The healthcare market is under immense pressure to be efficient and innovative. In addition, ever stricter legal requirements apply. One possible answer is the digitalization and networking of medical devices with their existing medical environment. This applies to data exchange for treatment, care and diagnosis as well as with the administration. Medical devices with a high proportion of software are already commonplace today. A clearly defined product vision, clean implementation and approval-compliant documentation of development are essential prerequisites for surviving in the highly regulated medical environment.
In medical technology, PTA essentially addresses four areas:
A good medical technology product is created by taking into account a combination of medically sensible, (IT) technically feasible and legal requirements. The MDR/IVDR restructuring in particular requires development and documentation experience that many manufacturers still need to build up. Engineering, IT, organization and quality management must work together to make sensible business decisions that ensure the continued existence of existing products on the market and help to open up new business areas.
The development and operation of complex networked medical technology requires a wide range of expertise and a view of the big picture. In particular, the integration of medical devices into the complex laboratory IT infrastructure requires many years of technical and IT experience.
Here, PTA offers exceptional competence in the combination of technical expertise and an economic sense of proportion in consulting and implementation, which allows manufacturers to focus on the product vision and operate successfully in the long term.
Laboratory information systems are the hub and integration platform for all technical processes in the laboratory. They integrate a large number of medical devices and processes and thus allow efficient interaction within the laboratory as well as with the system landscape of the clinic or laboratory community. PTA’s special combination of technical and IT expertise enables a global market leader to outsource the product development of its internationally marketed products.
From technical specification to design, development, quality assurance, roll-out and 3rd level support, PTA covers far more than the classic software development process. The integration of instruments into laboratory workflows is already taken into account in the development phase of the devices through close cooperation, interfaces are defined at an early stage and the efficient implementation of new device functions in the integrated laboratory environment is made considerably easier by expanding IT at an early stage. This has made us one of the few IT service providers with comprehensive laboratory IT expertise in Germany for more than 15 years.
An established patient data management system (PDMS) is subject to new criteria for approval due to the adaptation of the MDR. A diagnosis- and therapy-critical functionality of the current PDMS is not sufficiently developed and documented after the reassessment. By creating a certification strategy and redeveloping the critical component using PTA’s ISO 13485-certified quality management system, a declaration of conformity can be issued to ensure continued operation as a medical device.
Established manufacturers of medical devices such as suction pumps, obstetric devices and infusion pumps must re-approve their products under the new EU Medical Device Regulation MDR (EU 2017/745). Following an assessment of the existing documentation by the PTA, gaps in risk management acts, requirements, specification, verification and validation documentation are identified and closed in accordance with an agreed procedure. The PTA provides support with documentation, but also with verification and setting up a document management system.
A good idea becomes a product when a highly qualified team from a wide range of disciplines works together effectively and flexibly. This results in prototypes and initial routine samples of a device that integrates hardware, software and AI components.
With the professionalization of the product, organizational units such as sales, R&D, production and support must be created that work together efficiently – a transformation process is taking place. The PTA provides advice and also supports implementation through practical collaboration, e.g. as a product owner and scrum master.
A component manufacturer for medical devices is expanding its portfolio with a new, complex medical device. During the development of the new device software, the PTA is available as a discussion partner for architecture and design decisions.
We work with our customers to develop a shared vision of new, promising products. With our unique range of services, we support you from the product idea to the product vision: Targeted product realization begins with the detailed and sustainable definition of a planned product (product definition). This ranges from scoping to complete requirements documentation, which includes the identification of the relevant topics with responsible contact persons as well as the development and communication of the core functionalities to all internal and external stakeholders.
In the next step, the product specification is developed using requirement engineering. With the help of business analyses, we compare the specifications with the market requirements and thus check whether the planned product can survive on the market. Based on the available analyses and specifications, we develop the system architecture and check the usability using modern user experience methods. Finally, our development team carries out a technical evaluation and draws up implementation concepts. This is how we accompany our customers from the product vision through the definition to the market-ready product!
Requirements recording for a software update of a laboratory instrument
Project management and facilitation for laboratory landscapes of the future
Manufacturers of medical devices that contain software or consist entirely of software have to cope with many and constantly changing regulatory requirements for quality and risk management QM/RM. ISO 13485 certification allows us to establish a quality management system that complies with European and US guidelines (FDA, 21 CFR part 820). This also applies to the software development process we use (IEC 62304) and risk management for medical devices (ISO 14971). Furthermore, we support you in the assessment of usability (IEC 62366) in order to minimize risks due to unsuitability for use, e.g. due to incorrect operation. We also help you to comply with the following regulations:
Quality representative medical device manufacturer
Laboratory IT and process consulting in accordance with FDA and GxP standards
(Re-)validation and support with audit preparation
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