Implementing an eQMS after Switching from Paper

Global Medical Device Podcast · 2 Feb 2023 · 31m · Episode 304

What this episode covers

Kendyl Williams, a Medical Device Guru at Greenlight Guru, details her experience transitioning a medical device company from a paper-based Quality Management System (QMS) to the Greenlight Guru eQMS platform. She describes the logistical failures of the paper system, such as 'document signing parties' and lost binders, and explains how the team validated the new software by locking themselves in a coffee shop to test workflows. Williams highlights the importance of using the sandbox environment to learn the system without risking live data and emphasizes the need for intentional setup regarding document nomenclature and attributes to ensure traceability between risk and design controls.

Mentioned

Companies
Greenlight Guru
Also
ISO 13485, ISO 14971, David Dram, Connor, Nick Tipman, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • Being an Engineer · 37m

    S1E12 Simplifying Quality Management | Jon Speer

    Jon Speer, founder of Greenlight Guru, explains how his frustration with managing medical device quality via Excel spreadsheets led to the creation of a dedicated QMS software platform. He details the transition from chemical engineering to medical device systems, highlighting the specific pain points of manual data merging and the high validation burden for electronic records. The episode covers Greenlight Guru’s development, its focus on design controls and traceability matrices, and the regulatory challenges of FDA submissions and ISO 13485 certification for startups.

  • Let's Combinate · 35m

    205 - Why Less Than 20% of Companies Have Started Quality 4.0

    Larry Mager, Founder of MGMT-CTRL, explains why fewer than 20% of companies have started Quality 4.0 despite 63% believing it will transform operations. He introduces his Quantum Quality Management (QQM) framework, a five-phase roadmap that prioritizes people, process, and technology to move beyond compliance. Mager argues that legacy Electronic Quality Management Systems (EQMS) fail because they are pre-programmed, whereas modern solutions use 'digital twins' to model workflows and ensure digital continuity. He emphasizes that successful implementation requires a strategic roadmap, cultural change, and management control rather than just installing software.

  • The Manufacturing Executive · 29m

    Digitizing Quality Management

    Andrew Steele, founder of FactoryQA, discusses the critical role of quality management systems (QMS) in manufacturing, emphasizing that quality must be a cultural element driven by engaged employees rather than just a posted policy. He explains how ISO 9001 certification serves as a vital credibility signal for suppliers and outlines the significant risks of poor quality, including high costs of poor quality and reputational damage. Steele highlights the inefficiencies of analog, paper-based systems and introduces FactoryQA as a cloud-based solution that digitizes non-conformance tracking, document control, and inspection sheets to enable real-time analytics and predictive maintenance.

  • Let's Combinate · 52m

    128 - Former FDA Inspector and Managing Consultant, Vin Cafiso: Cadavers/Autopsies, Tales from FDA Inspections, Understanding the QMSR, and Quality Culture

    Vin Cafiso, former FDA Consumer Safety Officer and Managing Consultant at Practical Compliance Results, discusses the transition from the Quality System Regulation (QSR) to the Quality Management System Regulation (QMSR) and its impact on small medical device companies. He explains how FDA inspection methodologies are shifting from issue-focused 483s to process-based QSET audits, emphasizing the importance of understanding quality culture through simple engagement rather than rigid metrics. Cafiso shares insights from his career at companies like BD and Smith & Nephew, highlighting how starting as an investigator builds a strong foundation for industry roles by providing a broad view of quality systems across diverse products and company sizes.

  • Let's Combinate · 44m

    090 - Software Validation, Automation, No-Code Quality Tools and QMS with Harsh Thakkar

    Harsh Thakkar, CEO of Qualtivate, explains how life sciences companies can automate quality management systems (QMS) using no-code tools like Zapier and Make to reduce manual reporting burdens. He details the regulatory framework for software validation, distinguishing between out-of-the-box, configured, and custom software categories defined in GAMP 5. Thakkar emphasizes that validation should focus on intended use and risk rather than validating the entire system, citing the FDA's Computer Software Assurance (CSA) guidance as a way to reduce documentation burdens.

The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by Global Medical Device Podcast. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.