Hospital orders for medical supplies are down as patient admissions drop, according to a January survey of hospital managers conducted by Longbow Research of Cleveland.
The decline in product orders in 2009 will be challenging for supply companies, Longbow said. The firm's Acute Care Hospital Supply Survey results show that hospital admissions are down, a trend that's reflected in the volume and price of nearly every supply category examined, according to Longbow. The survey tracked changes from the fourth quarter of 2008 into January 2009.
Of hospitals Longbow contacted, 43.3% reported flat supply volumes, but declines in supply orders grew to 36.7%, up from the 20% declines reported in October.
The implication of the decline for suppliers is that 2009 will be a tough year for the hospital market, with modest growth at best, Longbow said.
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Possibly avoidable hospital stays cost $26 billion annually, December 17, 2004
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