Almost 77% of the disease burden and 86% of all annual deaths in Europe are a result of chronic diseases, as per the World Health Organization (WHO). For instance, almost 60 million people in the continent suffer from diabetes, and the WHO says that this number is steadily going up. People of all ages are falling prey to this common, yet pestering endocrine disorder due to obesity, physical inactivity, and poor diet. Similarly, the agency says that heart diseases kill more people than tuberculosis, acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), and malaria together, in Europe. With the rise in the prevalence of all such chronic diseases, the hospitalization rate is going up.
In today’s time, be it monitoring and therapeutic equipment, bathroom safety equipment, medical furniture, or personal mobility equipment, everything needs to be strong and long-lasting. Among these, durable monitoring and therapeutic equipment has been in the highest demand in the continent, owing to its extreme importance in patient care. Systems such as infusion pumps, blood glucose monitors, oxygen equipment, and vital sign monitors are not only essential in healthcare settings, but several of them are also quite expensive. Additionally, with their heavy usage round the clock, they suffer wear and tear, which is why they must be durable.
Germany is currently the largest European durable medical equipment market, as it is home to a large number of hospitals, more specifically 1,951 in 2018, which hosted over 19 million patients that year, according to the Federal Statistical Offices. In the coming years, the purchase of such products is projected to escalate the fastest in the U.K., as the life expectancy here is increasing. The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) has reported an increase of 4.2 years in the life expectancy of women and 6.3% for men during 1990 and 2017 in the U.K.
