Innovating Healthcare: Stepping into the Future

The world is constantly changing and evolving, a sentiment deeply felt in recent years. Our nation faces a once-in-a-century transformation, and within the healthcare industry where I work, we are witnessing a decade-defining shift. Policies promoting domestic innovation and centralized procurement have profoundly impacted the medical device sector. Companies must adapt swiftly to these external changes, striving to reach new heights in the coming five to ten years. Individuals, too, must continually elevate themselves, surpassing their own limits and embracing lifelong growth. In this uncertain world, both enterprises and employees must bravely confront the upheaval, seeking deterministic solutions, managing risks, and steadily moving forward.

Three years ago, I was fortunate to join WEDU Medical and collaborate with an exceptional team. My role involved overseeing the company's product development efforts. WEDU has seen significant growth over the past decade, with standout products gaining traction in the market and steadily increasing market share. However, our research and development (R&D) department faced challenges in talent acquisition, R&D project management, and initiating new projects. The company's leadership provided substantial support, allowing me the freedom to make a difference. I collaborated with the HR department to refine the job ranking and promotion system for the R&D staff, opening up further career opportunities and emphasizing an engineer-centric culture. By streamlining and enhancing our R&D processes, actively promoting digitalization and informatization in the R&D department, and leading the team in constructing a Product Lifecycle Management system (PLM), we managed to oversee product development effectively, controlling risks throughout the project execution. Strengthening the connection between R&D and sales, we adopted a customer-centric approach to seek new products and projects, continuously enriching the company's product portfolio. Through collective efforts, the WEDU R&D team has grown to over 40 members with diverse backgrounds in mechanical engineering, materials science, electronics, software, optics, and other STEM fields. We simultaneously manage dozens of product developments, obtaining nearly ten medical device registrations and dozens of authorized patents annually.

While WEDU's product development has transitioned from early-stage imitation to partial innovation, there is still a long way to go in terms of surgical innovation. This necessitates close collaboration with clinical physicians to uncover clinical needs, enabling us to develop products that can revolutionize surgical procedures, much like the da Vinci Surgical System. The path to innovation may be challenging, but WEDU is determined to forge ahead with a sense of urgency, benefiting society and realizing our corporate values.

Reflecting on my personal journey, I have dedicated over a decade to medical product development since earning my doctoral degree. If we consider my collaborative research with doctors during my academic years, I have been immersed in the medical field for nearly two decades, witnessing the remarkable growth of domestically produced medical devices. I have transformed from a student into an engineer and grown into a leader capable of overseeing the overall R&D management of the company. Along the way, I have experienced diverse cultures and value systems, having worked in foreign enterprises, private enterprises, and startups. My progress has been guided by numerous mentors and supported by invaluable friendships. Today, at WEDU, I continue to learn from my leaders and colleagues. WEDU is an ever-evolving team, brimming with vitality and ready for new challenges. I have great confidence in WEDU's future development, and I believe that within WEDU, I can realize my own worth while contributing to the growth of my hometown's enterprises and the prosperity of my hometown.