The flow of innovation in medical devices traditionally has been a one-way street. An engineer or a surgeon would identify a problem and create a potential solution, a twisted piece of metal that might prop open a vessel or help repair a broken bone. The role of the patient in this innovative process was minimal, like an extra on a movie set. The patient showed up, had the device implanted, healed (hopefully), and went home, allowing the tinkerers in the device industry to develop the next iteration of the device.
But the roles in health care are changing. No doubt, device companies and creators still have a starring spot in the production, but patients are demanding a meaty role for themselves, one that gives them dialogue and a voice in the management of their own health care. Gone are the days when the only medical triage tool available for home use was the thermometer