In some respects, virtually every story in medical devices comes down to some variation on the twin themes of technology and innovation. And for all of the diversity and breadth of the device industry, many if not most of the stories echo a handful of common ideas and themes. Certainly, a novel technology in cardiovascular differs from a novel technology in orthopedics, but the aims and mindsets of the devices’ developers and their ultimate goals share some basic assumptions across all device companies, big and small. And then there’s General Electric Co.’s GE Healthcare.
Perhaps because the GE brand is so ubiquitous, visible on everything from household appliances to airplane engines, it’s easy to...