Top Trends Impacting Global POC Testing Market

The global point-of-care (POC) HbA1C testing market is projected to grow at a CAGR of almost 9% from 2017-2021, driven mainly by the unhealthy lifestyles of people resulting in increased prevalence of diabetes and obesity, easy patient accessibility to POC tests and faster availability of results as compared to conventional laboratory testing procedures.

These are the latest findings of Technavio Research, (London, UK), a global technology research and advisory company.

According to Technavio, the following three factors are contributing to the growth of the global POC HbA1C testing market:

Rising equipment rental agreements: The growth in online marketing has helped end-users who demand time-efficient tests to obtain the required products within a short time. It is estimated that about 70% of the US population used online shopping portals to purchase various products in 2015.

“Vendors are using promotional strategies such as online marketing to offer better accessibility of their products to end-users, which, in turn, will increase their product sales,” said Srinivas Sashidhar, a lead in-vitro diagnostic research analyst at Technavio. “Online marketing strategies also help the vendors in minimizing business setup, distribution, and operational costs. They help end-users by providing information about devices and their types.”

Increased diabetic prevalence: Providers of POC HbA1C testing and glucose meters are focused mainly on enabling quick measurements and improving optical sensitivity, such as infrared spectroscopy, for the development of non-invasive POC testing meters. Hence, the efforts are being focused on collaborating HbA1c testing with other tests, such as those for cholesterol.

“Combining HbA1c testing with urine analysis is also an effective solution for measuring microalbuminuria and nephropathy,” said Srinivas. “These expanded menus will provide a wider scope of test menus on a single platform along with efficient workflow for diagnostic laboratories.”

The increasing prevalence of diabetes and the diagnosis of pre-diabetes are also driving the sales of POC HbA1C testing kits among hospitals. The shift among hospitals from conventional diagnostic procedures for glucose monitoring to improved methods is resulting in faster delivery of results and quicker initiation of treatment procedures for patients.

The increase in diabetes HbA1C testing is also fueling the demand for consumables. Hospitals also avail lucrative discounts on bulk purchase of diagnostic kits and consumables, thus helping them controls their expenditure on laboratory supplies and consequently, helping the end-users to reduce costs.

High adoption rate of molecular POC testing: The introduction of POC diagnostics has brought about a change in the way digital platforms function. The diabetic population monitors their clinical conditions by using personal health records, such as electronic health records (EHRs), which helps vendors to focus on developing mobile apps for the remote use of portable diagnostic devices. A number of non-profit organizations and governments are supporting the ongoing researches on digital healthcare platforms.

Regarding the competitive landscape, the POC HbA1C testing market is comprised of several regional and global players who compete against each other on the basis of pricing, product differentiation, technological advancements, and strength in distribution channel. Currently, vendors are making increased investments for acquiring advanced technologies and are also diversifying their product portfolios. The intense competition among existing players makes it difficult for new players to enter the market.

Region-wise, the adoption of POC HbA1C testing is high in the Americas due to growing patient awareness, sophisticated healthcare infrastructure and quick adoption of advanced technologies in the region. Growing patient awareness is expected to provide a boost to the application of POC hemoglobin A1c testing devices in home care settings. The implementation of the patient protection and affordable care act (PPACA) is expected to help the POC HbA1C testing market in the Americas continue recording growth during the forecast period.

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Technavio Research