AATC General Session Focuses on Education and Innovation

Arthrex President and Founder Reinhold Schmieding discussed his vision for a new Arthrex Medical Education experience enhanced by the expansion of the Arthrex global headquarters campus during the Academy of Arthrex Technology Consultant General Session on Saturday, September 14. Highlighting our innovative products and techniques and sharing a preview of what’s to come over the next fiscal year, Arthrex hosted the Academy of Arthrex Technology Consultants (AATC) educational event on Saturday, September 14. More than 900 agency representatives and owners attended the event, which was also broadcast to the agencies via Arthrex TV LIVE, giving those who could not attend the opportunity  to watch the full-day educational program focused on new and priority products. President and Founder Reinhold Schmieding discussed his vision for a new Arthrex Medical Education experience enhanced by the expansion of the Arthrex global headquarters campus. He said this new experience, which includes the large meeting capacity of the Arthrex One building, as well as the Innovation Hotel, will maximize the medical education experience for HCPs by allowing Arthrex to host larger meetings and more educational events, potentially attracting society meetings. Reinhold also announced that HCPs can stay at the hotel for two days, providing more valuable time to master the safe and effective use of Arthrex innovations and techniques.   Reinhold said “We need to educate surgeons about the value of Arthrex, with rapid, continuous product innovation, best Technology Consultant field support and the highest quality products made in America. Once they visit the new Arthrex campus, we want them to be educated, challenged and inspired to be All-In Arthrex!”   Senior Vice President for North American Sales Andy Stewart introduced the program, which included 20 unique presentations, focusing on the products that will be most impactful to Arthrex in Fiscal Year 2020. Andy told the audience that the 24 products represent 73 percent of all new revenue growth and 50 percent of total sales. They are high margin, high revenue producers and represent all product groups.   “The Top 24 New Revenue Products span all product teams and the success of each will be a critical component for Arthrex and the agencies to reach its FY 20 revenue objectives," he said. "This list is essentially the roadmap for navigating the sales year.” Peter Millett, MD, (Vail, Colorado) presented on how Arthrex has changed his practice. Dr. Millett said he was introduced to Arthrex in 2001 while working at Harvard Medical School.   “From my first visit in 2001, Arthrex has treated me with respect, openness and integrity,” he said. “The most important impact Arthrex has had on my practice is patient care. I am ultimately judged by my patients’ outcomes. Arthrex is surgeon-centric. They listen to surgeons and, as a result of the technologies created from listening to surgeons, my patients are doing better, recovering faster with less complications and more predictable outcomes.” Dr. Millett, who estimated that he had given more than 500 presentations, performed 45 live surgeries or demonstrations, helped author more than 250 peer-reviewed publications and travelled more than 511,000 miles to educate other health care professionals on Arthrex products and techniques, said he gets more from Arthrex than he gives back. “The expectations as an orthopedic and Arthrex ‘thought leader’ have raised my personal bar and advanced my level of care,” he said. “How will you respond to the opportunity to work with the world leader in sports medicine? I hope you rise to that challenge. You should imagine ways you can help surgeons treat their patients better. Arthrex will continue to develop new technologies and new techniques. You should be proud to be associated with that. I am.”

Left: Senior Group Product Manager Jake Jolly stressed the importance of products, including the FlipCutter® III drill, to the team’s growth in Fiscal Year 2020. Right: Representatives listen to presentations during the General Session, which included 20 unique presentations focusing on the products that will be most impactful to Arthrex in FY 2020.

Among the product team highlights: The Shoulder and Elbow Team focused on several key T24 products. Director John Sodeika shared that more than 7.5 million SwiveLock® anchors have been sold globally since 2006 and that the product line will continue to advance. Group Product Manager Tom Dooney highlighted that the Knotless FiberTak™ anchor is Arthrex’s fastest growing suture anchor, adding many new innovations are in the works to support its future growth. Senior Product Manager Allen Holowecky presented the huge market opportunity that FiberTape® Cerclage offers as an excellent replacement for metal cables. Dr. Millett discussed his excellent five-year clinical results with the Knotless SpeedBridge™ Rotator Cuff Repair and his preference for the Knotless FiberTak in instability repair. Distal Extremities Group Product Manager Michael Karnes received a standing ovation when he announced the launch of InternalBrace™ 2.0.“We listened to our customers, our surgeons and all of you out in the field, and made systematic improvements to the system as a whole, including providing four new kits with various size and material options, a 7 mm talus offset guide that surgeons can now drill, tap and implant through the guide among other improvements. These adjustments will support surgeons’ outcomes and reduce OR time,” he said. Orthobiologics Senior Director David Shepard told the audience that 10 years ago, the team had just reached $10 million in total sales revenue. This year, Orthobiologics has a budget of $230 million, focusing on the autologous blood products, bone grafts, construct tendons, and ArthroFLEX® Dermal Matrix. Orthobiologics Group Product Manager Rob Harrison introduced hyaluronic acid, which Arthrex will begin distributing later this fall. The product, which is a treatment for osteoarthritis in the knee, will “change the conversation” in the treatment of this pathology, Rob said. The Knee/Hip team had its largest growth in five years in Fiscal Year 2019, according to Senior Group Product Manager Jake Jolly, and have experienced a 20 percent growth year to date with products including the FlipCutter® III drill, ACL TightRope® with FiberTag™, and growth in quad tendon ACL reconstruction. In addition, Senior Product Manager Drew Osika discussed converting accounts to the latest in meniscal technology like the Meniscal Cinch™ II implant and ZoneNavigator™ system. He also previewed upcoming technology like the FiberStitch all suture implant.    Calling it “the holy grail for all things hip arthroscopy,” Hip Senior Product Manager John Gualdoni highlighted the planned release of the 1.8 hip FiberTak™ soft anchor, which will launch in the second quarter of Fiscal Year 2020. Senior Director of Imaging & Resection Eric Butler announced Arthrex has developed the second generation Synergy Matrix Integration System, which includes a new user interface and updated system architecture. In addition, he discussed innovative solutions currently in development that will allow the team to provide better surgical care through software. Visualization Senior Product Manager Chris Grieff discussed NanoScope, saying the visualization system has the potential to obsolete the small, reusable arthroscopes, which are more expensive. Shoulder Arthroplasty Senior Group Product Manager Kevin Gallen discussed disruptive shoulder innovation for Fiscal Year 2020 and beyond. This includes products like the recently released Eclipse™ Total Shoulder System, which replaces longstanding, traditional long stem fixation with short, cage screw stemless fixation for bone ingrowth, eliminating the need for bone cement. He also spoke about the next iteration of the Univers Revers™ Modular Glenoid System. Dr. Millett discussed Arthrex’s shoulder arthroplasty solutions from a surgeon’s perspective, discussing how the Virtual Implant Positioning™ System, Univers Revers Modular Glenoid System and the Eclipse Total Shoulder System have helped him treat his patients better. Knee Arthroplasty Group Product Manager Alex Bautsch discussed the shift of total joint procedures in outpatient settings, saying forecasts predict 51 percent of cases could be performed in outpatient settings by 2026. Fluid Management and Resection Group Product Manager Rick Taft discussed how Arthrex is poised to be the market leader in fluid management and how the representatives can best position themselves to overtake competitors. In addition, he announced that the Imaging and Resection team would be hosting an Ask the Surgeon WebEx series on the ApolloRF® probes. Distal Extremities Group Product Manager RJ Choinski discussed the Mini Comprehensive Fixation System, which is expected to launch in January 2020. The system will cover all categories – hand and wrist, foot and ankle, and trauma. Distal Extremities Group Product Manager Lindsey Dorrill discussed fracture and fusion opportunities for the agencies, including the release of additional ankle fusion plates, featuring the MIS ankle fusion plate used in conjunction with screw constructs, which represents close to 70 percent of the market. She also discussed the relaunch of the FibuLock® Fibular Nail with new assets, including a video with Selene Parekh, MD, (Durham, North Carolina) explaining how he uses the product in his practice and how it has led to recovery “timelines that are 30 to 50 percent faster.” Vice President of Global Medical Education Christopher Adams, MD, presented Gotham Surgical with the 2019 Medical Education Recognition Award for its commitment to surgeon and representative education on the safe and effective use of Arthrex products and techniques. See photos from the event. The password is ECI2019.