Patient-handling Equipment Market Expected to Grow

DALLAS – The patient-handling equipment market shows a lot of promise for growth over the next five years, according to a research report from Dallas-based MarketsandMarkets.

The research company provided a brief summary of its report through reportlinker.com.
Patient-handling equipment includes wheelchairs, scooters, beds, bathroom safety, and mechanical and ambulatory equipment, as well as accessories such as lifting and transfer equipment.

The report found that the growth of this market is being propelled by a rise in the geriatric population and increasing lifestyle diseases, such as diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases that are leading to disabilities. Other factors are driving the market, including government policies that promote the use of patient-handling equipment, technological advancement and injuries incurred during patient handling.

Advances in technology and development of new products are going to help leverage the growth of the market, according to the report. The home-care segment is expected to excel at the highest rate because in-home care services like Lynchburg elder care are often more cost efficient than long-term stays at hospitals or other facilities. The report indicated that favorable reimbursement policies and government support will support this growth. In fact, seniors seeking affordable in-home health care may be able to seek Medicare or Medicaid assistance. About 12 million individuals receive at-home care from 33,000 providers, according to the National Association for Home Care & Hospice. That number has likely increased this year as the association hasn’t updated its statistics since 2010.

Currently, Europe has the largest patient-handling equipment market for revenue, and North America is expected to have the highest growth rate due to an unsaturated market and emerging technologies. As more patients need the equipment and income levels rise, there will be more need for the equipment.

The report named Getinge Group, a medical technology company based in Sweden, as the clear market leader in 2014 for patient-handling equipment. The company, according to the report, enjoys a high level of brand loyalty due to its large product portfolio, quality products and an efficient after-sales service. Hill-Rom in Batesville, Ind., is ranked second in the market, followed by Stryker, based in Kalamazoo, Mich.

Patient-handling equipment and selecting the safest equipment is highly recommended by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). This push for safety can also help spur market growth in the coming years. In an informational document provided by the organization on its website, OSHA cites labor statistics that say nursing assistants suffered more musculoskeletal disorders than any other occupation. These injuries come from overexertion associated with lifting, transferring and repositioning patients.

Of the nurses who report patient lifting and transfer devices being readily available at their facilities, 76 percent say they use them to some degree, and 31 percent report that they use the devices frequently, according to a 2011 survey from the American Nurses Association.