Medtronic celebrates 50 years in Australia

Healthcare technology company Medtronic has this week celebrated 50 years of operating in Australia.

Liz Carnabuci, the group's Vice President, Enterprise Accounts and Services for Japan and ANZ, said it was a huge achievement, and a testament to the hard work of everyone involved in the company.

"Australia has a unique healthcare model that we've supported over the last 50 years, and we will continue to do into the future," she said.

"Our journey began on August 20, 1973, with just four employees at an office in Sydney's southern suburbs.

"Today, we have more than 1,000 employees across six offices in Australia and New Zealand.

"Since 1973, we have brought to market more than 40,000 technologies and devices ranging from surgical robots to brain stimulation technologies.

"Thanks to the efforts of a dedicated team, we have maintained a laser focus on ensuring Australian patients access the latest technologies through health economics, policy and reimbursement strategies."

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Medtronic made one of its ventilator design specifications available at no cost, so that other manufacturers could use them to make ventilators as quickly as possible.

"We've come a long way and with the help of our incredible team, the future looks bright as we continue to make a genuine impact on patients' lives," Ms Carnabuci said.

Medtronic's United States-based global CEO and chairman, Geoff Martha, flew out to Australia to join the celebrations and emphasised the importance of partnerships with private hospitals.

"Australia is a big market and an important part of our innovation ecosystem for medtech," he said.

"I really believe technology is the way forward ... AI can help solve access issues, improve outcomes, and personalise healthcare."

In 2022, Medtronic ranked 13 in the medium category of Australia's Best Workplaces list, and this year was certified as a Great Place to Work for the third year running.

"This recognition underscores our commitment to attracting and retaining the best talent, our strong focus on health and wellbeing, and our unique culture that fosters a sense of belonging in an inclusive, diverse and equitable workplace," Ms Carnabuci said.

"We remain strongly committed to our Inclusion, Diversity and Equity (IDE) goals, which is what powers Medtronic's Mission forward."

Medtronic serves 72 million patients around the world each year.

"I believe Australia is an incredible market for future innovation access," Ms Carnabuci said.

"There are many exciting prospects on the horizon – such as advanced manufacturing – and it would be interesting to see how this potential could develop in Australia.

"We currently oversee 28 active studies and over 26 external research programmes and have taken conscious action to expand our clinical trial footprint in Australia.

"We are also one of the few countries where Medtronic conducts first-in-human trials, and we are also looking at doing more of these in the future."

Ms Carnabuci added healthcare technologies would "transform the way we deliver care and improve patient outcomes".

"Every day we hear stories about how our technologies help patients, and we continue to be inspired by the impact it has made," she said.

Read more: Medtronic named in top Australian companies list

Read more: Ventilator makers team up to fight COVID-19

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