Director, US Evidence & Access Strategy – Ion

It started with a simple idea: what if surgery could be less invasive and recovery less painful? Nearly 30 years later, that question still fuels everything we do at Intuitive . As a global leader in robotic-assisted surgery and minimally invasive care , our technologies—like the da Vinci surgical system and Ion —have transformed how care is delivered for millions of patients worldwide. We’re a team of engineers, clinicians, and innovators united by one purpose: to make surgery smarter, safer, and more human. Every day, our work helps care teams perform with greater precision and patients recover faster, improving outcomes around the world. The problems we solve demand creativity, rigor, and collaboration. The work is challenging, but deeply meaningful—because every improvement we make has the potential to change a life. If you’re ready to contribute to something bigger than yourself and help transform the future of healthcare , you’ll find your purpose here. Primary Function of Position This role leads the US upstream clinical and economic evidence strategy for the Ion Business Unit, with a focus on generating the evidence required to unlock and scale coverage, vet and pursue traditional and innovative payment models, and secure requisite codes for new and evolving Ion-enabled procedures and technologies. You own the strategy that connects product and procedural innovation to credible clinical outcomes, health-system impact, and payer decision needs—translating that evidence into coverage-ready narratives, bespoke payment models, and implementation plans tailored to Ion’s unique value propositions.   You will work closely with US Commercial, Medical Office, Product Management, Clinical Affairs, Regulatory, Clinical Development Engineering, Clinical Marketing, and Legal/Compliance. Key Responsibilities Upstream Responsibilities: Set the US upstream evidence strategy : Define a 3–5 year US evidence roadmap for Ion upstream initiatives, tied to clear coverage, coding, payment, and adoption milestones.  Drive coverage-oriented study design : Lead design and prioritization of clinical and economic studies that answer US payer, CMS/MAC, and provider decision-maker questions, including clinical outcomes, safety, utilization, site-of-service, pathway/resource use, and budget impact. Own "coverage-grade" evidence packages: Build cohesive evidence narratives and submission-ready materials (clinical summaries, evidence tables, economic analyses, RWE plans) to support payer medical policies, CMS/MAC discussions, and external technology assessments where applicable.  Upstream policy and pathway strategy : Partner with market access and policy teams to map and influence US pathways for new capabilities: coding strategy inputs , payment adequacy, coverage routes (commercial payers, Medicare, MAC LCDs/NCDs where relevant), and development of product-specific reimbursement models (e.g. bundled payments, episode-based models, value-based agreements).  Provide the Ion-specific evidence strategy, analytics, and materials that support both traditional payment pathways and novel reimbursement frameworks.  ,   Drive launch pricing or work with cross-functional pricing owners to align strategy to commercial tactics.  Clinical-economic translation for new procedures: Translate new procedure concepts into measurable endpoints and value drivers, ensuring relevance to US reimbursement and provider economics. Downstream/Field Responsibilities: Drive commercial integration of bespoke payment models :  Work with payers, health systems, and policy stakeholders to design and pilot evidence-supported reimbursement models tailored to Ion's product portfolio and pipeline, including alternative payment arrangements that capture unique clinical and economic value not addressed by traditional fee-for-service coding. Lead payer engagement and contracting support: Direct interactions with national and regional payers to secure favorable coverage policies, formulary placement, and reimbursement terms; provide clinical and economic evidence to support contract negotiations. Develop and execute pull-through strategies: Design and implement programs to convert coverage wins into market adoption, including provider education, reimbursement support tools, and site-of-service optimization. Own field reimbursement enablement: Lead development of reimbursement resources, coding guidance, claims support tools, and training materials for sales teams, healthcare economics liaisons (HELs), and customer-facing staff. Manage accounts receivable and claims optimization: Partner with revenue cycle and commercial operations to monitor denial rates, appeals processes, and payment velocity; implement interventions to improve clean claims rates and reduce reimbursement friction. Provider economic modeling and ROI tools: Create and maintain customer-facing economic models, budget impact calculators, and ROI analyses that demonstrate financial value to hospitals, health systems, and physician practices. Coverage gap analysis and mitigation: Continuously monitor coverage landscape, identify gaps in access, and develop tactical plans (e.g., case-by-case appeals, prior authorization support, patient assistance programs) to address barriers. Payer medical policy monitoring and response: Track updates to commercial and Medicare policies, assess impact on business, and coordinate cross-functional responses including policy amendments, supplemental dossiers, or reconsiderations. Customer reimbursement support infrastructure: Establish and oversee hotlines, portals, or dedicated teams that provide real-time coding, billing, and reimbursement guidance to customers and patients. Management of internal and external stakeholders and enablers : External engagement and scientific positioning: Build senior relationships with US KOLs, societies, guideline influencers, health-system leaders, and payers to shape evaluation criteria, paymen