Austen BioInnovation Institute in Akron Attracts Nationally Known Speakers For Conference on Value-driven Engineering, April 23-24

AKRON, Ohio, April 20, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Austen BioInnovation Institute in Akron (ABIA) is attracting leading national experts in the medical device sector to the National Conference on Value-driven Engineering to Improve Medical Innovation for U.S. Global Competitiveness. The event, taking place in Akron Monday and Tuesday, April 23-24, features leaders from industry, academia and the public and private sector discussing the future of medical device development and innovation.

The two-day national conference is focused on a new competitive strategy to U.S. medical device manufacturing, design and innovation.  It will address topics such as maximizing value for patient and healthcare systems, medical device complexity, regulatory innovation pathway, educating the next generation of value-driven engineers and real-world examples of Value-driven Engineering.

Value-driven Engineering is a strategy in medical device development that embraces simplicity. Value-driven Engineering endorses quality and improved, patient-centered care and promotes innovation and efficiency across the healthcare system.

The conference will feature renowned speakers including:

• Thomas Fogarty, M.D., Fogarty Institute for Innovation: "Value Collaboration between Physicians and Engineers"
• Robert E. Litan, Ph.D., Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation: "The Importance of Harnessing Bid Data with Respect to Defining the Value Equation"
• Mike Hess, Medtronic Inc.: "What Value-driven Engineering Means to the Medical Device Industry"
• William J. Heetderks, Ph.D., M.D., National Institutes of Health: "The Role of Federal Funding Agencies in the Adoption of Value-driven Engineering"
• DeVon W. Griffin, Ph.D., NASA Glenn Research Center: "NASA's Need for Less Complex Medical Devices"
• Megan Moynahan, U.S. Food and Drug Administration: "Regulatory Innovation Pathway"
• Marc S. Penn, M.D., Ph.D., FACC, Summa Health System: "Clinical Utility to the Clinician"
• Stephen P. Welby, U.S. Department of Defense: "DOD's Value Engineering Initiative"

Follow the conference live and join the discussions on Twitter at www.twitter.com/valuedrivennow or by using the hash tag #VDEakron12.

The conference is organized by the national Value-driven Engineering steering committee, led by ABIA, which includes leaders from Johns Hopkins University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Medtronic, Orthopaedic Research Laboratories, Stanford University and The University of Akron.

About the Austen BioInnovation Institute in Akron

Based in Akron, Ohio, the Austen BioInnovation Institute in Akron—a unique collaboration of Akron Children's Hospital, Akron General Health System, Northeast Ohio Medical University, Summa Health System, The University of Akron and The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.  To learn more about the Austen BioInnovation Institute in Akron, please visit www.abiakron.org.

Media Contact:
Scott Rainone, 330-572-7581 (o), [email protected]

SOURCE Austen BioInnovation Institute in Akron