Stryker joins Atrium Health affiliate IRCAD North America to advance surgical training and education

Rhea-AI Summary

Stryker has partnered with IRCAD North America, part of Atrium Health, to create an advanced surgical training center in Charlotte, NC. As part of a multi-year agreement, Stryker will supply cutting-edge medical devices and technologies to the center. Scheduled to open in summer 2025, IRCAD NA will serve as a hub for medical professionals worldwide. The center will leverage robotics, virtual and augmented reality, and artificial intelligence for surgical training. The collaboration aims to enhance medical education and patient care, aligning with Stryker’s mission to improve healthcare. The Pearl, an innovation district where IRCAD NA will be located, will also feature a new campus of Wake Forest University School of Medicine, fostering further advancements in medical science.

Positive

• Stryker's involvement in IRCAD NA underscores its commitment to advancing medical education and patient care.
• The multi-year agreement ensures a long-term partnership, adding stability and continuous development.
• The training center will attract thousands of medical professionals, potentially expanding Stryker's customer base.
• Stryker's advanced technologies will be showcased and used for training, enhancing its brand reputation.
• The partnership aligns with Stryker’s mission to make healthcare better, possibly improving investor confidence.
• The Pearl innovation district could become a significant hub for medical advancements, benefiting Stryker through industry collaborations.

Negative

• Significant investment in the training center may impact short-term financials.
• The long timeline until the center's summer 2025 opening could delay returns on investment.
• Potential risks associated with the success of the innovation district and its ability to attract industry partners.

PORTAGE, Michigan and CHARLOTTE, North Carolina, USA, June 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Stryker is bringing its innovative products, platforms and robotic technologies to IRCAD North America (IRCAD NA), a subsidiary of Atrium Health, as part of a multi-year agreement supporting the creation of a cutting-edge experiential education center in Charlotte, North Carolina. IRCAD NA is set to become the cornerstone of the first research building at "The Pearl," a new innovation district currently under construction in the heart of Charlotte. It will attract thousands of medical professionals from around the world each year for advanced training in the latest surgical techniques and technologies.

Stryker's involvement underscores its commitment to advancing medical education and patient care through collaboration and aligns with its mission to make healthcare better. The company will help equip IRCAD NA's training center with its advanced medical devices, aiming to elevate the skill levels of physicians and technicians. This training center will focus on education in the areas of robotics, medical virtual and augmented reality, surgical artificial intelligence and simulation training.

"Stryker was inspired by IRCAD North America's vision to elevate education and enhance healthcare for future generations of clinicians," said Mike Carlin, president of customer solutions for Stryker. "We are thrilled to incorporate Stryker's products and technologies into this state-of-the-art training center, which we believe will make a significant impact on medicine globally."

Founded in 1994, IRCAD opened its first facility on the grounds of the University Hospital of Strasbourg, France, and currently has training centers in seven countries: Brazil, China, France, India, Lebanon, Rwanda and Taiwan. When it opens in the summer of 2025, IRCAD NA, in Charlotte, will be its exclusive training headquarters in North America.

"We are building something remarkable in Charlotte at The Pearl, a hub for innovation, medical science and research that will accelerate the pace, scale and impact of clinical breakthroughs," said Eugene A. Woods, CEO of Advocate Health, of which Atrium Health is a part. "This training center at IRCAD's North American headquarters and the partnership with Stryker will play a critical role in helping us shape the future of medicine and help clinicians deliver the most advanced and cutting-edge care."

The collaborative relationship between the organizations is designed to create a unique, non-clinical physician training environment in a state-of-the-art experiential center. For Stryker, having its technologies readily available in the training center allows IRCAD NA trainees to improve their surgical skills, using Stryker's technologies. The ultimate goal is improved patient outcomes and the advancement of medicine.

"IRCAD NA holds so much promise for enhancing the capabilities of medicine and surgery through innovations in robotics, data science and artificial intelligence," said Dr. Dionisios Vrochides, executive director of IRCAD NA and a clinical professor of surgical sciences at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. "We've set a bold and unique vision for IRCAD North America, which expands the education and training model beyond general surgery to offer education sessions and labs in the fields of cardiology, neurosciences and orthopedics – disciplines that aren't available at other IRCAD training locations around the world."

Stryker will assist IRCAD NA in the development of curriculum at the center and have an opportunity to host a variety of its own onsite classes, in addition to those offered by IRCAD NA, to develop and enhance skills on some of its most advanced equipment.

The Pearl is a joint development between Atrium Health and Wexford Science & Technology. In addition to IRCAD NA, a second campus of Wake Forest University School of Medicine – the academic core of Advocate Health – will anchor the innovation district. IRCAD's presence is expected to draw multiple industry partners with an interest in advancing medicine and its capabilities.

About Stryker
Stryker is a global leader in medical technologies and, together with its customers, is driven to make healthcare better. The company offers innovative products and services in MedSurg, Neurotechnology, Orthopaedics and Spine that help improve patient and healthcare outcomes. Alongside its customers around the world, Stryker impacts more than 150 million patients annually. More information is available at www.stryker.com. 

About IRCAD North America
IRCAD North America (IRCAD NA) is an advanced, experiential, surgical training center located in The Pearl innovation district in the heart of Charlotte, North Carolina. A subsidiary of Atrium Health, IRCAD NA serves as the exclusive North American headquarters of the global network of IRCAD surgical training facilities, founded and based in Strasbourg, France. Opening Summer 2025, IRCAD NA will specialize in educating physicians from around the world in minimally invasive surgery and image-guided surgery techniques. It features translational research laboratories and research and development units in computer science and robotics that design and develop tools for diagnosis, surgical planning and simulation aimed at improving and making surgical procedures safer. In addition to general surgery, IRCAD NA's training curriculum will include the latest techniques in cardiovascular, neuro- and orthopedic surgeries, among others.

Media contact
Jeanine Guilfoyle
Director, Communications, Stryker
jeanine.guilfoyle@stryker.com

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SOURCE Stryker

FAQ

What is the significance of Stryker's partnership with IRCAD North America?

Stryker's partnership with IRCAD North America aims to create a state-of-the-art surgical training center in Charlotte, NC, enhancing medical education and patient care globally.

When will the IRCAD North America training center open?

The IRCAD North America training center is scheduled to open in the summer of 2025.

What technologies will Stryker provide to IRCAD North America?

Stryker will supply advanced medical devices, including robotics, virtual and augmented reality, and artificial intelligence technologies.

How will the partnership with IRCAD North America benefit Stryker?

The partnership will showcase Stryker's technologies, enhance its brand reputation, and align with its mission to improve healthcare, potentially expanding its customer base.

Where will the IRCAD North America training center be located?

The IRCAD North America training center will be located in Charlotte, North Carolina, within The Pearl innovation district.

What is The Pearl innovation district?

The Pearl is an innovation district in Charlotte, NC, where the IRCAD North America training center and a new campus of Wake Forest University School of Medicine will be located.