# #377: Designing a Medical Device for a Global User

- Show: [Global Medical Device Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/global-medical-device-podcast)
- Published: 2024-07-25
- Length: 43m
- Episode: 377
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/global-medical-device-podcast/2024-07-25-377-designing-a-medical-device-for-a-global-user
- Listen: https://podcast.greenlight.guru/episode/377-designing-a-medical-device-for-a-global-user

## Summary

Dr. Matthew Wettergreen, Director of the Global Medical Innovation program at Rice University, explains how his curriculum prepares students for medical device careers by simulating professional practice across diverse healthcare contexts. He details the program's use of 'lenses'—local (Houston), global (Costa Rica), and out-of-context (Brownsville, Texas)—to teach students how to design devices that address upstream and downstream healthcare realities rather than just clinical technology. The discussion highlights specific innovations like the Pumani CPAP and Anoscope telemedicine device, emphasizing the need for humility and understanding patient, provider, and payer perspectives to create solutions that actually go to market.

## Outline

1. Introduction: Dr. Matthew Wettergreen and Rice University's Global Medical Innovation Program
2. Program Structure: Simulating Professional Practice with Greenlight Guru and Job Placement
3. The Global Lens: Costa Rica as a Middle-Income Healthcare Model
4. The Out-of-Context Lens: Brownsville, Texas and Low-SES Healthcare Realities
5. Navigating Healthcare Hierarchies and Observer Bias in Needs Finding
6. Designing for the Lowest SES: The Anoscope Telemedicine and Pumani CPAP Examples
7. Practical Tips for Companies: Clinical Needs Finding Bootcamps and Facilitated Conversations
8. Conclusion: Recognizing and Removing Invisible Lenses in Medical Device Design

## Topics

- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Medical & health devices](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/medical-devices)
- [Industrial & consumer product design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/industrial-design)
- [Connected products & IoT](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/connected-products-and-iot)

## Most relevant to

established companies

## Mentioned

- Rice University (company)
- Greenlight Guru (tool)
- Pumani (product)
- Anoscope (product)
- Stanford Biodesign (other)
- FDA (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [074: Medical Device Product Development Best Practices](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2021-05-05-074-medical-device-product-development-best-practices) (Product Startup)
- [Medical Electronics Education with Mark Palmeri](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2025-12-22-medical-electronics-education-with-mark-palmeri) (The Amp Hour)
- [005 - “Compassionate Product Development” with Cameron Jones](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate/2021-11-03-005-compassionate-product-development-with-cameron-jones) (Let's Combinate)
- [007 - "Beyond The Obvious" with Miiri Kotche](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate/2021-11-17-007-beyond-the-obvious-with-miiri-kotche) (Let's Combinate)
- [S2E13 Relentless Empathy & Going Deep On Understanding The Problem | Ryan Eder](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2021-03-19-s2e13-relentless-empathy-going-deep-on-understanding-the-problem-ryan-eder) (Being an Engineer)

## Citing this page

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