Publisher announces that it has published a new Impact study Wheelchairs: MedicalEquipment Markets Market Share Analysis: Market Shares, Analysis, and Index,US, 2006 to Current.

The 2016 study, in Excel file format, has 14 Excel worksheets to provide market share revenue, forecast, graphical presentation of the data, raw data, and strengths of challenges of each company profiled. Single snapshots of the market segment are available, or 4 quarterly updates are provided as part of the module pricing. The excel documents are flat files allowing the data to be used as desired by the client. A short presentation of the information is also provided.

Reimbursement drives wheelchair markets. Medicare generally pays in part for wheelchairs as does medical insurance. The government provides people over age 65 with medical insurance in the US. New initiatives provide for universal healthcare coverage in the US. In many parts of the developed world, there is complete medical coverage provided by the government, though working people tend to supplement government coverage with medical insurance.

As the population ages, people are more frail and need assistance for mobility. Hospital and homecare wheelchair technology is evolving to give people with disabilities more mobility. Mobility depends on a wheelchair that is fit to purpose. Are people going to move themselves? Are they going to be pushed around? Is the wheelchair used for sports? Many issues impact the choice of a wheelchair, including cost and reimbursement availability.

Markets are poised to create the ability for people to get more exercise and impact the healthcare delivery industry by encouraging mobility of people who were previously bed ridden. Wheelchairs impact care delivery, permitting the patient to control mobility for the rehabilitation efforts. Lightweight wheel chairs give patients the ability to control movement. Transport wheelchairs are used for moving patients from the bed to another place. Patients and family gain more control over the care delivery with the availability of transport wheelchairs. Care can be delivered in familiar settings.

New innovations in the wheelchair market include the introduction of standing wheelchairs and chairs that transition from seating to sanding position to increase the health of the wheelchair bound. The growth of the internet as a dealer of wheelchair products has eroded the traditional dealer/distributer business, allowing companies to directly sell wheelchairs to customers. Dealers/distributors still play an active role, but the relationship is changing. New strategies are needed by existing vendors to continue to succeed in the wheelchair market.

The aging of the population will continue to drive sales of wheelchairs, increasing this market segment. New materials including titanium rod, more efficient motors, and improved battery storage all promise to impact this market. New smart systems will encourage better patient care as people leverage the internet of things (IOT) to transmit data from sensors embedded in the wheelchairs directly to care providers.

According to lead author of the study, “The wheelchair markets promise to increase their growth rate over the previous years as new technologies and economies of scale decrease the per unit cost.”