Handle with Care

It's been 40 years since a debate over health care coverage for seniors gave birth to Medicare, and while lifts, ramps and transfer systems have come a long way since then, manufacturers of these products say the program hasn't kept pace.

“The biggest funding source is back in the 1950s,” says Tom Herceg, president of SureHands Lift & Care Systems. “Imagine if Medicare didn't reimburse power wheelchairs,” he says. “Medicare is the biggest player in home care, and it's limiting … until reimbursement shifts into a new age.”

But, he points out, while lack of funding is a hindrance, it is compensated for by an aging population who can afford this equipment without relying on insurance. “It's a huge country, and not everybody has to rely on Medicare.”

The funding problem does, however, limit innovation. “Innovation is sparked by need and funding,” says Herceg. “It's a paradox in the market: The funding isn't there, so how innovative can you be?”

Nevertheless, manufacturers of lifts, ramps and transfer devices say they are developing subtle changes that make products more user-friendly and adaptable to a diverse range of home and vehicle applications.

“Solutions are getting more application-specific,” explains Brenda Terris, marketing director for Harmar Mobility. “The more mobile you are, the more mobile we'll make you,” she says.

The Safety Factor

“The driving factor [in the patient lift] market is the whole idea of safety for the patient and caregiver, and preventing injuries for either party,” says Fran Spidare, product manager, patient lifts and transport devices, Invacare.

According to research from Frost & Sullivan, floor units dominate the home care market, but there could be some changes, says Sheila Ewing, the research firm's medical device analyst. During the coming years, “Medicare reimbursement changes are expected … [to shift] dominance from floor to ceiling lifts in the home segment.”

Behind the trend, she says, are caregivers. Nursing associations and other organizations are pushing for regulations that would require institutions to install ceiling lifts in institutions, and Ewing thinks those efforts should trickle down into the home setting.