Enabling Technology Value Index (ETVI) and the Road to a Universal Evaluation Framework
Call for Participation and Help!
❓ Why do the earliest conversations around adopting new surgical technologies so often feel more like high-stakes negotiations than thoughtful, evidence-based decisions?
❓ Why is it that the moment a new surgical technology is introduced, the room turns tense, the voices get louder, and everyone seems to be speaking a different language?
❓ Why is adopting new surgical tech so often a tug-of-war—between surgeons, administrators, payers, and industry—when we should all be pulling in the same direction?
We are actively developing the ENABLING TECHNOLOGY VALUE INDEX (ETVI): a structured, stakeholder-informed framework designed to evaluate the “real” value of enabling technologies. At its core, the ETVI measures value using a composite numerator (weighted gains in clinical outcomes, surgeon ergonomics, efficiency, safety, and learning curve) divided by the true cost of adoption and implementation, quantified using Time-Driven Activity-Based Costing (TDABC) and other activity-based cost-accounting methods.
⭐ Importantly, this numerator will reflect the perspectives of all stakeholders through stakeholder-defined weights: What matters most to patients, surgeons, hospital leaders, payors, and industry may differ—and our model makes space for all of them. But this is just the beginning.
✅ We're also building a broader framework—think of it like a Consumer Reports or Kelly Blue Book for surgical innovation. This universal tool will allow for rapid, accessible, and comparative evaluations of enabling technologies across key domains of value. A website and scalable scoring system will aid clinicians, administrators, leaders, industry, and even patients to make more informed, aligned, and strategic decisions around new technology adoption.
Stakeholders include:
- Patients
- Spine/Ortho/Neurosurgeons (initially, but will broaden)
- Hospital/practice administrators
- Payers/insurance representatives
- Medtech industry professionals
- Biomedical engineers
💡 (And yes—possibly those considering environmental or sustainability metrics too)
We are now forming a planning group to help define the core elements of this initiative and co-create the first round of surveys and evaluation criteria through a modified Delphi approach.
⭐ Are you interested in joining one of these stakeholder panels—or do you know someone who should be at the table? We anticipate a light lift—about 30 to 60 minutes of deliverables every 2 to 4 weeks (flexible). Largely performed at your own time.
⭐ If you're intrigued and want to shape the future of surgical technology evaluation, send me a direct message or drop a comment below, and I’ll get back to you.
Or --- feel free to repost to your network!
Strong work doctor! I would love to participate in the Delphi panel.