Exclusive interview with Omar Ishrak: Medtronic will be even more global

What will Medtronic (NYSE:MDT) look like under Omar Ishrak?

Medtronic will be less exclusively a therapy-oriented company as it looks to find revenue by leveraging other resources such as technology and health IT. It will be more international. And it will be involved in developing the infrastructure – in other words training doctors and providing awareness – as it seeks to provide more access to healthcare overseas.

“There is an awareness issue (in certain countries) where culturally there is an acceptance that certain things happen because people just get old, ” Ishrak said. “There is a lack of awareness and education that certain things are possible. So there are some basic awareness and capability, infrastructure that can be built to service people.”

In a 35-minute interview with MedCity News, Medtronic’s new leader talked about his plans to dig deeper into India; expand global hiring in research and development, including in niche areas and in basic science work; and further integrate health IT through the company’s repetoire of new innovative medical devices. Ishrak also touched on topics ranging from healthcare reform, Kyphon,Infuse, and social media.

Read from the interview:

• Omar Ishrak’s Medtronic: Bigger in India with more R&D hiring in Asia
• Ishrak: Medtronic must take advantage of ‘highly mobile’ world
• Q & A: Omar Ishrak talks healthcare reform, Infuse and beyond
• A reporter’s take on Medtronic CEO Omar Ishrak

Previous stories about Medtronic and Omar Ishrak:

• Growth is the deity Medtronic CEO Omar Ishrak will worship
• Barely a peep (tweet) out of Medtronic CEO Omar Ishrak
• An online glimpse into Medtronic CEO Omar Ishrak
• Analysts: Medtronic CEO Omar Ishrak good choice