Not Giving Up

In a market driven by price and fierce competition, it seems unlikely that manufacturers of manual wheelchairs would be interested in improving current products and developing new ones. Fortunately for providers and end-users, manufacturers — while cognizant of the restraints placed on them — continue to look forward, envisioning better products that provide greater independence to end-users.

Mike Serhan, vice president of Dr. K Healthcare Products, says manufacturers who are in the market for the “long-term” must differentiate themselves from others through innovation, faster response times and a commitment to serving their providers.

As Serhan and others know, competition among home medical equipment providers is increasing, and cost is the best bargaining chip for some providers. “Smart providers understand quality, reliability and service, but they will also say, ‘Look what I can get for 20 dollars or 50 dollars below your price,’” Serhan says.

Doug Strayer, general manager for Merits Health Products, agrees that pricing is important. “The pricing right now is very competitive,” he says.

In some cases, competitive pricing can impact providers' bottom lines in a positive manner. However, there is growing concern among industry experts that lower quality and lack of innovation might result from this intense focus on price. Some industry leaders fear that overseas manufacturing and importing will place pressure on price and quality.

“The supply chain has changed dramatically during the past few years, with the import business becoming more of a player. This also has driven many manufacturers out of the manufacturing business and into the distribution business,” says Dale Nash, director of product development for manual wheelchairs for Invacare. “Cost alone has become the driver for many of our competitors — many manufacturers have lost the ability to develop products, and are concerned only with copying and keeping pace with the cost battle.”

Fierce competition and overseas manufacturing are not the only factors affecting cost. “Competitive bidding and managed care compound the problem,” says Merv Watkins, president of Convaid. “Both systems — with the intent of holding costs down — encourage a decrease in the quality of products and services.”