From workforce shifts to trade policy to political shakeups, healthcare in the U.S. is in transition -and medical device companies are feeling the ripple effects.

The next six months will bring new pressures and unexpected opportunities. Here’s what’s changing and how medtech teams can stay ready.

1. Outpatient Care Keeps Growing

Healthcare jobs are increasing steadily, especially in outpatient and ambulatory settings. This points to a long-term shift away from traditional hospitals and toward lower-acuity, faster-moving care environments.

What It Means for Medtech:

Devices need to be easier to learn, quicker to implement, and suited for smaller teams. Supporting adoption in these fast-paced settings may require digital education tools, lighter training footprints, and value stories tailored to non-acute environments.

2. Tariffs Are Squeezing Supply Chains – and Budgets

Rising tariffs and trade policy changes are putting pressure on production costs and pricing. Larger medtech companies are already reporting financial impacts, and hospitals are feeling the downstream effects.

What It Means for Medtech:

Buyers are more cost-conscious than ever. It’s not just about product features, it’s about proving economic value. Clear messaging around savings, efficiency, and impact will carry more weight in pricing conversations and value analysis reviews.

3. Policy Shifts Are Reshaping the Rules

Recent changes in healthcare policy are affecting everything from reimbursement to regulatory timelines. With federal programs under review and budget cuts in motion, the landscape is more uncertain than stable.

What It Means for Medtech:

Companies need to stay alert and flexible. What works today might change quickly – so value messaging, KOL alignment, and market strategy should be ready to adapt. Real-time insights from the field will be key.

So, Where Should Medtech Focus?

In the face of all this change, a few areas deserve extra attention:

Value Messaging

Use Value Analysis Briefs to tell a clearer Clinical, Financial, and Operational (C.F.O.) story.

Education That Scales

Replace one-off trainings with digital creative assets that support consistent onboarding.

Clinician Partnerships

Partnering with Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) can provide practical insights and help shape how your product is understood and adopted by clinical teams.

Flexible Clinical Support

Having access to experienced clinical professionals – whether on-site or remote – can make it easier to support adoption and respond to the needs of different care settings.

Bottom Line

Medtech companies that stay flexible, focus on value, and support the people using their products will be better prepared for whatever comes next.