Apparently…even in this economy…medtech use is still way up!
According to Cole Petrochko, Staff Writer at MedPage Today, and a report from the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) – the definition of medical technology – more succinctly “medtech” – is broadly interpreted beyond just medtech but clearly its usage trend is up…way up.
Mr. Petrochko and the NCHS go on to say, “Increases among those technologies from 1996 to 2007 included the following:
- Total knee and hip replacements for patients 45 and older increased by 70% and 60% respectively, as measured by hospital discharges. Although joint replacements were more common in those 65 and older, they increased at a faster rate among younger patients.
- The number of kidney transplants increased 31% (43.7 per million in 1997 versus 57.2 per million in 2006); liver transplants were up 42% in the same time span (15.6 million in 1997 versus 22.2 per million in 2006).
- Heart transplants declined 20% from 1997 to 2004, but rose slightly from 2004 to 2006. The 2,147 heart transplants in 2006 accounted for 8% of solid organ transplants, the third most common solid organ transplant, behind kidney at 16,646, and liver at 6,136.
- Outpatient colonoscopy rates tripled in adults over age 19 but increased in all age groups. The biggest gains were posted among those 45 to 64, although the procedure is most common in those 65 to 74. Similar gains were noted for upper endoscopy procedures.
- The change in stenting practices…”
- Additionally, the number of patients taking at least one prescription drug grew to 47% of the population in the 2003 to…“
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Clearly medtech, as well as biotech and pharmaceutical drugs, usage is way up – so let’s challenge ourselves, to ask:
“Why aren’t the U.S. medical industry service providers thriving and why are industry jobs becoming scarce?”
We’d like to hear your thoughts.
Increases among those technologies from 1996 to 2007 included the following:
- Total knee and hip replacements for patients 45 and older increased by 70% and 60% respectively, as measured by hospital discharges. Although joint replacements were more common in those 65 and older, they increased at a faster rate among younger patients.
- The number of kidney transplants increased 31% (43.7 per million in 1997 versus 57.2 per million in 2006); liver transplants were up 42% in the same time span (15.6 million in 1997 versus 22.2 per million in 2006).
- Heart transplants declined 20% from 1997 to 2004, but rose slightly from 2004 to 2006. The 2,147 heart transplants in 2006 accounted for 8% of solid organ transplants, the third most common solid organ transplant, behind kidney at 16,646, and liver at 6,136.
- Outpatient colonoscopy rates tripled in adults over age 19 but increased in all age groups. The biggest gains were posted among those 45 to 64, although the procedure is most common in those 65 to 74. Similar gains were noted for upper endoscopy procedures.
The change in stenting practices
It’s that time of year again for women to think about taking care of their “heart health”…
