Regular visitors to medicaldesign.com are familiar with our Reader Poll questions. This past year we asked for your input on questions covering healthcare reform, workforce reductions/increases, worker morale, R&D, lean and manufacturing, industrial design, and most recently the process for gaining FDA approval of medical devices. The polls, we believe, provide insight on what readers of Medical Design and Medical Edge e-news are thinking. Here’s a sampling of what you told us.

• Lean is clearly in. When asked, “Is your company applying lean manufacturing tools and methods,” 78% of MedicalDesign.com poll participants answered yes; 21% said no.

• Industrial design is in and out. A question about industrial design approaches yielded the following: 26% use inhouse industrial designers only; 15% use outside industrial designers; 38% use both; while 19% use none.

• Workplaces are tolerable. Would you recommend your company as an enjoyable place to work? 52% of poll respondents would; 42% would not.

• Healthcare reform good; device tax bad. When asked, “Are you for or against healthcare reform?”, 44% of respondents answered yes; 36% said no; 18% don’t know. When asked, “Are you for or against the medical device tax to help pay for healthcare reform,” 61% reported being against; 23% said they were for the measure; and 14% were undecided.

• Approval process really bad. Of all the questions asked this year, the one that drew the most unified response was, “Does the time and money spent to gain US approvals hurt or help America in terms of having the latest medical technology available vs. the rest of the developed world? 79% of respondents said it hurts; only 16% said it helps; and 4% said it has no effect. This month’s poll asks, “For 2011, do you expect your company’s workforce to increase, decrease or remain the same?” You can weigh in with your prediction at www.medicaldesign.com

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Christmas arrived last month for the staff of Medical Design as we welcomed Sherrie Conroy as Content Director. Sherrie brings to the table a wealth of editorial experience and knowledge of the medical device industry, having most recently served as editor-in-chief of MD&DI. In her new role, Sherrie will roll up her sleeves and work to enhance the content of Medical Design, Medical Edge, medicaldesign.com, Medical Design webinars, and the spring and fall Medical Silicone Conferences. The addition of Sherrie to the Medical Design team demonstrates our commitment to our readers and advertisers.

Finally, as we put the finishing touches on 2010, we thank all of you for your continued support and wish you and yours a Merry Christmas and Happy 2011.

Cheers!