How much is COVID-19 affecting procedure volumes for medtech?

UBS Financial Services released a report detailing how it expects medtech procedures to potentially keep dipping during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The report highlighted a quicker-than-expected recovery in the second quarter after U.S. hospitals began canceling, delaying and deferring elective procedures in late March as the pandemic took hold.

However, UBS still expects third-quarter medical procedures to be down, with at best a flat rate up to the fourth quarter as people remain hesitant to visit healthcare facilities due to the fear of contracting the virus. Hospitals in hot spots can struggle with space constraints, especially during surges, while issues with staffing and efficiency drags from newly introduced procedures (such as testing and cleaning) counter-balance pent-up demand, the analysis said.

September saw a 12% average decline in total surgical procedures, with October expected to bring about an 8% decline, showing steady progress in procedural expectations. The analysts believe that survey responses reflect slightly worse than reality, so procedure growth rates in the third quarter could be marginally better than data suggests, setting the stage for most companies to see third-quarter beats.

Surgeries that could see the most deferrals include endoscopy, colonoscopy, bariatric, orthopedic, pain-related, aesthetic, diagnostic and less acute general procedures are more deferrable, the analysis found. 

By Sean Whooley | MassDevice

Image Credit: Piron Guillaume / Unsplash

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About Peter Coffaro 487 Articles
A growth-driven and strategic executive, Peter Coffaro commands more than 25 years of progressive management success within the medical device industry. Recognized by the World Journal of Orthopedics, Exponential Healthtech, and MedReps.com as one of the top medical sales influencers in the industry; he has 10 years of combined sales management experience and has held positions as a Director, General Manager, Distributor, and Vice President. Peter has worked for some of the top orthopedic companies in the world - Zimmer, DePuy, and Stryker. He is also the founder of OrthoFeed: a popular blog that covers digital orthopedic news and emerging medical technologies. Peter is a three-time Hall of Fame award winner at Johnson and Johnson and has an extensive background in organizational development, business development, sales management, digital marketing, and professional education. Peter holds a B.S. degree in Biology and Chemistry from Northern Illinois University.

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