Product quality becomes important to end users in sterilisation and disinfection equipment market

Due to the lack of adequate financing and weak healthcare infrastructure, price sensitivity within the Eastern European sterilisation and disinfection equipment market remains high. Low-cost products enjoy preference within this market, especially in the public sector. However, the accession of eastern European countries to the European Union (EU) has compelled these new entrants to meet EU standards. Therefore, product quality is becoming increasingly important to end users in this market.

New analysis from Frost & Sullivan (http://www.medicaldevices.frost.com), Eastern European Trends for Disinfection and Sterilisation Equipment Markets, finds that the market earned revenues of $67.0 million in 2008 and estimates this to reach $114.8 million in 2015. The following products are covered in this research: steam sterilisers, low-temperature gas plasma sterilisers, formaldehyde sterilisers, washer disinfectors and automatic endoscope reprocessors.

"Financial managers at hospitals are increasingly realising the long term benefit and cost savings associated with the use of sterilisation and disinfectant equipment," notes Frost & Sullivan Industry Analyst Jolize Gerber. "Furthermore, end users are accepting the importance of these systems in controlling infections and lowering costs associated with nosocomial infections. These factors are increasing the uptake of higher quality systems within this market."

Such systems enhance the overall operational cost efficiency by reducing costs associated with the procurement of single-use instruments. The procurement of single-use devices and disposables is often more expensive than using reusable devices, which are sterilised and disinfected.

A period of contraction in healthcare expenditure is expected for the next 2-5 years due to the current economic downturn. This, in turn, will affect the growth of hospital budgets, and procurement departments will become stricter about cost-containment measures.

"Due to restricted budgets and reimbursement issues, investment in more sophisticated capital equipment is extremely limited," cautions Gerber. "This is set to hamper growth in the sterilisation and disinfection equipment market over the short- to medium-term."

Various strategic approaches can be adopted to enable the market to expand while facing these challenges. Strategies include offering a holistic service programme, focusing on quality product provision, providing after-sales and maintenance contracts and educating customers on true return on investment.

"Offering a holistic service programme and providing continued customer support will become one of the key success factors for companies in this market," advises Gerber. "Furthermore, due to the large capital investment required to purchase sterilisation and disinfection equipment, customers need to be educated on the true return on investment associated with these systems."

If you are interested in more information about this study, please, then send an e-mail to Katja Feick, Corporate Communications, at [email protected], with your full name, company name, title, telephone number, company e-mail address, company website, city, state and country.

SOURCE Frost & Sullivan