In Frost & Sullivan's report, North American Mobility
Aids Markets, published last year, the authors write that the
North American mobility market will experience unparalleled growth
in the number of potential consumers.
This growth is attributed to the aging population, as well as to
Americans who become injured as a result of active lifestyles. Yet,
providers and manufacturers alike acknowledge that although
technological advances are occurring, funding is the obstacle
foremost on the minds of those who sell and use the products.
Because of the diverse demographic profile of mobility equipment
users, providers must navigate the reimbursement maze of Medicaid,
Medicare and private payers. Medicaid reimbursement policy is the
No. 1 issue for the rehabilitation market, says David T. Williams,
director of government relations for Invacare, Elyria, Ohio.
“Currently, 37 states are unable to balance their budgets,
and all of them assert the unexpected and unacceptable growth in
Medicaid as the reason,” he says. “Therefore, since
Medicaid is the major payer for rehab technology, they are looking
to make huge cuts and change payment policy in Medicaid in this
area.”
The solution could be as complicated as the payment structure.
Williams explains that the HME industry needs to be more diligent
in watching and tracking state policy changes and sharing that
information with the entire industry.
THE IMPACT OF FUNDING
Funding problems are also impacting product development, says
Simon Margolis, vice president for clinical and professional
development of National Seating and Mobility, Chattanooga, Tenn.,
and president of the Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive
Technology Society of North America. “Innovation in wheeled
mobility has been factored by funding and coding over the last five
years,” he notes.
Gary Gilberti, president of Chesapeake Rehab in Baltimore,
anticipates further limitations due to funding problems. “The
changing environment on Capitol Hill retards the growth in
technology, so I'm not sure where we're going to be headed in the
future,” he says.
“There has been some very good evolutionary progress in
making the products better with more features … but there
hasn't really been any sort of revolutionary product
development,” Margolis adds.
The impact of computer technology has, however, made significant
changes to wheelchairs. “The technology is explosive and it
just continues to grow,” Williams says, referring to
developments over the last decade. In sharp contrast to the
“click and switch” models, wheelchairs now incorporate
state-of-the-art electronics, mid-wheel drive, integrated seating
systems, communications devices and environmental control
systems.
| Rank | Product | % of Providers |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manual Wheelchairs | 39.3 |
| 2 | Power Wheelchairs | 27.8 |
| 3 | Scooters | 9.9 |
| 4 | Seating Products for Wheelchairs/Scooters | 4.5 |
| 5 | Sport-Lightweight Wheelchairs | 3.2 |
| Source: HomeCare 2003 Forecast Survey |
||
W.B. Mick, Longmont, Colo.-based Sunrise Medical's vice
president of rehab sales for North America, agrees. “There
are many forms of technology being used today in the mobility
market,” he says. “Manufacturers are using software
programs to build complete chairs, which gives them the ability to
get market feedback on potential designs.”
The designs and products being introduced are much more
sophisticated than the industry has previously seen, says Mick, who
predicts this trend will continue.
NEW TRENDS
Customization is an area of mobility to take note of, according
to Margolis. “Companies have really come a long way in terms
of providing the variety of technology that providers need to be
able to customize,” he says. “The key to serving people
with significant disabilities is to provide a service that allows
the wheelchair and seating system to be customized.”
This is a trend for which Pride Mobility's customers have shown
increasing interest. The Exeter, Pa.-based company offers providers
a “virtual machine shop,” says Scott Higley, vice
president of sales for the company's Quantum Rehab division. He
acknowledges that in today's environment, providers need to be able
to customize products for their clients.
Another way technology is making an impact on the rehabilitation
market is by streamlining the design process to produce more
durable products. “Currently, technology is resulting in
power chairs that are more streamlined,” Higley says.
“This generation of products are easier to use, simpler in
design and easier to service, while at the same time they actually
offer more features for the customer.”
The end result is that customers will have mobility equipment
that adapts better to their environment rather than products that
require extensive modifications. “Mobility products are being
designed now that allow people to do far more things today than in
the past,” says Mark Miller, Pride's vice president of
marketing.
Finally, safety is an issue that has always played a role in the
development of mobility products. Duwayne Kramer, president of
Leisure-Lift, Kansas City, Kan., says technology has enabled
manufacturers to increase both the ability of products and their
safety features.
Given the positive trends in the mobility market — and
despite the funding challenges — the spirit of the industry
is strong. Providers of mobility equipment have a history of
adapting to marketplace challenges.
“I think sometimes people underestimate the power of the
providers,” Higley says. “If we work on this as a team
— the team being the manufacturer, the provider, the
therapist, the customer and the payer — we can overcome these
challenges and meet the needs of people.”
