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With the start of a new year comes the start of a new tradition: The Biodesign Alumni Association Monthly Newsletter! The alumni association is growing at a rapid pace, and we get weekly communiqué from people wanting to get in touch with you - from Biodesign leadership to those with new job or funding opportunities. Instead of cluttering your inbox with one-off emails, we have decided to try a new format and compile all announcements into a monthly e-newsletter, to be sent out the first Monday of every month. All newsletters will be archived on the Biodesign Alumni Webpage for your reference.

In this February issue:

Upcoming Alumni Association Events
General Announcements

Become a 2013 Alumni Association Member!
Help the current Biodesign Red Team Fellows with Migraine need
Job Opportunity: Simpirica Spine
Casey McGlynn runs Seville
Outreach opportunity: Med School 101 with Makower

New Biodesign Alumni Blog Posts
Policy Changes that Affect You

Upcoming Alumni Association Events

MEDTECH WOMEN CO-FOUNDERS | WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 13
6:30-9:30pm | La Strada Ristorante
A special event for the Biodesign Alumni Women's Group. Join us for an exciting panel with Deb Kilpatrick, Amy Belt, and Bridget Hurley.
Event Details  & Sign Up
DORSEY & WHITNEY HAPPY HOUR | WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27

6-9pm | Offices of Dorsey & Whitney
Dorsey & Whitney are hosting a cocktail event exclusively for Biodesign Alumni that will feature a presentation by Mitch Levinson, CEO of Cerebrotech Medical Systems.
Event Details & Sign Up
FROM THE INNOVATOR'S WORKBENCH | MONDAY, MARCH 4

5:30pm | Li Ka Shing Berg Hall, Stanford University
Ferolyn Powell and Fred St. Goar
Co-Founders, Evalve
Event Details & Sign Up

STANFORD GSB HEALTHCARE INNOVATION SUMMIT | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17

1-8pm | Knight Management Center, Stanford University
This year's Summit will explore how information technology has the potential to be a lightning rod for disruptive change in the healthcare field.
Event Details & Sign Up

General Announcements

BECOME A 2013 BIODESIGN ALUMNI ASSOCIATION MEMBER!
Gain access to exclusive Alumni Association events. New member benefits this year include exclusive access to the VIP Innovator's Workbench Dinners (alumni invitations now only open to members) and one free Innovator's Workbench speaker ticket.
Join Today!

HELP THE CURRENT RED TEAM FELLOWS WITH A MIGRAINE NEED
Ivan & the Red Team fellows are requesting your help evaluating a need related to predicting migraine headaches. Please see if you are able to advise on the two points below:
1. If you have had experience talking to migraine patients, could you please give us so tips on how to find them and talk to them?
2. If you yourself, have or have had migraines, could you please email me back ativant@stanford.edu I would love to ask you just a couple of questions over the phone. Also, if you have a loved one or friend that you think wouldn't mind answering general questions about their migraines, please send them my way as well. We are interested in talking to everybody: from people who have migraines once or twice a year all the way to people who have them several times a week.
JOB OPPORTUNITY | SIMPIRICA SPINE
Simpirica Spine is looking for a Manufacturing Engineer or Sr. Manufacturing Engineer. This opportunity would provide a fast-paced startup experience, experienced team, and ties back to Biodesign. If you have any interest or recommendations, please contact Ian Bennett, Co-founder, Director of Operations & Engineering at ibennett@simpirica.com.
CASEY MCGLYNN RUNS SEVILLE
...and he needs your support! Casey is running the Seville Marathon on February 24, 2013 and raising funds for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) as a participant in their Team in Training program. Please help by making a donation to his fundraising campaign. He will match your donation dollar for dollar up to an aggregate total of $10,000 for this campaign! Please use the link below to donate online quickly and securely.  You will receive a confirmation of your donation by email and Casey will be notified as soon as you make your donation.

http://pages.teamintraining.org/sj/snlomara13/cmcglynn
Each donation helps accelerate finding a cure for leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma.  Nearly one million Americans are battling these blood cancers.

PARTICIPATE IN STANFORD MED SCHOOL 101
Help High School students make the right career decision! Our very own Josh Makower is looking for volunteers to give high school students a fun experience to understand what medical device development is all about with some really fun brainstorming activities. Of course, he needs you to make this all work! It's a blast, and you're guaranteed to have fun. He is looking for 5-6 volunteers.
Please RSVP to Ken Wu - kenneth.wu@gmail.com - by Friday, 3/15.Here are the details:
What: Stanford Med School 101
When: April 19, 9:30am - 10:40am
What: Help with brainstorming

New Biodesign Alumni Blog Posts

THE MODERN-DAY PHYSICIAN-INNOVATOR: TODD ALAMIN, MD
by Andy Rink
Posted January 16, 2013
The medtech industry is built upon the ideas of creative physicians thinking outside the box; here's advice from a modern-day physician-innovator.
Read More

THE FIVE CARDINAL SINS OF PITCHING TO DR. THOMAS FOGARTY
by Fletcher Wilson
Posted January 28, 2013
When Dr. Thomas Fogarty is in the office, he holds meetings all day long. Not unlike the President, he is briefed moments before every meeting. With each new visitor, he brings a fresh enthusiasm to the table, an eagerness to listen and to be impressed. Everybody gets a fair shot, and many are successful-unless, of course, they commit a cardinal sin.
Read More

Policy Changes that Affect You

MEDICARE ANNOUNCES SUBSTANTIAL SAVINGS FOR MEDICAL EQUIPMENT INCLUDED IN THE NEXT ROUND OF COMPETITIVE BIDDING PROGRAM
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced new, lower Medicare prices that will go into effect this July in a major expansion of the Medicare Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS) Competitive Bidding Program. The CMS Office of the Actuary estimates that the program will save the Medicare Part B Trust Fund $25.7 billion and beneficiaries $17.1 billion between 2013 and 2022. Medicare beneficiaries in 91 major metropolitan areas will save an average of 45 percent for certain DMEPOS items scheduled to begin on July 1, 2013.
Read More