In the modern age, many healthcare products have become heavily commoditized. The healthcare industry is ethically bound to create wellness, but the decisions that are made can negatively impact the world of tomorrow. As the healthcare sector looks to embrace a more sustainable future, innovation will have a key role to play.
Founded in Iceland in 1971, Össur is a global company with a strong purpose rooted in positively impacting people’s health and wellbeing. Össur focuses on improving people’s mobility through the delivery of state-of-the-art technologies in the field of prosthetics, and bracing and support.
In their commitment to being responsible for tomorrow, Össur is expanding on what it means to innovate by examining their product designs, the material they use in their products, and evaluating manufacturing processes. The company hopes to create less waste while producing products that are beneficial to the clinician and their staff without compromising clinical outcomes.
"Innovation is more than just a product. It's how we deliver the product and how we think about designing the product - what materials, what packaging. There is still a lot of room for innovation in that regard, but also on functional outcomes, creating products that solve fundamental healthcare issues." said Sveinn Sölvason, President and CEO of Össur.
Innovation can go beyond new product features. The company believes that by offering less, with products that are built for purpose, they can actually do more for the environment and for the patient. One of their key initiatives is reducing product complexity where applicable.
Hildur Einarsdóttir, Executive VP of Research and Development of Össur, said, "It's critical for us to make sure that the carbon footprint of every product is as low as possible, and we keep the end of life in mind, so it is easy to dispose of and has as little impact as possible."
Össur also keeps the packaging of the product in mind when making these fundamental changes.
A change in packaging can not only make an environmental difference but also reduce the overall cost of the product. From improving supply chain efficiencies by reducing space needed for shipping, to easing shelf space constraints in a hospital, improvements in packaging can claim benefits both global and local.
The healthcare industry is in a constant state of evolution. In the present day, there is considerable pressure on cost, as institutions attempt to keep pace with changing technology and a desire for greater sustainability.
Despite the challenges, the industry is still capable of growth. By redefining innovation, the healthcare sector can still achieve optimal outcomes for patients, while improving value for healthcare systems and reducing environmental impact, as Össur is proving.
