From the September 2022 issue of HealthCare Business News magazine

By Edward Rodriguez

MR capital equipment is a technology for which hospitals and outpatient facilities must budget in advance. Factors that make planning for an MR system important include not just pricing but construction needs, logistics, current and future usage plans, cost of ownership, reimbursements, and service contracts. In addition, within the MR market, providers have the option to consider purchasing used, refurbished, or new MR systems from vendors and dealers. According to the American Hospital Association, the estimated useful life expectancy of an MR system is 5 years. However, many clients are retaining their MR systems for 10 to 15 years, and in some cases longer, to maximize their return on investment. Extending the life of an MR system is achievable with a wide range of upgrade options that respective suppliers offer.

In the United States, the MR market is expected to grow at a steady rate primarily due to two factors: an increased demand for MR systems in hospitals and ambulatory facilities, and an increase in the geriatric population.
Suppliers are cognizant of decreased throughput due to patient comfort, workflow processes, redundancy, and in some cases real estate limitations that providers have encountered. To assist providers with these obstacles, suppliers have designed systems with a smaller footprint, larger patient apertures, and software options to increase workflow efficiency and to limit the amount of time a patient is on the table.
Major MR suppliers

Currently, five major suppliers offer provider organizations various MR solutions within their portfolios: Siemens Healthineers, GE Healthcare, Philips Healthcare, Canon Medical Systems, and Fujifilm Medical Systems. In the U.S., there are approximately 13,000 MR systems, and of these:

• 60% to 75% utilize a 1.5T MR system
• Less than 25% utilize an MR system below 1.5T
• 10% utilize a 3.0T MR system (Rink, 2019)

symplr Spend's Provider Evidence database shows that 77% of quotes submitted for analysis include a 1.5T MR system, 21% include a 3.0T MR system, and 2% include systems below a 1.5T magnet strength.

Most popular suppliers by quote activity
Over the past year, symplr has received over 250 capital purchase quotes for benchmarking analysis related to MR technology. Siemens Healthineers has been the most active supplier and reflects 56% of the activity in our database, followed by 31% for GE Healthcare solutions, 8% for Philips Healthcare solutions, and the remaining 5% include Canon Medical and Fujifilm solutions.

September 2022 Magazine

Read more stories from the September 2022 issue

MRI Homepage