The Heart of It All: Ohio’s Powerful Healthcare Ecosystem Pumps Investment, Innovation and Industry into the Region

Driving the Electronics Medical Device Industry in Ohio

Ohio is an emerging leader in the healthcare space recognized globally for its robust network of best-in-class hospital systems. However, Ohio’s hospitals are just one component of a thriving and multifaceted healthcare ecosystem. Fueling Ohio’s leadership is a powerful nexus of accredited universities; research institutions; economic development, community, and industry organizations; startups; as well as emerging and established leaders in biotechnology, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, and other life science companies. Ohio also benefits from the third largest manufacturing workforce in the U.S.¹ Advanced manufacturing plays a crucial role in the healthcare ecosystem — supporting the development of almost every device used in medical research, imaging, diagnostics, monitoring, surgery, and more.

Ohio’s Burgeoning Biotech & Healthcare Ecosystem

Ohio is a fast-growing biotech and healthcare powerhouse with more than 4,000 bioscience companies, 100,000 bioscience employees (excluding healthcare providers)^2, and 13 nationally ranked hospitals.³ According to Business Facilities (2021), Ohio ranks #6 nationally in healthcare jobs, and Cleveland ranks #1 in large healthcare hubs.⁴ The Cleveland Clinic leads the industry across various specialties and research areas, consistently ranking as the #2 hospital overall both nationally⁵ and globally.⁶ Many leading medical devices, life science, and biopharmaceutical companies have significant footprints in Ohio — including Abbott, Battelle, Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices Companies, Steris, Quidel, Amgen, AstraZeneca, and Pfizer.

While the state’s well-established (and growing) network of nationally recognized hospital systems and healthcare giants does much to fuel its powerhouse status, Ohio’s entrepreneurial ecosystem is also key to its rapid growth and success in attracting startups and emerging industry leaders alike. Ohio is the only state with two cities named in Forbes’ Top 10 Rising Cities for Startups (Columbus and Cincinnati).⁷ In 2018, Ohio ranked second in the Midwest in capital investments overall, and Ohio led the Midwest in the quantity of biomedical companies receiving capital investments.⁸

The Critical Role of Advanced Manufacturing

Advanced manufacturing supports every aspect of the healthcare ecosystem: Medical imaging, testing, and diagnostic equipment enable medical professionals to identify conditions earlier than ever before, which translates directly to improved patient outcomes. Advanced surgical devices are reducing the complexity and invasiveness of many operations, so patients can recover and get back on their feet faster. Sophisticated medical devices help patients see, hear and perform critical bodily functions for happier, healthier, and longer lives. Research instrumentation and equipment, including DNA sequencers, are driving new discoveries and innovations that pave the way for life-saving treatments.

An Industry Bolstered by OEMs & Manufacturing Partners

Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) are an important part of the medical device manufacturing industry, producing a wide range of products and systems — including medical instruments, apparatuses, implements, implants, machines, and software — that support global healthcare systems. OEMs, in turn, often rely on contract manufacturing partners to help design, develop, engineer, manufacture, deliver and improve component parts, assemblies and sub-assemblies, and finished products. As the needs and complexity of the healthcare industry evolve, so do the demands on OEMs and contract manufacturers. As the backbone of the industry, they are relied upon for industry-leading expertise, unfailing quality, and consistency, driving innovation with the latest advanced manufacturing techniques, as well as reliability and top-notch logistics to ensure critical products get to where they are needed most.

Contract Manufacturing & Expert Lifecycle Management

OEMs in the medical device and life science industries can benefit significantly from leveraging an expert contract manufacturing partner who understands their needs and challenges, as well as complex industry requirements, and ensures dedicated support throughout the process. Medical device manufacturing projects carry unique requirements including multi-disciplinary development, technical engineering, regulatory compliance, risk management, and experience with every stage of the product lifecycle. With the right partner, OEMs can focus more on the big picture and growing their business.

Spartronics, a leader in the manufacture of complex, FDA-cleared medical devices, provides strategic, technical, and full-service expertise that helps OEMs positively improve speed-to-market and revenue. The company’s proven, top-quality processes and services support a wide range of biotech and MedTech contract manufacturing applications — with advanced capabilities including printed circuit board assemblies (PCBA), sub-assemblies, and finished products. Reliability, traceability, and document control are central to each medical device and product manufactured. With a dedicated, customer-focused team, Spartronics supports OEMs from manufacturing readiness procedures, process validations, and test strategies through the supply chain. The company’s unique approach ensures cost efficiency, risk management, and on-time delivery of complex medical devices, built to specification and optimal quality. Providing top-quality, full-service solutions for OEM partners to, ultimately, improve the outcomes and lives of patients across the globe.