Do the math.
Surgical volumes are down over same time last year.
Operating minutes are down by 61%.
Discharges have dropped by 30%.
Emergency department visits have dropped by 43%.
Operating EBITDA Margins are down 174% same period last year.
Remote monitoring technologies that “raise a flag” for the clinician will get traction. Look for those that enable monitoring using an existing device like a smartphone that provide a clinician with insights and the ability to intervene early and triage diagnostics. Tech like Vocalis Health and Butterfly Network, Inc. are interesting.
CAPEX in medtech will take a hit, but keep the faith. As centers of care get evaluated and new solutions come to the market, healthcare systems will hit pause on large acquisitions. That means decisions on surgical robotics systems in the $500k plus category will have delays. Good for Johnson & Johnson and Medtronic as they do not likely see U.S. clearance until 2023.
Tele-health/proctoring/diagnostics that are more software driven than hardware driven will see higher adoption. The legacy business mindset of “get them tied to the hardware” will be a liability. Companies like Proximie are interesting.
Lines are being re-drawn. All opportunities.
