U.S. cardiac cath lab investment continues
According to market research consulting firm, IMV, recent census of cath labs in the United States, 4.21 million patient cases were performed at 1,970 cardiac cath lab sites in 2006. This represents a 9 percent increase from 3.85 million in 2002, for an average annualized rate of 2 percent per year. Of these cath lab cases, 89 percent (3.74 million) are cardiac-related and 11 percent are non-cardiac applications.

The figures are reported in IMV’s 2006 Cardiac Cath Lab Market Summary Report.

“While the number of cases has slowed to a 2 percent annual rate, budgets for capital equipment and catheter devices have increased at a faster pace, with new technology advancing cath lab capabilities,” said Lorna Young, senior director, market research. “For instance, from 2003 to 2006, the average device budget per cath lab increased 18 percent per year to $1.8 million, as more sophisticated devices such as drug eluting stents are adopted. Also, the proportion of sites with capital budgets of over $1.5 million has increased from 14 percent in 2000 to 30 percent in 2006, as hospitals invest in new technology such as flat-panel digital detectors.”

The typical cath lab is used by an average of 10.8 cardiologists and 3.6 cardiology groups and most (97 percent) use electronic archiving only.
Trimed Popup
Trimed Popup