmark, Lars has taught at universities in Denmark, Ireland and the United States. He currently serves as the vice president of marketing and public affairs at Innovative Health, a medical device reprocessing company specializing in electrophysiology and cardiology technology. Lars currently serves on the board of the Association of Medical Device Reprocessors.

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