Currently, fluids from surgery are collected using vacuum hoses and racks of rigid plastic bins and disposed of manually into sinks or solidified with gel and thrown away. Customers think the current offering exposes staff to pathogens, is bulky and expensive to dispose of, clutters the operating room, requires attention during surgery, and is similar to competitor offerings.

We focused on streamlining how surgical waste is managed, not just providing buckets and tubes for collection. By using technology we could shift the sales relationship from commodity resupply to a differentiated, value-added solution that meets multiple customer needs.

From expert and stakeholder interviews, competitive assessments, and observational research we identified opportunities and key strategic priorities: eliminate spill potential, remove the clutter of daisy-chain collection towers, end staff exposure to biohazard waste, create a compact, lower-cost container that dramatically reduces costly red-bag waste, and lock out competitors.

We solved complex technical challenges, and continually tested for quality and manufacturability. A compact, yet stable footprint, intuitive, ergonomic controls, verification of secure wall docking before pumping out surgical waste…

a reliable collection bag that was thin-walled and collapsible, simplified post-surgical sterilization, streamlined inventory and setup, and cost-reduced the bill of materials.

A compelling, meaningfully differentiated game-changer that was built around cardinal's go-to-market strategy was brought to fruition.