CTO Chats with Corrina Welling, Director for Applied Robotic Technology Development at Johnson & Johnson

I would love to understand how you got into IT and what your journey was.

I got into IT, or technology in general, about 20 years ago. I think it’s a very unusual journey for most people—it wasn’t a very clear or straight path. I actually started off as a clinician working in medical devices, particularly robotics. Slowly but surely, my interest in technology and how it fits into existing strategies grew. My interest became bigger and bigger, so much so that I went back to university to study engineering to gain a better understanding of technology and how to make better use of it for patients, clinicians, and doctors. That’s how my interest was sparked, and it took me all the way to a PhD in robotics and engineering. It’s a very unusual path, but one I’m very proud of. I feel very accomplished now with the work I’m doing because I have both perspectives: from a technology point of view and how the application is used in real life.

Extremely interesting. The best journeys are often the most unconventional. Right now, what challenges are you facing as a technology director, and how are you addressing them, given that the landscape is changing so rapidly? AI is a big word now, but I would love to understand more about that.

It’s definitely challenging, especially keeping up with current technology and training. In the MedTech field, it’s a bit more stable because things don’t change as quickly, but we do have to consider AI, which is a huge part of technology and will be an incremental part of any technology used out there. The challenge is how to use AI effectively and how to filter out unnecessary uses of AI or technology to make the best use of it for the application that’s desirable in the MedTech field. It’s ever-changing and rapidly evolving, and it’s also a challenge to keep the talent trained. That’s a huge challenge—to make sure our team is up to date with the latest technology and training so that they can do their work properly. It’s a complex issue, to say the least.

How do you train them on the job? Do you have a preference for certain universities or already established training programs? How do you address these challenges in the MedTech industry?

Twenty years ago, when I started, training in AI wasn’t common. It was already around but not as prevalent. These days, it’s more common at the university level. It wasn’t well understood how to use or train AI, how to model it, and how to get the best out of it. I think it’s very important that each individual in my team, or in any team, is interested in AI and technology and sees how they can contribute most meaningfully. Then, we can figure out how to provide them with training, whether through courses on data mining, coding, or modelling or through on-the-job training with experienced engineers. There are so many forums where you can also get knowledge about trends, exhibitions, conferences, and more. The possibilities are endless to stay on top of things, but there’s also an endless range of things to learn. It depends on where your passions lie. I think the best way is always to learn something you’re passionate about and do a deep dive into it. We can then give you the tools to gain that knowledge.

Of course, that makes a lot of sense. Other than AI, what emerging technology do you think is a big opportunity for the MedTech industry? What is the sector focusing on?

Robotic surgery is big, and robotic-assisted surgery is tremendous. The other thing is transport robots, for example, robots that carry patient records from the operating room (OR) to the nursery ward. Transport robots are huge, as are assistant robots that help transfer patients from one bed to another. But another big trend that’s coming our way is AI in diagnostics, where AI can look at various sources like images, X-rays, CT scans, MRI scans, and written reports. It can then combine that data and provide reports to doctors with potential suggestions for diseases, cancers, or other conditions. Another trend we’re seeing is the streamlining of hospital operations. For example, when a patient is admitted, AI or technology can shorten their hospital stay by streamlining the diagnosis, operation, and recovery process. AI can optimise medication, assist with care, and ultimately help patients recover faster, shortening their stay. So, diagnostic AI, streamlining hospital operations, and robotic surgery or assistant tools in the hospital are the biggest trends we’re seeing in MedTech right now.

That’s really impressive. There will be so many different applications and innovations that will really change the whole industry. I’m very interested in it. I also think AI, in general, will probably have its most impactful applications in the MedTech sector. We use it for marketing, but it’s not life-changing in the way it can be for MedTech.

If you take it further, by streamlining the hospital setting or operations, you could tie that into a very agile supply chain. For example, if a hospital runs low on medications, AI can notify the supplier to deliver more quickly. When a nurse calls to say they’re running low on a medication, the system can prompt the supplier to deliver X, Y, Z, or sutures for the OR, or whatever is needed. It ties into more than just hospital operations; it ties into the entire supply chain. The possibilities are endless.

Wow, that’s really fascinating. Given all these innovations already taking place, how do you think the sector will evolve in the next three to five years? What is the biggest shift you see on the horizon, or what do you think could happen?

In the MedTech field, I think we’re seeing a shift in resource allocation. Many doctors and nurses are worried about losing their jobs, but from what we’ve seen, it’s more of a shift. Nurses will spend less time on repetitive tasks in the OR and more time with patients. Technology will enable hospital staff to focus on higher-value tasks and provide more quality time with patients. We know the doctor-to-nurse ratio in many hospitals is often very stretched, with nurses being spread thin. Technology will help hospital staff take better care of patients and be more present with them. I think that’s the biggest shift I see in the next three to five years—resource reallocation. AI will evolve; that’s undeniable, but I think it’s more important to focus on the effects of that development. We’ll see the same trend across other industries, where resources are reallocated to different tasks. There might even be jobs that don’t exist yet that will emerge in the next three to five years. It’s like how, in the past, records evolved into digital music. No one would have thought of the iPod back then, but it completely changed the way we consume music. Technology shifts how things are done, and we might see new roles emerge.

Yeah, I think innovation will definitely take us forward. But what do you see as the biggest mistake people are making when it comes to the application of technology, or the use of technology, and how can they avoid it?

I think what I’ve seen over the last decade or two is that most companies run their departments very siloed. For example, in a company I used to work at, and even in larger operations as well, projects would be run in one department, and in another country, they would run a very similar project. But because the company is so large, they wouldn’t know about each other’s work. They were developing similar technology that could have benefited from each other, and they could have merged the teams to bring the technology to life much faster. What I see as the biggest mistake is that innovation is often siloed. It’s not spread across departments like IT, R&D, quality, and marketing because there are many elements that contribute to innovation. Yes, the marketing team is not an R&D team, but they might have seen trends or interesting technology that could help the R&D team. The quality team could also say, “Hey, if we do it this way, we can get this product to market much faster, get it to product launch or FDA or CE approval quicker.” So, I think the biggest mistake is that innovation is often siloed, and companies don’t use cross-functional teams to feed innovation in an effective manner.

Yeah, completely. I’ve been reading a lot about this and the need to have horizontal teams, especially across departments, with an overarching view, like a global project manager. It’s definitely becoming more and more relevant to bridge the gap between technology and business.

But also, I mean, if you look at Uber, they’ve done a wonderful job. There is no CTO, and that’s for a reason. Everyone should be able to be innovative, and there should not be one person or one department solely responsible for innovation. They leave it up to the entire staff to be as innovative and creative as possible. Anyone can be an innovator if they choose to. So, you’re not limited by being in finance, quality, or any other department. It’s a flat, horizontal organisational structure that enables innovation.

There are so many ways to approach innovation. I come from a startup background, so this theme is very close to my heart. It’s fascinating to see how both large and small companies approach innovation. There’s no clear recipe. That brings me to the next question, which ties in quite well: What do you think is a critical skill—maybe just one word—for innovation and technology leaders?

Adaptability. We all need that.

Not just for technology leaders, I would say, but yes, absolutely.

Yeah, that would be my word: adaptability, especially in the technology world. If you look at the technology of the last 10 or 20 years, it was slow and steady, but since AI has become almost a must-have for most applications, it’s been very steep. Things are changing rapidly. I think you have to be adaptable to keep up with the technology but also to figure out what works for your business. You also have to be ready to abandon an idea that you thought might be super beneficial but isn’t working for your company, even if it works for others. You need to adapt and change.

Absolutely. I have one last question: How do you balance the need for innovation and technological advances with the demand for stability and security of different systems? For example, we can’t have patient information leaking or other situations happening. How do you balance that equilibrium?

I think in bigger corporations, things are much slower and more stable, especially in the tech industry. As much as we would love to have a quick product launch, there are so many restrictions to ensure it aligns with CE, FDA, or NMPA standards. Patient safety always comes first, and that’s what prohibits us from having a very fast product pipeline and product development. I think that’s something that safeguards us a little. For other industries, there may not be as many restrictions, but I think there should be a more structured and ethical framework around AI. Right now, it’s not 100% formed, but it would definitely help balance the need for innovation with patient confidentiality and customer privacy. I think there are some structures in place, but they’re not as rolled out or as universal as they are in the FDA or CE.

Of course, yeah. It’s a delicate equilibrium. Technology innovation must move quickly, but there are various blockers, and policymakers come at their own pace.

But I think there needs to be a new policy-making committee or body that safeguards us against rising technologies. There isn’t a universal one yet that would cover it.