Market Model Changes
The medtech, or medical technology, industry is a large and intensely competitive industry that produces highly innovative medical devices for hospitals and other healthcare facilities in the effort to save lives and improve health for patients (Research, 2012). It is spread across different segments including, cardiology, oncology, neuro, orthopedic, and aesthetic devices. It relies largely on aging baby boomers, high unmet medical needs, and increased incidence of lifestyle diseases, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, and obesity.
The industry is being challenged by pricing concerns, hospital admissions and procedural volume, uncertainty concerning healthcare reform, Medicare reimbursement issues as agencies are looking for cost reduction measures, and regulatory overhang. There is a rise in patients deferring treatment in elective procedures. "One factor aligning economic and clinical forces: in the U.S., the number of medical practices owned by hospitals grew from 25% in 2005 to 50% in 2008" (practice, 2011). Where hospitals are gaining more clinics in their portfolios, they have more of the decision making processes on what equipment they purchase and at what value and costs. Clinical differentiation is diminishing where valued innovation is rising, especially in product categories representing the largest profit pools: cardiac rhythm management, cardiovascular, orthopedics, and spine-related devices. Customers are looking more for cost efficient innovations...
For the long run, hospital spending is on the rise as hospitals start to replace worn-out equipment. There are catalysts for growth including new product cycles, an aging population, geographic expansion, ongoing transition towards minimally invasive techniques and emerging markets.
There are possible transaction costs. The FDA draft proposals are implementing requirements that include that devices must prove they are substantially equivalent to a predicate device already on the market, device approval will be more complex and complicated, and the rise in regulatory bar approvals may require more money in research and development. Expansion in emerging markets may bring more transaction costs in foreign fees and transactions to meet regulatory requirements. Merger and acquisitions to build strength and diversifications can bring more costs to merge and make appropriate changes in product mix as well as satisfy more regulations. Healthcare reform can lead to a less flexible pricing environment with the proposed 2.3% excise tax on sales of certain products beginning…
