U.K., Oct. 15 -- Dr Anne Blackwood describes Health Enterprise East (HEE) as the "interface" between the UK's National Health Service and the technology industry. Founded in 2004, HEE was originally funded by the UK's Department of Health, and was part of a national network of NHS innovation hubs that aimed to support frontline healthcare staff who had an idea for a new product and needed help to commercialise it.
Working with frontline staff and SMEs in the medtech community, HEE helps them understand each other's needs, including economic challenges and how medical devices can change the way a patient moves through the healthcare system, such as a self-test at home instead of at a hospital clinic.
This in particular is a growing trend...