domingo, 17 de marzo de 2013

Analyst Briefing: Latin American Electronic Medical Record Market Analysis

viernes, 15 de marzo de 2013

Government Programs Support Installation of Electronic

Medical Record Systems in Latin America

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina, March 11, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Government programs and investments in healthcare institutions have encouraged the adoption of electronic medical record (EMR) systems in Latin America. Current and proposed regulations mandating EMR installations will further ensure the steady growth of the market in the region.

New analysis from Frost & Sullivan (http://www.connectedhealth.frost.com), Analysis of the Latin American Electronic Medical Record Market, finds that the market earned revenues of more than $232.0 million in 2012 and estimates this to reach $326.4 million in 2017. The research focuses on Argentina, Colombia and Mexico.

"The Mexican government's funds for healthcare, along with its initiatives to regulate and verify EMR systems for their interoperability between different vendors, have led to the development of the EMR market," said Frost & Sullivan Healthcare Industry Analyst Federico Baguear. "In Colombia, healthcare laws requiring the implementation of EMR in all healthcare facilities by the end of 2013 will increase market investments, while potential emerging policies in Argentina will boost unit shipments over the next three years."

Organizations' recognition of the returns on EMR technology will sustain market growth. While EMR solutions have been almost an exclusive privilege of large clinics and hospitals, benefits such as data quality and legibility, reduced medical errors, improved efficiency, and enhanced patient tracking are attracting small institutions as well, adding to market revenues.

Nevertheless, despite these advantages, EMR uptake in hospitals and clinics has been limited to a certain degree. Physicians, nurses and hospital personnel accustomed to working with paper files find it difficult to adapt to EMR software, restraining sale volumes. This highlights the need for effective change management.

EMR suppliers must educate clinic personnel on the use and benefits of EMR, as the key to successful implementation lies in consumer awareness, rather than product quality. To avoid the duplication of paper and electronic-based information, vendors need to efficiently manage the various process changes that come with installation.

"The automation of EMR technology is also crucial, as it will decrease costs, and in turn, quicken market expansion in Latin America," noted Baguear. "New business modalities, such as cloud and software-as-a-service, will become a popular trend in the region."

Link IB TIMES news

Rising Disease Prevalence Boosts Mexican Healthcare Industry

-- The Government's efforts to ensure universal coverage increase public healthcare expenditures

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina, March 14, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Unhealthy and sedentary lifestyles as well as increased consumption of manufactured food have taken a toll on the general health ofMexico's population, causing a spurt in diseases. From 2011 to 2030, the country's diabetic population is expected to increase by 2.3 percent per year, which is higher than the 2.1 percent average for the top 10 countries with the biggest population of diabetics.

New analysis from Frost & Sullivan (http://www.healthcare.frost.com(http://www.frost.com/prod/servlet/svcg.pag/HCAM )), Healthcare Landscape, Outlook, and Growth Opportunities in Mexico 2011-2015, finds that the healthcare market was worth an estimated $18.15 billion in 2011 and this is expected to grow to $22.66 billion by 2015.

"Healthcare expenditure, as a percentage of the Mexican Gross Domestic Product (GDP), increased from 5.8 percent in 2008 to 13.8 percent in 2011, at a compound annual growth rate of 33.5 percent," said Frost & Sullivan Industry Analyst Federico Baguear. "This represents a huge opportunity for pharmaceutical companies to develop specific drugs for the most prominent pathologies and for their prevention."

Medical devices and mobile Health will cover the needs of the population reached by pathologies like diabetes, which allow patients to perform self-assessments evaluations through glucometers, thermometers and cardiac rhythm monitoring among others.

From 2010 and 2017, pharmaceutical patent expiries for a value of $150.0 billion will create significant opportunities for generics and biosimilars. Mexico is already the second-largest pharmaceutical market in Latin America, and ranks sixth among seven emerging countries: Brazil, India, Turkey, Mexico, Russia, South Korea, and China.

Like most countries in Latin America, the government is addressing the population's healthcare needs. Approximately 52 percent of the total population is covered by public health insurance, positioning Mexico as a leader in the region.

"Since 2009, the federal government has been focused on universal coverage and the improvement of public services to reduce out-of-pocket expenditures, which decreased from 57 percent in 2000 to 47 percent in 2011," noted Baguear. "Public investment in universal access to healthcare includes the acquisition of particular medicines to treat specific Mexican disease profiles."

The country is currently the fifth-largest exporter of medical devices in the world, and the principal provider to the U.S. market. Its competitive prices and favorable geographic location will also go a long way in making Mexico a global hub for medical tourism, and attract higher investments.

Link Yahoo News

Investments in Healthcare Improvements to Bolster the Integration of Picture Archiving and Communications Systems in Latin America

Demand increases as small institutions recognize value of PACS' return-on-investment

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina, Nov. 27, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Latin American picture archiving and communication system (PACS) market is expected to clock a compound annual growth rate of 29.6 percent till 2017. Although the PACS market in Latin America is far behind North America and Europe in terms of penetration, the rapid increase in image diagnosis equipment and the number of images per study will have a positive bearing on new PACS installations.

New analysis from Frost & Sullivan (http://www.healthcare.frost.com), Latin American PACS Market - Brazil, Argentina, andMexico, finds that the market earned revenues of $81.1 million in 2011 and estimates this to reach an impressive $372.6 million in 2017. In 2011, 634 PACS units were sold in the Latin American market, and the number is expected to reach 2,383 by 2017.

"The technological sophistication of state-of-the-art diagnostic imaging equipment has resulted in an increase in data management requirements, encouraging PACS installations," said Frost & Sullivan Industry Analyst Federico Baguear . "The introduction of public health plans has further conducted to more diagnostic examinations, boosting the need for PACS in Latin America."

Brazil drives the pack in the region, with the government investing huge resources in healthcare improvements. In Argentina, the lack of imported radiological films has led the government to mandate PACS while the Mexican government has invested more than $3 billion in healthcare programs.

In addition, healthcare institutions themselves are installing PACS. They recognize the significant return-on-investment generated through reduced film consumption, improved quality of diagnosis, and greater flexibility in decision-making.

The purchase of higher value-added PACS products is made easier, as health providers are increasingly consolidating and forming big groups of hospitals or diagnosis centers, and laboratories. This heightens demand, helping them negotiate better rates.

However, several factors curb the implementation of PACS in the region. To integrate the databases of various hospitals, robust IT software is essential. Healthcare institutions looking to install PACS also require an IT department with a monthly budget, apart from initial installation investments. The lack of specialized IT engineers further raises personnel costs.

Therefore, there is a high level of resistance to acquire IT software, reflected in the low budgets both public and private clinics and hospitals designate for these solutions.

"To meet the need of the low-budget market segment that do not have PACS solutions yet, multinational companies are developing and implementing more accessible business models," noted Baguear. "Rental, pay-per-use, and cloud-based pay-per-use models are cost-effective, thus facilitating adoption.''

This will enable PACS installations in Latin America to reach North American and European standards in the next 15 years.

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