Image courtesy of Dedicated Computing Remote strategies add value even if the OEM does need to go out and do a physical repair. Remote diagnosis ensure the field tech arrives with the correct part in hand – no multi-step process or multiple visits are necessary. Maintenance and repair of medical devices from afar make even more sense in a post-pandemic world. Change is hard. This may be the understatement of the year when it comes to moving toward remote service strategies in the realm of medical design and development. Why is it so difficult for medical device OEMs to embrace the remote aspect of machine diagnosis and problem resolution? Many are simply in a position where they don’t know what they don’t know. But working to understand where remote services are today—as well as what is on the near horizon—is of significant, long-term competitive value to these organizations. It may not be an easy transition, though, and it represents a shift not only in mindset but also operations, costs analyses, and competitive priorities. The takeaway is that the industry is at a crossroads in remote diagnostics, driving the need for OEMs to consider how past processes or presumed limitations can color decisions today.