Doctor of Invention By: Michael Neuvirth

For the past 3 days I saw first hand just how busy and over worked Doctors and Nurses are.

My 10 year son -- Gal -- broke his arm coming down from a monster shot while playing basketball and I spent a lot of time in the emergency room with him and then in the hospital after he was admitted.

The treatment he received was exceptional. I could really see how much the doctors, nurses and the entire staff really cared.

I also observed first hand how busy everyone is -- all the time.

I want to say again and again THANK YOU to everyone who helped Gal and made him feel as comfortable as possible during his first ever stay in a hospital and after his first ever broken bone.

BTW - He made the shot.

Posted by Michael Neuvirth at 03:05 AM | Permalink

To help you take that very difficult first step, and to help you get to that Eureka moment, here are inspiration and motivation from some of the most famous inventors ever.

After reading this nothing should stand in your way!

Lets start with some quotes from Mr. Thomas A. Edison:

There's a way to do it better - find it.

Be courageous! Have faith! Go Forward!

If we did all the things we are capable of, we would literally astound ourselves.

Many of life's failures are people who didn’t realize how close they were to success when they gave up.

Nearly every man who develops an idea works it up to the point where it looks impossible, and then he gets discouraged. That's not the place to become discouraged.

Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.

Genius is one per cent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.

I am not discouraged, because every wrong attempt discarded is another step forward.

I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.

Feel like brainstorming with someone to help you get to that eureka moment -- email me at michael@doctorofinvention.com

Posted by Michael Neuvirth at 04:46 PM | Permalink

As you write down your observations and as you think like I told you in the last post -- you are initiating a habit of observing and spotting the issues and problems which will ultimately be part of your invention.

You are essentially training yourself – consciously and subconsciously -- for the eventual eureka moment all inventors have.

I know that you may be pressed for time and stressed out. But it only takes a few minutes to jot down your thoughts and then review and contemplate the results.

Anyway – in a month or in even less time -- you won’t need the notebook or PDA. Your mind will be trained and in time, the idea you need will flash into your mind and -- boom – your very own eureka moment.

Any questions or comments -- michael@doctorofinvention.com

Posted by Michael Neuvirth at 06:35 AM | Permalink

The key to coming up with a great idea is to concentrate on solving an unmet need. Your medical practice is a fertile source for discovering these unmet needs. Doctors make the best inventors because major needs and unsolved problems are staring you in the face every day - you just have to train yourself to see them.

Coming up with a great idea:

First, get a small notebook, or use your PDA and set up a page with the heading “Needs”. Every day write down the exasperations and frustrations you experience. Write down situations where you wanted something that wasn’t there. Take note of “faults”, “limitations”, and “drawbacks” in devices you use. What is missing? Is there a better way? What tool could you have used today? What comments did your patients make about a particular device they are using? What is your wish list for a new device?

Think:

If only I had . . .
Faster
Doctor fatigue
Smaller
If only I could . . .
Less Invasive
Patient comfort
Simpler
How come . . .
Non-Invasive
Staff fatigue
Less is more
Why not?
What if . . .
Labor saving
Third or forth hand

Look beyond standard practice and the “accepted”, typical way of doing things. Many breakthroughs have occurred when inventors went in the opposite direction.

Let go! Anything goes. If you want to innovate you need to break free.

Any questions? Email me at michael@doctorofinvention.com

Posted by Michael Neuvirth at 06:24 AM | Permalink

Just in case you missed it -- Medtronic Inc., a leading medical device maker, will pay $1.35 billion to Dr. Gary Michelson, a surgeon turned inventor to gain ownership of his Intellectual Property related to spinal surgery.

One noted spinal surgeon from Indianapolis, said he did not think that Dr. Michelson's ideas were all totally original, but that he was very adept at getting patents. "He didn't make any of those things," the spinal surgeon opined. "He didn't manufacture. He got some ideas and wrote them on a piece of paper and filed them with the patent office."

Hopefully, this blog will be the impetus for you to start inventing. If the chance for saving lives and improving the quality of lives of millions of people is not enough incentive -- $1.35 billion dollars should be. You probably won't get that large a sum -- but you never know unless you try!!

Stay tuned for some tips on how to invent

Any questions?? email me at michael@doctorofinvention.com

Posted by Michael Neuvirth at 02:14 AM | Permalink

Why?

1. Any successful invention must address an unsolved need – and no one is closer to the needs of patients than the physician treating them.

2. Inventing is “healing a problem” and doctors are trained healers.

3. Necessity is the mother of invention and as they go about their daily routines, Doctors constantly face critical situations where they must find a solution.

4. On a daily basis Doctors get inspiration from personal hands-on experience – I could do this better, faster, non-invasively etc. if only . . . What I really need now is . . .

5. Doctors are themselves the end users of medical devices and are in the best position to determine if they are truly market driven.

Can you add any new ones?

Do you think about 1-5 on a daily basis?

Please do -- the world is waiting for your invention!!!

Any questions = email me michael@doctorofinvention.com

Posted by Michael Neuvirth at 08:02 AM | Permalink