Innovation. It’s what drives the development of new technologies and tools in any field, including medicine. And successful innovation translates in medicine into better patient outcomes. In business endeavors, successful innovation is at the foundation of today’s most successful companies.

As you know, difficult clinical problems demand innovation especially in plastic surgery. The collaborative partnerships of plastic surgeons, healthcare technology specialists, venture capital companies, and established device companies have driven such advances as microsurgery, muscle flaps, tissue expansion, craniofacial surgery, liposuction, and negative pressure wound therapy.

Recently, the process of clinical innovation has faced myriad issues: more complexity in regulatory pathways (FDA), conflict of interest concerns, and increased expenses of developing new technologies. As you can imagine, these obstacles may disconnect many surgeons and physicians from the process of medical innovation and thereby stall the development of life-saving and life-changing healthcare options.

The inaugural Technology Innovation in Plastic Surgery (TIPS) meeting is planned to bridge these obstacles by bringing together plastic surgeons, ENT surgeons, dermatologists, podiatrists, wound care professionals as well as financial analysts and investors.

Simultaneously, TIPS will stimulate ideas and educate the audience about developing and emerging products in aesthetic and reconstructive surgery. Held in San Francisco, California, on May 22 and 23, 2010, TIPS has the added convenience of immediately preceding the Plastic Surgery Research Council (PSRC) meeting. TIPS has been endorsed by the Plastic Surgery Educational Foundation (PSEF) and PSRC, emphasizing the critical and timely nature of this cutting edge annual meeting.