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2012 MDEA Judging Process and Criteria
Since its inception in 1998, the Medical Design Excellence Awards (MDEA) program has become the premier competition for the medical technology community. The program recognizes both the design achievements and healthcare contributions of medical product manufacturers and the many people behind the scenes—engineers, scientists, designers, and clinicians—who are responsible for the groundbreaking innovations that are changing the face of healthcare.
In order to represent all facets of healthcare, awards are offered in each of the following 10 product categories, and may be offered in additional subcategories as determined by the jurors:
- Critical-care and emergency medicine products
- Dental instruments, equipment, and supplies
- Finished packaging
- General hospital devices and therapeutic products
- Implant and tissue-replacement products
- In vitro diagnostics (biochemicals for diagnostic use, related instrumentation, and home-use devices)
- Over-the-counter and self-care products
- Radiological and electromechanical devices (diagnostic imaging devices, energy-emitting therapy devices)
- Rehabilitation and assistive-technology products (healthcare furnishings, patient-transfer equipment, and home-use medical equipment and supplies)
- Surgical equipment, instruments, and supplies
Judging of the entries is conducted by an impartial panel of jurors—comprised of a balance of clinicians, engineers, and designers—who carefully review each product submission. When reviewing the products, the jurors consider all of the following criteria:
- Innovative use of materials, components, or processes in the fabrication of the product.
- The ability of the product development team to overcome design and engineering challenges so that the product meets its clinical objectives.
- User-related design and engineering features that improve healthcare delivery, with special attention to functional innovations that broaden the scope of users, change traditional medical attitudes or practices, or offer significant use-related improvements.
- Design and engineering features that provide enhanced benefits to the patient (e.g., comfort, fit, service access, safety, appropriate aesthetics, overall improvement of healthcare).
- Aspects of product design and engineering that improve the manufacturer’s profitability.
- Product features that improve the overall delivery of healthcare.
Over the three-day judging period, teams of jurors evaluate all of the year’s entries and narrow them down to a select group of exceptional products in each of the categories. The multiphase judging process culminates with the entire jury convening to hear each team of jurors present its finalist selections. The full jury conducts an open discussion of all finalists in each category, and then votes to determine the products that will be designated MDEA award winners.
The MDEA jury may assign one Bronze-, one Silver-, and one Gold-level award in each category. The jury will also award “Best-in-Show” to one of the Gold-winning products. Although it is generally expected that there will be only one Bronze, one Silver and one Gold winner in each category, this decision is left to the discretion of the judges. The jury may elect to present as many or as few awards as it deems merited by the quality and number of entries, irrespective of category. Awards may also be offered in additional subcategories as determined by the jurors.
The decision of the jury shall be final.
UBM Canon and members of the MDEA jury panel reserve the right to investigate and confirm any information presented in an MDEA entry. UBM Canon reserves the right to withhold or withdraw awards given for any product whose entry is found to be inaccurate. UBM Canon reserves the right to clarify or amend the rules and procedures pertaining to the MDEA competition at any time. For complete competition rules, please refer to the Official Rules section of this website.
Finalists of each year’s MDEA competition are formally notified during March. However, public announcement of the finalist products is embargoed until the April issue of the competition’s sponsoring publication, MD+DI (Medical Device and Diagnostic Industry) magazine. Companies are not told whether their entries are winners until the official announcement in May at the MDEA presentation ceremony held in conjunction with the Medical Design & Manufacturing (MD&M) East Conference and Exposition (www.MDMEast.com) at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia.
For complete details about the MDEA Judging Process and Criteria, as well as about Juror Selection and Nominations, including a downloadable Juror Nomination Form, please continue tom review the Judging and Jurors section of this website. If you don't find the information you are looking for, please contact a member of the MDEA team via e-mail at mdea@ubm.com.