TIMBS Consulting
Solutions in Medicine and Health
from the Social Sciences
Research and reporting to improve user experiences, validate medical devices, enhance technological uptake, and increase healthcare use.
Do you:
Need research on end-users and customer experience of your medical device and/or service to improve design or clear FDA regulations (e.g., 510(k))?
Want to understand why other medical professionals use or don't use already existing services and/or products?
Want to know more about your patients and customers, and why they use or don't use your services and/or products?
These are some of the problems we help solve.
We Work With:
Medical Device Companies - Medical Researchers - Physicians - Dentists - Sports Medicine - Nurses - Healthcare Practitioners - Patients - City and State Health Departments - and Others
We Help With:
Class 2 Medical Devices - Human Factors Validation (510(k)) - Summative - Formative -
Root-Cause - Benchmark - Use-Related Risk Analysis (URRA) - Medical Device Uptake and Use - Empathy Tests with Patients - Heuristic Evaluation - De Novo Requests - Substantial Equivalence - Customer and User Experience, and More
Our Services
MEDICAL DEVICE: END-USER RESEARCH
Making Sure your Devices are Easy to Use, Safe, and Effective
Summative Research:
We conduct validation tests, human factors engineering, use-related risk analyses (URRA) on Class 2 medical devices for FDA clearance (510(k)) and De Novo.​
Formative Research:
We conduct formative user-research with end-users on early device prototypes so that you can integrate valuable user-feedback into your device and make a product that is easy to use and more likely to sell.
Heuristic Evaluations of Interfaces/Platforms:
We draw on a variety of heuristic models to systematically analyze and improve users' experience with your website or online service.
We examine how easy it is to navigate your website, discover essential tabs and links, enter critical information, and complete necessary tasks.
We'll provide you with a detailed report that highlights sources of friction, pain points, satisfactions, and opportunities for improvement that will ensure those using your site do so successfully.
Test your Device, Platform, Instructions for Use, Trainings, Warning Labels, Interface, etc. with the users you hope to reach.
MEDICAL AND HEALTCARE SERVICE USE AMONG PATIENTS
Understanding why those you serve [or should serve] avoid seeking care.
We conduct research on patients' experiences and interactions with medical professionals and institutions so that healthcare services are effectively utilized and without delay.
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Make sure those in need feel comfortable and valued so they access healthcare before its too late.
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MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY UPTAKE AMONG COLLEAGUES
Understanding why Medical Professionals Use or Don't Use available Medical Technologies
We conduct research for medical professionals who want to know why other medical professionals use or don't use the products, services, and technologies they create and are available to them.
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Understand the reasons, motives and forces that underlie use so you can better serve your colleagues.
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Understand why doctors, nurses, and other medical professions avoid using your technologies and services.
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Increase technological use and uptake among medical professionals by understand why they use/don't use potentially helpful products.
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Medical Device Manufacturers
Better usability means fewer risks, successful FDA clearance (510(k) and De Novo), more satisfied customers, and better sales.
Medical Professionals
Better understand your colleagues' needs and conditions so you can make sure they use products and services to their fullest extent.
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Patients and Customers
Make sure your patients' experiences are satisfying and without friction and frustrations so they take care of their healthcare needs before it's too late.
Lay Caregivers
Reduce mistakes and harmful use errors by making sure your devices and services are user friendly for all who may use them and within their use environments.
How We Help
Effective medical services and healthcare require trust and satisfaction.
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Medical devices must be safe and easy to use if they are to receive FDA clearance (510(k) and De Novo) and be adopted by users.
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Web platforms must be easy to navigate if they are to be used effectively.
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Patient and Customer experiences must be satisfying and foster trust in service providers and the devices they need.
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Medical professionals must have incentives and reasons to use their colleagues' innovative services if they are to use them.
Otherwise, the likelihood of use decreases, frustration increases, hazards go unnoticed, and risk of harm grows.
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Manufacturers make devices and services that go unused and are unsafe.
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Patients cannot access needed services, and may avoid seeking healthcare all-together, or until it's too late.​
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Skilled doctors fail to take advantage of cutting edge technologies that improve the quality and efficiency of their craft.
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Contact TIMBS Consulting to learn how we can help solve the problems you face. We provide clear, actionable answers that will allow you to move ahead with confidence.
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What to Expect
A systematic analysis of your users, website or user interface, medical professionals, or patients according to validated frameworks and methodological best practices, delivered in a timely fashion, with actionable insights and recommendations that you can put to use toward FDA clearance, improved and effective designs, trusting patient relationships, and/or improved uptake among colleagues.
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We will create a research plan and test protocol, recruit participants, conduct the research, analyze findings, and provide useful final reports so you can improve and/or validate the products and services you offer.
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A standard procedure might resemble the following,
but we can custom design a project to your needs.
1
Initial Consultation
First, lets talk and see how TIMBS Consulting can help. We'll work with you to identify the key problems and concerns, and how we can help.
2
Plan of Action
Second, we'll sketch out a plan of action and get moving on research instruments, recruiting, and data collection.
3
Final Report
Third, we'll provide you with a detailed report and follow-up to make sure you have the information and resources you need to move forward and achieve your goals.
Get in Touch
TIMBS Consulting:
Solutions in Medicine and Health from the Social Sciences
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New Orleans, LA
Industry Colleague
"Steve is a pleasure to work with, he is detail oriented while seeing the big picture, highly professional and easygoing. I was very grateful to have him on my team. By working together daily we managed to pull off a project that exceeded the client’s expectations."
Meta Client
"Very good project management and keeping me updated. Stephen, the project lead, really went the extra mile on launching the project, staying on top of developments and changes needed, as well as in following up with requests."
Google Client
"Thank you so much. This research has been illuminating and will be super useful going forward"
About Me
LinkedIn Profile
The Research Director of TIMBS Consulting, Stephen F. Ostertag (Ph.D. University of Connecticut) is a trained sociologist and experienced user-researcher. He has over 20 years of experience in sociology and has published many peer-reviewed articles and book chapters, including research on trust and healthcare utilization. He is the author of Connecting After Chaos: Social Media and the Extended Aftermath of Disaster (2023, NYU Press).