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Wireless Patient Monitoring Promises Reduced Hospital Costs By Freeing Expensive Critical Care Areas

Posted on: Monday, 27 February 2006, 03:02 CST

LONDON, February 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Cost reduction pressures and the need for shortened in-patient stays are promoting the use of wireless patient monitoring systems in hospitals. Their contribution to better process management, superior flexibility and increased efficiency within hospitals is further underlining the appeal of wireless networking options for patient monitoring systems.

The daily cost of using a critical care bed is nearly $1,500-$2,000. Frequently, patients use these beds for constant monitoring as the critical care area is equipped with the necessary monitoring devices. The freeing of these beds, through the use of wireless patient monitoring, can facilitate better management of the in-patient population.

"Most European hospitals have telemetry units where patients can be monitored for vital parameters through patient-worn transmitters that are connected to the central station," explains Frost & Sullivan (http://healthcare.frost.com/) Senior Research Analyst Aarati Ajay. "These enable better surveillance of the patients, improve ambulating conditions for them and help in reducing the length of hospital stay."

Wireless connectivity has encouraged an overall rise in productivity through improved workflow and data management. Wireless patient monitors have also supported enhanced flexibility within the hospital environment by enabling remote monitoring of patients.

Attracted by the many clinical and economic benefits of this technology, including its ability to relieve health authorities of huge cost pressures, several countries such as Germany, France and the United Kingdom have emerged as early adopters of wireless networking in hospitals. As awareness about the benefits of wireless monitoring rises, uptake levels across other European countries are poised to increase significantly. Moreover, the creation of customised solutions for individual hospital requirements, will boost implementation levels in the near to medium term.

However, budgetary considerations have emerged as a major obstacle to the large-scale deployment of wireless patient monitoring networks. "The deployment of wireless systems involves several technical considerations that might prove expensive for hospitals in the short term," says Ms. Ajay. "This, together with the lack of fluid budgets for hospitals, is hindering the widespread acceptance of this technology."

Indeed, despite the known advantages of having a single patient monitoring network that integrates the entire hospital, severe financial limitations will need to be overcome in order to deploy such systems. For most hospitals, integrating a wireless network will be an important consideration over the next 4-5 years. This will challenge vendors to identify hospitals that have an urgent need as well as those that have the spending power.

However, the number of hospitals with a wireless network infrastructure in place is likely to increase tremendously within five years. This could generate exciting growth opportunities for vendors to develop products that tap into the wireless infrastructure of hospitals and help them strengthen their market presence.

The European market for wireless patient monitoring had revenues of US$81.0 million in 2004 and will accumulate $178.0 million in 2011. Augmented uptake of telemetry systems in markets such as Spain and Benelux in addition to growth in the bigger countries such as Germany, France and the United Kingdom will sustain this growth.

At present, wireless patient monitors have attained only 10 per cent of their market potential. A targeted approach directed at penetrating hospitals in technologically advanced countries such as Italy, France and Germany will reinforce market expansion.

Growth opportunities abound for both wireless ambulatory telemetry and wireless portable patient monitoring segments. Currently, telemetry systems contribute to over 85 per cent of total market revenues. However, by 2011, the fast-growing wireless portable patient monitors - projected to attain a compound annual growth rate of 19 per cent between 2004 and 2011 - is likely to boost its contribution to nearly 22 per cent.

"To increase penetration in the overall market, vendors could alter their product offerings by catering to specific requirements of clients and making them cost effective," advises Ms. Ajay. "Another avenue would be to create technologies that could be integrated into existing IT systems of hospitals so that the cost incurred is not as high as setting up an entirely new network."

If you are interested in a virtual brochure, which provides manufacturers, end-users, and other industry participants an overview of the latest analysis of the European Markets for Wireless Patient Monitoring in Hospitals (B637-56), then send an e-mail to Radhika Menon Theodore, Corporate Communications, at rmtheodore@frost.com with the following information: your full name, company name, title, telephone number, fax number and e-mail address. Upon receipt of the above information, an overview will be sent to you via e-mail.

European Markets for Wireless Patient Monitoring in Hospitals B637-56 Background

Frost & Sullivan, a global growth consulting company, has been partnering with clients to support the development of innovative strategies for more than 40 years. The company's industry expertise integrates growth consulting, growth partnership services and corporate management training to identify and develop opportunities. Frost & Sullivan serves an extensive clientele that includes Global 1000 companies, emerging companies, and the investment community, by providing comprehensive industry coverage that reflects a unique global perspective and combines ongoing analysis of markets, technologies, econometrics, and demographics.

Media Contacts: Europe: Radhika Menon Theodore Corporate Communications P: +91-(044)-42044541 E: rmtheodore@frost.com Americas: Melina Trevino Corporate Communications P: +1-210-247-2440 F: +1-210-348-1003 E: melina.trevino@frost.com India: Surbhi Dedhia Corporate Communications P: +91-22-2832-4705 Ext: 131 E: sdedhia@frost.com Asia Pacific: Jasminder Kaur Corporate Communications P: +65-68900937 E: jkaur@frost.com Australia: Sharmin Jassal Corporate Communications P: +61-2-8247-8900 F: +61-2-9252-8066 E: sjassal@frost.com

Keywords: wireless patient monitoring, Europe, hospitals, critical care bed, patient monitoring, wireless connectivity, Germany, France, United Kingdom, wireless patient monitoring network, patient monitoring network, wireless network infrastructure, telemetry systems, Spain, Benelux, Italy, wireless patient monitors, portable patient monitoring, wireless ambulatory telemetry

Database of Key Industry Participants: Delphi Medical Systems, GE, Ge healthcare technologies Danica, Siemens (Draeger), Philips medical Systems, Fukuda Denshi, Nihon Kohden, Spacelabs, Datascope, Nonin, WelchAllyn, Corscience Gmbh, Lusora, Siemens, Invivo MDE, MRI Devices (subs of Invivo in Germany), Plextek Ltd, Code Blue Communications, RTX healthcare, Cambridge Consultants, Criticare Systems Inc., Compumedics, Radiall, Electrobit, Roke Manor Research, Symbol Tehnologies Gmbh, Freescale, 3COM, Agere Systems, Air2web (consult mobile in Uk), Allscripts LLC, Nokia, CISCO, Nortel Networks, Telemedsys

Frost & Sullivan

CONTACT: Media Contacts: Europe: Radhika Menon Theodore, CorporateCommunications, P: +91-(044)-42044541, E: rmtheodore@frost.com; Americas:Melina Trevino, Corporate Communications, P: +1-210-247-2440, F:+1-210-348-1003, E: melina.trevino@frost.com; India: Surbhi Dedhia, CorporateCommunications, P: +91-22-2832-4705 Ext: 131, E: sdedhia@frost.com; AsiaPacific: Jasminder Kaur, Corporate Communications, P: +65-68900937, E:jkaur@frost.com; Australia: Sharmin Jassal, Corporate Communications, P:+61-2-8247-8900, F: +61-2-9252-8066, E: sjassal@frost.com

Source: PRNewswire

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