ABSTRACT
This chapter provides some illustrative background information by discussing the Dutch medical equipment industry and reviewing some theoretical studies about the development, adoption, and diffusion of innovative medical equipment, with explicit attention to the role of networks. Developing medical equipment innovations involves harmonious cooperation between various complex skills within the organization, such as medical knowledge, technological know-how, and marketing expertise. The most salient feature of the medical equipment development process appears to be the fact that the end user of the equipment often plays an important role in its initial invention and subsequent development. By involving potential users in the process of product development, the manufacturer may develop a product that better fits user needs, shorten the duration of the total development project, and accelerate market acceptance of the product. During the actual development stage, new improved versions of the original design can continuously be tested by physicians on real patients.
