Access and affordability
We advocate for increased patient access to lifesaving and life-improving medical technologies worldwide, enhancing clinical outcomes and helping governments, other payers and providers make cost-effective decisions. Our efforts to improve health in communities worldwide include impact-focused philanthropic initiatives, HCP education and training reduced-price and refurbished equipment programs, and compelling health economic data applied to local populations that offer providers and payers the opportunity to evaluate care benefit.
Pricing and refurbished equipment programs
Our Flex Financial business offers a range of programs that can be tailored to meet budgetary needs and help to build long-term financial stability:
- Deferred payment programs
- Traditional finance and operating leases
- Fee per disposable or implant
- Offered customized programs such as payment deferral due to the COVID-19 impact
We invest in value-segment technologies to meet the growing demand for affordable and reliable healthcare solutions in emerging markets, such as Trauson in China for trauma, spine and joint replacement products and MUKA in Turkey for medical beds and stretchers.
The Save Simply Program, made possible by strategic partnerships between Stryker, Philips and others, simplifies the supply chain while reducing each participating hospital’s environmental footprint.
Health economic improvements
The SpineJack System was approved by the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for both a new technology add-on payment (NTAP) in the 2021 Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System final regulation and a Transitional Pass-Through (TPT) payment in the 2021 Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System final regulation. The SpineJack system now becomes one of only 112 medical devices to receive TPT status since 2016. The NTAP and TPT payment provide additional payments for new medical devices that demonstrate a substantial clinical improvement over existing technologies and meet other criteria.
DAWN Trial results contributed to updated acute ischemic stroke guidelines in the U.S. and Europe, which expanded the eligible treatment window threefold. We continue to expand clinical evidence globally to improve market access and combat disability in stroke patients.
Stryker is at the forefront of the robotics movement in orthopaedics as clinical studies continue to demonstrate why Mako SmartRobotics is transforming the way HCPs perform hip and knee replacements. Studies have demonstrated that Mako Total Knee was associated with less pain, less need for opiate analgesics, less need for inpatient physical therapy, reduction in length of hospital stay, improved knee flexion and soft tissue protection in comparison to manual techniques. 3,4
2 List of Device Category Codes for Present or Previous Pass-Through Payment and Related Definitions. CMS.gov. Published 1 JUL 2020. https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Medicare-Fee-for-Service-Payment/HospitalOutpatientPPS/Downloads/Complet-list-DeviceCats-OPPS.pdf.
3 Kayani B, Konan S, Tahmassebi J, Pietrzak JRT, Haddad FS. Robotic-arm assisted total knee arthroplasty is associated with improved early functional recovery and reduced time to hospital discharge compared with conventional jig-based total knee arthroplasty: a prospective cohort study. Bone Joint J. 2018;100-B(7):930-937. Doi:10.1302/0301-620X.100B7.BJJ-2017-1449.R1.
4 Kayani B, Konan S, Pietrzak JRT, Haddad FS. Iatrogenic bone and soft tissue trauma in robotic-arm assisted total knee arthroplasty compared with conventional jig-based total knee arthroplasty: a prospective cohort study and validation of a new classification system. J Arthroplasty. 2018;33(8):2496-2501. Doi:10.1016/j.arth.2018.03.042.