Better 
healthcare

Access to care

We recognize that limited resources can make quality care especially difficult to access and provide. Stryker is working to improve quality healthcare access through product development, broader market reach, advocacy and education.

As we seek to grow its business globally, tackling barriers to market access in various parts of the world is a key priority. Our global Government Affairs and Market Access (GAMA) organization engages with diverse stakeholders, including health authorities, hospital systems, healthcare providers, patient advocacy groups and policymakers, to better understand the complex needs of patients and the challenges faced by healthcare systems worldwide. A few ways that GAMA works to streamline market access include:

• Working with regulatory bodies and government agencies to advocate for policies that prioritize patient access to innovative medical technologies
• Engaging with global trade associations to ensure that life-saving technologies reach patients as quickly and efficiently as possible
• Collaborating with payers, government bodies and healthcare organizations to help align reimbursement policies with the needs of both patients and healthcare providers
• Advocating for technologies and policies that reduce the burden on healthcare workers
• Building partnerships with governments, industry leaders and healthcare providers to address barriers to healthcare access

GAMA seeks to address challenges to improve global healthcare access through strategic advocacy and collaboration. By championing innovative solutions, advocating for streamlined market access pathways and promoting the adoption of transformative technologies, GAMA reinforces Stryker's commitment to ensuring that more patients, healthcare providers and communities benefit from advancements in medical care.

Addressing affordability

Hospitals are facing a range of financial pressures, challenging leaders to optimize service delivery and resource stewardship. To help support care team members and leaders, we continuously look for new ways to make our products available to more patients. A few ways we make our products more accessible to customers include:

Offering flexible payment solutions
Our Flex Financial business continues to offer comprehensive solutions to meet healthcare facilities’ clinical and financial goals, including traditional finance and operating leases, deferred payments, step payments and usage-based options. 

Reprocessing high-quality equipment
Stryker’s Sustainability Solutions Business is a leading provider of reprocessing in the global healthcare market, helping extend the life of thousands of medical devices that would otherwise be disposed of after a single use. After these devices are reprocessed and function-tested, we resell them at discounted rates—which leads to both waste diverted from landfills and savings for customers. 

Providing access across dynamic sites of care
In the past several years, many procedures have shifted from the inpatient, acute care hospital setting to the outpatient surgery setting, specifically ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs). According to research by the ASC Association, ASCs can be more efficient, help to increase patient satisfaction, and reduce procedural and operational costs. Stryker works with its customers to understand the most suitable sites of service for various procedures and has created a dedicated ASC Business tailored toward the goals of these customers.

A certified pre-owned program
Stryker’s Emergency Care Business allows customers to purchase certified pre-owned Power-PRO XT powered ambulance cots, LIFEPAK 15 defibrillator monitors and Power-LOAD cot fasteners. This enables upgrades to quality, contemporary technologies at a more affordable price point.

Medical education

Stryker regularly brings together medical professionals, students, customers and other stakeholders to further the collective knowledge of the industry. Here are a few ways that we engage: 

Mobile labs
We have a global fleet of mobile labs, each fully equipped with surgical tables and a variety of solutions across Stryker’s specialties. Through hands-on demonstrations and expert guidance, we use mobile labs to bring education to healthcare professionals’ doorsteps. By eliminating the need for travel, we can engage with a diverse group of professionals, including residents, fellows, attending physicians, scrub technicians, supply chain experts and hospital administrators. The mobile format allows us to conduct multiple visits in a single day, customizing each one to what a region or department needs. 

Medical education courses and workshops
We regularly educate customers on the proper use of Stryker products through engaging in-person courses and workshops and virtual surgical observations and webinars. We leverage our Stryker labs and facilities to offer opportunities for healthcare professionals to increase their knowledge and deepen their skills. This ranges from full surgical procedure training to professional operating room practices and disaster management courses. 

Supporting our Medical Education (MedEd) Team
Through the annual MedEd Awards, we recognize Stryker teams that have made exceptional contributions to advancing medical education and training for healthcare professionals. Categories include awards for best In-Person Program, Virtual Program, Collaboration and Innovation. We also hold an annual MedEd Summit during which we share information and best practices with medical education professionals around the world.