‍Why Medical Device Companies Are Over-Relying on Software That Doesn’t Scale

The medical device industry thrives on innovation. Each year brings smarter implants, connected wearables, and AI-powered diagnostics. Yet, behind all this progress lies an uncomfortable truth: many medical device companies are still depending on software systems and manual tools that simply don’t scale.

From outdated on-premise databases to sprawling spreadsheets and phone calls to track field inventory, these legacy and ad hoc systems may have once served their purpose. But as companies expand globally, manage large consignment stocks, and face increasing regulatory scrutiny, their old ways of working become a bottleneck rather than a foundation for growth.

The State of Software and Tools in Medical Devices

Software is no longer just an accessory to medical hardware, it’s the backbone. It underpins design validation, production tracking, compliance documentation, field inventory management, and post-market surveillance. However, because many companies grew out of small R&D operations, their internal tools often evolved haphazardly.

A common scenario: a prototype management system built by a handful of engineers years ago still serves as the company’s core platform, patched and re-patched as new needs arise. In parallel, field teams manage thousands of dollars of inventory in spreadsheets, shared drives, and notes from phone calls with hospitals and sales reps. It all “works” until a field audit, a recall, or a scale-up makes it clear that “working” isn’t the same as “scaling.”

Why So Much Software (and Spreadsheets) Fails to Scale

1. Regulatory complexity
   Compliance demands constant change, but legacy software wasn’t designed with modular updates in mind. Every new standard forces slow, expensive revisions and more manual workarounds.
2. Technical debt
   Many platforms were born in the prototype phase, using quick-and-dirty code that never got re-engineered for enterprise scale. Over time, that debt compounds and limits flexibility.
3. Spreadsheet-driven operations
   Field inventory is often managed in static spreadsheets maintained by individual reps or coordinators. Files get copied, emailed, or versioned on shared drives, making it nearly impossible to maintain a single source of truth across territories and product lines.
4. Phone calls as a “system”
   Sales reps and field teams rely on phone calls, texts, and emails to confirm on-hand stock, usage, and returns. Information is fragmented in personal inboxes and call notes, so visibility depends on who picks up the phone and how accurately they record and transcribe details.
5. Lack of interoperability
   Data silos between ERP, CRM, quality systems, and field inventory tracking tools trap valuable information, preventing automated reconciliations and real-time oversight.
6. Skill gaps
   Teams rich in biomedical and regulatory expertise may lack modern software engineering and data architecture skills - especially cloud, integrations, and DevOps practices that underpin scalable systems.

The Hidden Cost of Spreadsheets and Phone Calls

Running field inventory and critical processes on spreadsheets and informal communication isn’t just inefficient, it’s risky and expensive.

• Missed expirations
  Without real-time visibility and automated alerts, products can sit in consignment or trunk stock until after expiry. That leads to unusable inventory, urgent scrambles to replace product, and potential risk if items are used inadvertently.
• Significant write-offs
  When inventory data lives in inconsistent spreadsheets and call notes, reconciliation is slow and error-prone. The outcome is often end-of-quarter or end-of-year surprises: large write-offs from lost, expired, or unaccounted-for stock.
• Traceability concerns during audits
  During field audits or investigations, companies must show where a lot or serial number has been, who had it, and when it was used. If that trail runs through multiple spreadsheets, personal files, and phone records, traceability becomes extremely difficult to prove and can raise compliance and patient safety concerns.
• Operational drag
  Teams spend hours chasing updates, consolidating spreadsheets, and clarifying call notes instead of focusing on higher-value activities like customer support, product education, or strategic planning.

This is exactly why Skuvent exists. It’s the single platform for MedTech teams to manage field operations, centralizing real-time inventory movement so you always know what’s where, simplifying audits and traceability workflows and giving management instant clarity on how field inventory impacts the bottom line. No more spreadsheets. No more phone tag.

What Scalable Software Looks Like for MedTech and Field Inventory

Scalable software in MedTech looks fundamentally different from patchwork spreadsheets and one-off tools. It is modular, cloud-based, and interoperable, and it treats field inventory as a first-class data domain rather than an afterthought.

A scalable environment might include:

• A centralized, cloud-native platform where every consignment location, loaner kit, and trunk stock item is tracked in real time by serial or lot.
• Automated expiration monitoring and alerts, so field teams can rotate or pull product before it becomes a write-off.
• Integrations with ERP, CRM, and quality systems, enabling end-to-end traceability from manufacturing through implantation or use.
• Role-based dashboards that give sales leaders, operations, and quality teams the same up-to-date view of the field.

Imagine a field audit where an auditor asks for a specific lot, and the team can instantly show where it was shipped, where it was stored, and when it was used all with digital proof rather than a scramble through spreadsheets and email threads. That’s what platforms like Skuvent make possible every day.

Building Toward a Scalable Future

Medical device companies can take several practical steps today to move beyond spreadsheets and phone calls:

• Perform a scalability and inventory audit
  Map existing systems, spreadsheet workflows, and communication channels. Identify where data is being duplicated, where expirations are tracked manually, and where visibility is lost between systems.
• Modernize data capture in the field
  Adopt mobile or web applications that allow field teams to scan, update, and reconcile inventory in real time, with changes flowing directly into central systems.
• Adopt modern development and integration practices
  Bring in CI/CD pipelines, robust APIs, and automated testing designed for regulated environments, so changes can be made quickly without sacrificing compliance.
• Foster cross-functional alignment
  Include operations, regulatory, quality, and field sales in the design of new systems to ensure tools reflect real workflows while still supporting audit-ready traceability.
• Partner strategically
  Work with technology providers like Skuvent who understand both medical device regulations and the complexities of field inventory and consignment models. Skuvent was built specifically for this to deliver real-time field visibility, automated compliance workflows, and P&L impact analysis in one platform.

The Bottom Line

The medical device industry’s future depends not only on better devices but on better systems to manage them. As long as companies rely on fragile software, spreadsheets, and phone calls to run mission-critical operations like field inventory, they will face missed expirations, unexpected write-offs, and painful traceability gaps during audits.

Treating software and data as strategic assets, not temporary fixes, allows MedTech organizations to scale confidently, protect patients, and protect their margins. Skuvent gives you that foundation today.