Market Challenges And Opportunities
Patient Recliners Market Drivers:
- Increasing prevalence of chronic diseases: The rising prevalence of chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, kidney diseases, respiratory disorders, diabetes, obesity, arthritis, and cancer, is a major factor driving the growth of the patient recliners market. Recliners help provide comfort and support to patients during diagnosis, treatment, recovery, or palliative care of chronic conditions. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the prevalence of chronic diseases increased by 57% globally in 2020. Recliners allow easy adjustability for patient positioning and accommodation of medical accessories like oxygen tanks, infusion pumps, etc. Their growing use for dialysis, cancer treatment, and physical therapy will drive the market growth.
- Rising investments in healthcare infrastructure: Governments in both developed and developing nations are increasing their healthcare spending and investments in healthcare infrastructure development including hospitals, clinics, aged care centers, and homecare facilities. This is increasing the availability and access to healthcare services. As patient recliners are common fixtures in healthcare settings for rest, treatment and care, growth in healthcare institutions, along with rising awareness and healthcare spending is expected to spur the adoption of recliners. According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), health expenditures in the U.S. grew at an average annual rate of 5.4% in 2019.
- Growth in home healthcare: Home healthcare is one the fastest growing segments in the healthcare industry. Growing geriatric population, rising healthcare costs, technology advancements allowing in-home care, and increasing patient preference for recuperating at home are driving growth in home healthcare services. This is expected to subsequently increase the demand for homecare medical furniture including patient recliners for continuing care at home. Recliners allow easy patient mobility, accommodate medical accessories, and provide optimal positioning and support.
- Product innovation: Market players are continuously innovating patient recliner designs, features, and capabilities to serve changing healthcare needs and environments. Key innovations include power lifts, infinite positioning, built-in controls, automatic leg elevation, integrated scales, comfort padding, easier mobility, bariatric capacity, and features to accommodate medical equipment & accessories. Companies are focusing on recliners for special needs like dialysis, cardiology, mental health, pediatric care, orthopedics, etc. New products with greater safety, durability, and ergonomics cater to rising patient volumes and drive the market growth.
Patient Recliners Market Opportunities:
- Emerging markets: Developing nations in Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa present significant growth opportunities for patient recliner companies owing to improving healthcare infrastructure and increasing healthcare investments in these regions. Large population base, rising incomes, growing health awareness, increasing incidence of chronic conditions such as diabetes, and surging aging populations also offer strong growth prospects. Market players can focus on portfolio expansion, collaborations with regional players, and affordable product innovations to tap into the emerging market potential.
- Rising demand for specialty recliners: The rising incidence of conditions like chronic kidney disorders, obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and respiratory illnesses is increasing the demand for specialty recliners, catering to specific illnesses and treatment needs such as dialysis, cardiology, pulmonary care, bariatric care, etc. Recliners with features like adjustable backs & leg rests, ease of sanitation, and upholstery designed for special needs offer significant growth opportunities. Companies can innovate features and designs in existing specialty recliner types and introduce recliners for new patient conditions and treatment environments.
- Online distribution channels: Growing internet penetration and proliferation of e-commerce are encouraging companies to sell medical furniture including patient recliners through online distribution channels. Benefits like increased reach, cost efficiency, and convenience are attracting consumer segments like clinics, care centers, and even individuals to purchase online. Companies can leverage this opportunity by strengthening their online distribution, offering deals, improving product visibility and investing in logistics for product delivery. Many players are now selling through both their websites and online retailers. For instance, Drive DeVilbiss Healthcare, a medical equipment manufacturer sells its recliners through sites like Amazon Business in addition to its own website.
- Collaborations & partnerships: Strategic partnerships between patient recliner manufacturers/distributors and healthcare providers, such as hospitals, dialysis service providers, and insurance companies, provide growth opportunities for manufacturers to increase sales and strengthen the market foothold. Partnerships can be forged to co-develop specialized recliners, integrate medical accessories, or provide favorable insurance coverage and reimbursements on recliner purchases.
Patient Recliners Market Restraints:
- High costs of advanced recliner models: While basic recliner models are economical, advanced models with power adjustments, specialty features, and integrated medical accessories often come at premium prices. Powered models and bariatric recliners cost two to three times more than basic manual models. Significant costs of specialty cardiac, dialysis, and other recliners also limit their adoption, especially in developing regions such Latin America among others. Reimbursement challenges and budget constraints on healthcare providers further restrain uptake. Manufacturers need to introduce more cost-efficient models and financing/leasing options to improve the affordability of high-end recliners.
- Lower adoption in less developed regions: Many developing regions including Africa, parts of Asia Pacific and Latin America are marked by inadequate healthcare infrastructure, low health awareness, and insufficient healthcare financing systems. This limits the availability of and access to critical healthcare facilities which commonly employ patient recliners, curbing adoption. Additionally, lower technical knowhow, limited product awareness, and absence of distribution networks also hinders uptake. Though the situation is improving, penetration still remains low in less developed regions. Targeted development programs and partnerships can help overcome this.
- Lack of training for caregivers: Effective utilization of advanced recliners relies heavily on adequate training for caregivers on recliner positioning, features, and maintenance. However, time and budget constraints often limit formal training programs on recliner use for hospital staff and in-home caregivers. Absence of manuals, lack of experienced healthcare staff, and high turnover rates also impact proper training. This can lead to inadvertent accidents, sub-optimal use, and faster wear and tear, negatively impacting recliner adoption and the market growth. User education programs and training partnerships between manufacturers and healthcare providers are essential to address this gap.
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