Operating Rooms Due to See a Technological Transformation

As healthcare spending cuts and an increased elderly population demands that surgery be as efficient as possible, operating rooms (ORs) are due to see a technological makeover. These are the latest findings of GlobalData (London, United Kingdom), a leading global business intelligence provider.

The aging population in the United States is expected to bring about a significant increase in surgical procedures by 2020, which, in turn, is expected to contribute to growth in the OR solutions market. The demand for surgery is thus expected to grow, and surgeons will be expected to perform procedures more quickly in order to meet demand. The report discusses expanding OR solutions, which include technologically advanced operating tables, surgical lights, cameras, and equipment management systems.

These solutions, implemented to improve workflow and enhance physician performance and patient safety, could prove vital in future OR settings. For example, equipment can be easily positioned if mounted on ceiling booms, decreasing the set-up and clean-up time of ORs. Other OR solutions could decrease the number of supporting staff required during surgery, as equipment can perform simple tasks which remove the need for an assisting nurse. As a result, these solutions could help generate greater hospital revenue by reducing turnover times and enhancing operating efficiency.

“As baby boomers age, the need for healthcare grows, but the global economic recession has led to stringent healthcare cuts in many countries,” explained the report. “These funding cuts have led to a shortage of healthcare professionals in hospitals, as staffing is minimized in order to save costs.”

But despite the savings which can be made on staffing, the high costs of OR solutions can put the technology out of reach of struggling healthcare trusts, since they can cost anywhere from USD 250,000 to USD 2,000,000, and economic uncertainty in major European markets, coupled with rising healthcare expenditure due to aging population, could have an adverse impact on OR solutions sales. GlobalData valued the global OR solutions market at USD1.86 billion in 2011, and forecasts growth at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.4%, reaching USD 3.1 billion in 2018.

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