Evidence on the safety and effectiveness of medical devices is difficult to coordinate and assess, despite the critical role medical devices play in diagnosing and treating patients.

A new report from the planning board for a national medical device evaluation system (NMDES) describes how the nation can implement a coordinated network of partners to improve evidence on the safety and effectiveness of medical devices. The system will work to improve patient outcomes by being smarter and more efficient when generating and evaluating real-world electronic health data on medical devices.

The planning board consists of a diverse set of experts representing patients, clinicians, academic researchers, the medical device industry, and others, and is supported in its work by the Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy.

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