Nov 07, 2024 3D printing (or additive manufacturing) has become an innovative driving force in orthotics and prosthetics (O&P), allowing for highly customized, precise, and affordable solutions. 3D printing also reduces production time, enabling rapid prototyping and faster turnaround for patients, which can be particularly beneficial for growing children or those requiring adjustments. Although traditional methods are still widely used, more clinicians increasingly integrate 3D printing into their daily practices as the economics of using 3D technologies improves. Furthermore, because 3D printing can be performed in-house or locally, logistics costs and lead times are reduced, providing patients faster service and fewer fitting sessions. For practitioners and clinics, this means a more efficient business model, allowing for a quicker return on investment, lower overhead, and the ability to affordably serve a growing number of patients. Join us for our annual 3DHEALS O&P event and a panel of experts from the clinics, industry, startup, and non-profit organizations. Explore where the next growth opportunity is. We will also use this opportunity to fundraise for our non-profit organization Victoria Hand Project.
Apply to speak or sponsor the event: info@3dheals.com
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Speakers:
Drew Meyer MSPO, CPO
Drew Meyer, MSPO, CPO, has eight years of experience in clinical orthotics and prosthetics and four years in medical device design, underpinned by a background in biomedical engineering. He holds degrees from the Colorado School of Mines and Baylor College of Medicine. Throughout his career in the O&P industry, Drew has held various roles, from staff practitioner, to clinic manager, and now developing and selling software solutions that enhance the designs and efficiency of orthotic and prosthetic care. Outside of his professional life, Drew is dedicated to his family. He has been married for 11 years and is actively involved in raising their four beautiful children. This balance of a demanding family life and a professional career in orthotics and prosthetics highlights his commitment to both personal and professional growth, and underscores his dedication to enhancing patient outcomes through innovative technology.
Joe Fairley
Joe Fairley is a Certified Prosthetist and entrepreneur with a decade of experience in applying additive manufacturing to the Orthotics and Prosthetics field. He is the owner of Ascent Fabrication – which distributes large format FDM and FGF 3D printers, premium materials, and provides installation training, ongoing troubleshooting, and product development services. Over the last three years, Ascent Fabrication has played an integral role in assisting the adoption of additive manufacturing and a digital workflow in the O&P field. Joe is currently a Business Development Manager on the Digital Services team at PROTEOR, developing automatic workflows for 3D printing through their FlySHAPE software application, an extension of the ORTEN software suite. Their aim is to provide a powerful, yet simple solution to take a raw 3D scan of a patient’s limb and apply custom templated clinical modifications, then automate device design and .gcode creation for 3D printing.
Melanie Shelton
Melanie Shelton has nearly two decades of experience in the O&P industry. Her expertise spans from establishing and overseeing distributorships for orthotic fabrication equipment across Europe, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia, to account management, Crisis Communications, Marketing and clinical support. In her previous role at HP, she spearheaded the development and adoption of the Arize Orthotic Solution for four years, demonstrating her commitment to innovation and digital workflow automation. She is currently leading HP’s efforts to advance 3D printing adoption and manufacturing efficiency in the O&P Industry. Her depth of experience and record of success in technological advancement in the O&P arena point to her commitment to help drive the industry forward.
Michael Peirone
Michael Peirone began his journey with Victoria Hand Project as a co-op student, where he quickly fell in love with the mission of creating life-changing prosthetic care for people in need. While completing his Biomedical Engineering degree at the University of Victoria, Michael continued to volunteer and work on projects with VHP, including a second co-op in Nepal that proved deeply inspiring, allowing him to witness the profound impact of the work firsthand.
After graduating, Michael joined VHP full-time as a Biomedical Systems Designer, where he continued to grow within the organization, later serving as COO before stepping into his current role as CEO. His work with VHP has taken him around the world, including a recent trip to Ukraine in June 2023 to support prosthetic care for those affected by the war. His journey reflects a commitment to innovation in healthcare and a passion for making a lasting difference in the lives of amputees worldwide.
Evan Eckersley
Evan holds degrees in Bioengineering and Finance from Lehigh University’s IBE program with a strong focus on customer-centric design and innovation. Previously, he applied his experience in protein engineering and synthetic biology as founder and COO of Lytos Technologies. At Lytos, he led R&D and commercialization efforts of an engineered enzymatic fungicide for crop protection, biomanufacturing scale-up, fundraising, and regulatory. At Icarus, he has applied his operational and biomanufacturing experience to scale Icarus’ digital and additive fabrication system to rapidly deliver highly customized devices on a mass scale while ensuring a high-quality customer experience from sales through manufacturing. He oversees company finance, marketing, regulatory and clinical research efforts. Evan is passionate about Icarus’ mission to deliver better outcomes with functional, highly-personalized devices through the combination of advanced digital and additive technologies while maximizing access to patients in need with innovative go-to-market strategies.
Moderator:
Dr. Jenny Chen
Dr. Jenny Chen is trained as a neuroradiologist, and founder/CEO of 3DHEALS. Her main interests include next-generation education, 3D printing in the healthcare sector, automated biology, and artificial intelligence. She is an angel investor who invests in Pitch3D companies.
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