Tiger BufordYour Orthopedic Industry Expert (free today)

Direct-to-Consumer marketing can work for some ortho companies but it is nuanced.

5 Jul 2025 · 1 min

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In this segment, Tiger Buford argues that most patients are unable to accurately self‑diagnose orthopedic conditions, making direct‑to‑consumer (DTC) marketing ineffective for many medical‑device companies. He explains that DTC only makes sense when a condition is readily recognizable by the patient, allowing them to request a specific product from a surgeon. He cites the preventative hernia device "Barricade" as an example where patients could identify a future need and seek the product. Buford emphasizes that device makers must employ highly specific targeting strategies, directing consumers to a surgeon‑finder tool only when the patient can precisely articulate the needed device.

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I think most patients can't diagnose themselves. My back hurts, I don't know what's going on. And so going from there to Barricade, you know, preventative hernia in the future is, it's a light year away. I think you gotta be really specific if you're a medical device company. You have to go direct to consumer when the patient can diagnose themselves exactly and then say, go to the surgeon finder and say, doc, I want this product.