Disposables Could Help Defeat Hospital Acquired Infections

Growing concerns about hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) are driving the demand for disposable needles and syringes. These are the latest findings of GBI Research (London, United Kingdom), a market-leading provider of business intelligence reports.

The globally swelling diabetes population, as well as an increasing number of people with access to state healthcare coverage, means that more and more patients will face the risk of infection through hospital contagion. State healthcare systems are therefore being pressured to impose active measures against HAIs, and their prevention, control, and management have fueled the demand for single-use products. Governments in developed countries are also encouraging the use of disposable hospital supplies to reduce healthcare costs incurred in treating HAIs.

The GBI report predicts that demand for disposable hospital supplies will increase as hospitals, outpatient care centers, and other healthcare facilities adopt stricter infection prevention safeguards to meet stronger standards. For example, the European market for disposable surgical gowns and drapes has witnessed a steady growth in the past few years due to the enforcement of high standards of infection control based on the new European Union (EU) Medical Device Directive (MDD) and EU regulations.

In the United States, on the other hand, the disposable hospital supplies market will be driven by an expanding patient pool and the expansion of health insurance coverage by the Affordable Care Act of 2010 (also known as Obamacare), which had resulted in an increased number of people seeking medical care. The increasing incidences of HAIs are a cause of concern for patients, the healthcare industry, and governments.

The use of disposable hospital supplies such as single-use syringes, procedure kits and trays, gloves, drapes, and gowns has seen steady growth in recent years, reaching an overall annual direct cost of HAIs to US hospitals ranges between USD 28 and 34 billion. As a result, revenue in the disposable hospital supplies market, for example, grew at a rate of 6% during 2004–2011, and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.4% during 2011–2018, to reach USD 15.4 billion in 2018.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO; Geneva, Switzerland), about 5%-10% of patients admitted to acute care hospitals in developed countries acquire an infection. HAIs are reported to cause around 80,000 deaths annually in the US and 5,000 deaths each year in the United Kingdom. Nonfatal infections also result in increased healthcare expenditure, due to prolonged hospital stays for patients.

Related Links:
GBI Research
World Health Organization