Global Patient Handling Equipment Market Size, Share, Development, Growth and Demand Forecast to 2022 – Industry Insights by Product Type (Wheelchairs & Scooters, Medical Beds, Bathroom Safety Supply, Ambulatory Aids, Mechanical Equipment, Non-Mechanical Equipment, Others), by Type of Care (Critical Care, Bariatric Care, Fall Prevention, Wound Care, Others), by End-User (Hospitals, Home Healthcare, Elderly Care Facilities, Others)

The global patient handling equipment market was worth $9,515.9 million in 2015 and it is expected to grow at a CAGR of 10.5% during 2016-2022. Among the various end users, the home healthcare segment is expected to witness the fastest growth, a CAGR of 11.0% during the forecast period. Among the various type of care, the critical care segment is expected to witness the fastest growth during the forecasted period.

Patient handling equipment are equipment utilized to safely move or support a patient or any of his body part. The equipment improve working conditions of caregivers by reducing biomechanical overload risk and work-related injury. In addition, the equipment improves quality of patient care and provides patient safety. The different types of patient handling equipment are medical beds, manual and powered wheelchairs, scooters, bathroom safety equipment, patient lifts, transfer boards, slide boards, ambulatory aids and stretchers. All these equipment are used for safe handling of patient and for different types of care including bariatric care, wound care, critical care, fall prevention and acute care. The demand for the equipment is growing significantly in hospitals, home care settings, elderly care facilities, emergency medical services, trauma centers and nursing homes.

The global patient handling equipment market is growing at a significant rate due to growing geriatric population, increasing prevalence of chronic diseases and increasing healthcare expenditure. The advancement in technology has further led to the development of easy to handle and powered patient handling equipment. In addition, the improving healthcare infrastructure in developing countries such as China and India, and increasing risk of injuries to caregivers during patient handling are also driving the growth of the global patient handling equipment market.

The need for patient handling equipment is higher in older population. Older people are at higher risk for developing musculoskeletal disorders and injuries and the prevalence of chronic disease is also higher. As per the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN-DESA) report on the global aging population, the population of people aged 60 years or above is growing with high rate. The percentage share of people aged 60 years or above was 11.7% in 2013 and it is expected to reach 21.1% by the end of 2050. Moreover, the healthcare expenditure is increasing across the globe owing to the increasing prevalence of diseases and increasing government and non-government initiatives. The increase in healthcare expenditure leads to increase in affordability and accessibility of patient handling equipment.

The restraints for the growth of the global patient handling equipment market include lack of training provided to caregivers for efficient operation of equipment and difficulty in handling bariatric patients.

Geographically, Europe is expected to maintain its dominance in the global market of patient handling equipment during 2016 - 2022. This is due to high healthcare expenditure, developed healthcare infrastructure and high prevalence of chronic diseases in the European Union. The Asia-Pacific patient handling equipment market is growing at a significant rate mainly due to growing aging population, increasing prevalence of chronic diseases and increasing healthcare cost. However, the North American market of patient handling equipment is expected to witness the highest growth globally, during the forecast period. This is due to due to the high awareness among caregivers for safe patient handling and stringent regulations in the region.

Some of the key companies operating in the global patient handling equipment market include Stryker Corporation, Hill-Rom Holdings Inc., Invacare Corporation, Getinge Group, Prism Medical Ltd., Guldmann Inc., LINET Group SE, Joerns Healthcare LLC, Stiegelmeyer-Group, and Handicare.