4/2/2012
Millennium Research Group’s Medtech Confidence Index (MCI) increased strongly in Q4 2011, largely recovering from the loss of confidence the industry experienced in the third quarter. In line with a generally cautiously optimistic economic outlook, the MCI returned to a positive score of 0.5, which is a considerable rebound from the -10.6 score in Q3 and closer to the score of 1.1 in Q2. The MCI is calculated from health care facilities’ levels of confidence in the national economy, facility financial health, and procedure volume outlook—a recovery in all three of these areas fueled the overall improvement in the MCI score in Q4 2011.
11/2/2011
In Q3 2011, Millennium Research Group’s Medtech Confidence Index (MCI) continued its downward trend from Q2 2011. Falling to a score of -10.6, confidence in the medtech industry has now reached a lower score than Q3 2009, right as the economy began to recover from the recession that began in 2008. The MCI is calculated from health care facilities’ levels of confidence in the national economy, facility financial health, and procedure volume outlook—the loss of confidence in all three of these areas in Q3 2011 has caused the overall MCI to continue its decline.
7/27/2011
In Q2 2011, Millennium Research Group’s Medtech Confidence Index (MCI) dropped to its lowest value in almost a year, reaching a score of 1.1 on a scale of +200 to -200. The MCI is calculated from health care facilities’ levels of confidence in the national economy, facility financial health, and procedure volume outlook. The significant loss of confidence in the medtech market stems from a less optimistic economic outlook, with respondents’ confidence in the national economy sliding even further from -50.8 in Q1 2011 to -64.6 in Q2 2011. This reflects economic uncertainty in light of the debt crisis.
6/6/2011
After a slight dip in Q4 2010, Millennium Research Group’s Medtech Confidence Index (MCI) for Q1 2011 in the US has risen to its highest ever value, reaching 11.1 on a scale of +200 to -200. The MCI is calculated from physicians’ levels of confidence in the national economy, facility financial health and procedure volume outlook. Physicians’ optimism that procedure volumes will increase is driving the optimism while confidence in facility financial health and the national economy have barely changed since Q4 2010. Confidence in procedure volumes has oscillated over the last five quarters between an average of 17 in Q1 2010, Q3 2010 and Q1 2011 and an average of 2.4 in Q2 2010 and Q4 2010. The fluctuations in procedure volumes confidence have mirrored the Standard & Poor's 500 managed-care index where changes in patient volumes have been closely tied to facility revenue. Until the US economy is firmly back on track the jitters over procedure volumes in the coming quarter are likely to continue.
2/15/2011
Millennium Research Group’s Medtech Confidence Index (MCI) for the US has fallen from 8.0 to 5.7 on a scale of +200 to -200. The MCI is calculated from physicians’ levels of confidence in the national economy, facility financial health and procedure volume outlook. Compared to Q3 2010, optimism in the national economy and facility financial health rose in Q4 but the overall MCI was lower because physicians believed that procedure volumes would be negatively affected by local economic conditions over the next three months.
11/12/2010
Millennium Research Group’s Medtech Confidence Index (MCI) for the US stands at 8.0 on a scale of +200 to -200, which is its highest value since we began data collection in 2008Q4. One of the three factors that comprise the MCI is confidence in the national economy and our data reflects the state of the US market; the US economy grew at a CAGR of 3.7%, 1.7% and 2% in 2010Q1, 2010Q2 and 2010Q3, respectively. The slowing of growth in the second quarter compared to the first quarter and then slightly better growth in 2010Q3 is mirrored in our respondents’ confidence in the national economy. Furthermore, as we have noted in past analyses, optimism in procedure climate tracks closely with sentiment regarding the US economy. The third component of the MCI is confidence in facility financial health which appears to have reached a plateau as providers wait to see how US healthcare reforms will play out.
9/2/2010
Millennium Research Group’s Medtech Confidence Index (MCI) steadily increased for five quarters before reaching a plateau in 2010Q2. The medtech industry had assumed that the worst of the recession was over but in 2010Q2 the MCI fell for the first time since data collection began and now stands at a score of just 1.3 on a scale of +200 to -200. Confidence in the national economy is a major driver of overall MCI and hospital administrators are mindful of recent weak financial data: after a distinct emergence from recession in 2009Q4, the pace of growth in the US is already falling off. This loss of confidence is also reflected in a much less optimistic outlook for procedure volumes (down from 16.0 to 2.3) and is likely to send the overall MCI back into negative values next quarter.
5/12/2010
Despite the economic crisis that restricted facility budgets and caused procedure postponement, US chairside CAD/CAM system and intraoral scanner sales still experienced healthy growth as a result of new product launches, product financing options, and improving technology that produces aesthetically pleasing results and facilitates quicker and easier restorations. Because the chairside CAD/CAM market is so underpenetrated in the US, there is significant potential for current and future competitors. Nevertheless, in the coming years, CAD/CAM vendors will face challenges in the form of the fluctuating economy, system cost, and purchasing trends.
4/29/2010
Millennium Research Group's Q1 2010 Medtech Confidence Index (MCI) stands at 5.7 on its scale of +200 to -200. The MCI score has consistently trended upwards since the study started in Q4 2008; however, growth in the overall MCI and within its various components slowed or dropped compared to Q409.
4/22/2010
Abbott Vascular is setting its sights on domination of the Asia Pacific drug-eluting stent (DES) market, and its recent launches may move the company closer to that goal. The release of XIENCE V in Japan and China signals a shift in competitive dynamics within Asia Pacific. Since its international launch, XIENCE V has emerged as the global market-leading DES platform due to strong performance against other DES in clinical trials, such as SPIRIT IV.