Stryker launches Sync Badge

Rhea-AI Summary

Stryker (NYSE:SYK) has launched the Sync Badge, a hands-free wearable communication device designed to enhance collaboration in patient care environments. The device allows care team members to use voice commands to connect with colleagues across units and roles.

Key features include:

• Voice activation using 'Okay Vocera' wake word
• Dedicated panic button for emergency assistance
• Do Not Disturb mode with urgent call breakthrough
• Integration with EHR, nurse call systems, and medical devices

The launch aims to address ongoing nursing shortages and unpredictable healthcare environments by simplifying workflows and improving communication efficiency.

Positive

• Launch of new medical communication technology product expanding portfolio
• Addresses critical healthcare staffing challenges
• Integration capabilities with existing hospital systems
• Enhanced safety features for healthcare workers

Negative

• None.

Insights

Medical Technology Expert

Stryker's Sync Badge represents a targeted solution addressing the practical challenge of staff communication in healthcare settings. The hands-free functionality is particularly significant as it eliminates the need for care providers to interrupt patient interactions to communicate, potentially improving care continuity and efficiency.

The device's integration capabilities with existing systems like EHR, nurse call platforms, and Stryker's Vocera Engage middleware indicates an ecosystem approach rather than a standalone product strategy. By allowing critical lab results and STAT order notifications to be delivered directly to frontline staff, the technology addresses information flow bottlenecks that typically plague healthcare environments.

The emergency features, including the panic button with location tracking and direct communication capabilities, address safety concerns that have become increasingly important in healthcare settings. This functionality could serve as a differentiating factor when healthcare facilities evaluate communication solutions, particularly as workplace safety becomes a priority for staff retention.

The customizable "Do Not Disturb" mode with the ability for urgent messages to break through demonstrates an understanding of healthcare workflows where uninterrupted focus is sometimes necessary while maintaining access for critical communications. This nuanced approach suggests Stryker has incorporated substantive clinician input into the product design.

Financial Analyst

Stryker's launch of the Sync Badge represents an expansion of the company's digital healthcare portfolio, strategically positioning it in the healthcare communication technology segment. This move aligns with the growing emphasis on operational efficiency amid widespread staffing challenges in healthcare.

The product leverages Stryker's existing Vocera platform, suggesting this is an extension of capabilities rather than an entirely new technology investment. This approach typically allows for faster market penetration and higher margins by building upon established technical infrastructure and sales channels.

For investors, this product category carries potential recurring revenue characteristics through service contracts, software updates, and fleet management for hospital systems—a beneficial contrast to the one-time sales model of traditional medical equipment. The integration capabilities with other hospital systems create switching costs that could enhance customer retention.

While the immediate revenue impact may be modest relative to Stryker's core surgical and orthopedic businesses, connected technology solutions typically command higher margins and support the company's broader strategy of offering integrated solutions across the care continuum. The focus on addressing nursing shortages through technology also positions Stryker as responsive to current healthcare challenges, potentially strengthening relationships with hospital administration decision-makers.

Hands-free, wearable communication device supports care team members with fast and reliable collaboration

PORTAGE, Mich., March 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Stryker (NYSE:SYK), a global leader in medical technologies, announced the launch of the Sync Badge, a hands-free, wearable device designed to enhance communication and collaboration in the fast-paced environment of hands-on patient care.

The Sync Badge allows care team members to use voice commands to seamlessly connect with the entire care team across units and roles, helping drive fast and reliable communication. As nursing shortages continue⁽¹⁾ and healthcare environments remain unpredictable and demanding, the Sync Badge can help simplify workflows and connect care teams to essential people and information.

"We strive to support the safety and wellbeing of care team members by designing intuitive solutions to help make their lives easier," said Scott Sagehorn, vice president and general manager of Stryker's Acute Care business. "The Sync Badge bridges gaps to ensure care team members remain hands-on where they're needed most – with their patients."

The Sync Badge offers advanced features that help enhance efficiency and communication in dynamic, hands-on patient care environments, including:

• Hands-free communication with wake word: Care team members can wake up the Sync Badge by saying, "Okay Vocera," and use voice commands to reach contacts by name, role, group or extension. The Sync Badge can also be used to urgently broadcast to team members for assistance or to assemble a rapid response group.
• Dedicated panic button: In an emergency, team members can request help quickly by pressing the dedicated panic button. Security and safety personnel can see the staff member's name and location, hear what's happening and communicate directly if the situation allows.
• Do Not Disturb (DND) mode and urgent call breakthrough: To enable focus on critical patient care tasks, care team members can enter DND mode for 5, 10, 15 or 30 minutes – or an undefined duration. Escalation paths can be configured so a normal-priority call will automatically route to another user, or an urgent call can break through.
• Integration with connected devices and software platforms: Care team members are able to receive alarms and critical lab results or STAT order notifications directly on the Sync Badge.* Through integration with Stryker's Vocera Engage middleware, the Sync Badge can receive information from the EHR, nurse call, patient monitoring systems, medical devices, scheduling systems, connected beds, stretchers and more.

To learn more about the Sync Badge, please visit our website.

To learn more about Stryker's focus to deliver advanced digital healthcare solutions that serve to empower staff across the continuum of care, visit our website.

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

Media contact
Meghan Menz
Sr. Director, Communications
meghan.menz@stryker.com

References 

1. https://www.aacnnursing.org/Portals/0/PDFs/Fact-Sheets/Nursing-Shortage-Factsheet.pdf

*For the U.S.: Delivery of secondary alarms requires Engage Medical Device Alarm Notification (EMDAN), FDA 510(k)-cleared middleware, part of Stryker's Vocera Engage middleware. Capabilities are based on your facility's protocols and technology configuration.
*For Canada: Delivery of secondary alarms requires Engage Medical Device Alarm Notification (EMDAN), part of Stryker's Vocera Engage middleware. Capabilities are based on your facility's protocols and technology configuration.

This information is intended solely for healthcare professionals. A healthcare professional must always rely on his or her own professional clinical judgment when deciding whether to use a particular product when treating a patient and we make no recommendation or representation about any treatment or dosage. We do not dispense medical advice and recommend that healthcare professionals be trained in the use of any particular product before use. The information presented is intended to demonstrate the breadth of Stryker product offerings. A healthcare professional must always refer to the package insert, product label and/or instructions for use before using any Stryker product. Products may not be available in all markets because product availability is subject to the regulatory and/or medical practices in individual markets. Please contact your Stryker representative if you have questions about the availability of Stryker products in your area. Stryker Corporation or its divisions or other corporate affiliated entities own, use or have applied for the following trademarks or service marks: Stryker, Vocera. All other trademarks are trademarks of their respective owners or holders. The absence of a product or service name or logo from this list does not constitute a waiver of Stryker's trademark or other intellectual property rights concerning that name or logo.

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SOURCE Stryker

FAQ

What are the main features of Stryker's new Sync Badge device (SYK)?

Stryker's Sync Badge features voice-activated communication, a panic button for emergencies, Do Not Disturb mode, and integration with medical devices and software platforms.

How does the Sync Badge emergency feature work for healthcare staff (SYK)?

Staff can press a dedicated panic button to request help, allowing security personnel to see their name, location, and communicate directly in emergency situations.

What systems can Stryker's Sync Badge integrate with (SYK)?

The Sync Badge integrates with EHR systems, nurse call, patient monitoring systems, medical devices, scheduling systems, and connected beds through Vocera Engage middleware.

How does the Do Not Disturb mode work on Stryker's Sync Badge (SYK)?

Users can activate DND mode for 5-30 minutes or indefinitely, with configurable escalation paths for normal and urgent calls.