At the 20th World Congress of the International Union of Phlebology, SmartTRAK identifies market developments that will impact the treatment of venous and lymphatic diseases now and in the future.

The American Vein and Lymphatic Society recently hosted the 20th World Congress of the International Union of Phlebology (UIP 2023) in Miami Beach, FL. The Congress drew clinicians from around the world to discuss the latest advances in venous and lymphatic medicine. While the Congress covered many interesting topics, SmartTRAK noted market developments that will impact the treatment of venous and lymphatic diseases now and in the future. In this article, SmartTRAK explores the impact that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) reimbursement cuts are having on physicians treating venous and lymphatic diseases, examines how clinicians and industry are responding to the proposed Medicare coverage of lymphedema treatment items and evaluates what’s on the horizon for emerging technologies. 

This downloadable article, discussing the market developments that will impact the treatment of venous and lymphatic diseases now and in the future, delves into many compelling topics, including:

Physician Payment Cuts
The American Medical Association reported that between 2001 and 2023, the cost of operating a medical practice increased by 47%, while physician payment rates increased by only 9%. When adjusted for inflation, the rates have gone down by 26%. Dr. John Blebea, Vascular Surgeon and Clinical Professor of Surgery at Central Michigan University, underscored this point with a presentation titled “The Effect of Medicare Physician Reimbursement Cuts on Office-Based Practices.” Dr. Blebea noted that ...

New Medicare Coverage of Lymphedema Treatment Items
Medicare currently provides Durable Medical Equipment (DME) coverage or authorizes payment for certain compression items when used to treat venous stasis ulcers. However, Medicare does not provide coverage for many of the same items when they are used to treat lymphedema. This dynamic provides a great case study of the effectiveness of advocacy in calling for ...

Emerging Technologies
If innovation fuels growth in the med tech industry, then the number of sessions on emerging technologies at UIP 2023 should mean that the future is bright for venous and lymphatic medicine. Dr. Steve Elias, Director, Center for Vein Disease, Englewood Health Network, hosted several sessions on emerging innovations in thrombectomy, sclerotherapy, artificial intelligence (AI)-guided imaging, intravascular ultrasound and compression therapy. SmartTRAK has covered the Compression Therapy Market since 2015 and has watched ...

To download and read the complete article about The Future of Venous and Lymphatic Medicine by Terry Hayslett, SmartTRAK Senior Analyst, Advanced Wound Care, just click the button below.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) projects Medicare home health spending in the US will grow at an 8-year (2023-2031) CAGR of +8.6% compared to +7.4% for hospital expenditures. These projections help validate that healthcare services are shifting to the home care setting. The migration is driven by efforts to reduce costs, improve access and enhance the quality of care. Policymakers continue to manipulate reimbursement formulas to incentivize change. CMS recently released the CY 2024 Home Health Prospective Payment System (PPS) Proposed Rule that includes reimbursement policy revisions that could potentially increase the utilization of disposable negative pressure wound therapy (dNPWT) in the home health setting. This free downloadable article highlights:

• The Trajectory of dNPWT,
• Historical Challenges Associated with the Uptake in the Home Setting
• Incremental Policy Efforts Designed to Mitigate Those Challenges
• Billing Complexity Stalling Growth
• Incremental Changes Show Progress
• Impact of Proposed Policy Changes. 

With the establishment of a separate payment for the dNPWT and the relatively simpler billing processes, the proposed CMS changes are a net positive for manufacturers treating wounds in the home health setting. However, given the growing competition ...

To download the complete "CMS Proposed Rule Incentivizes Home Use of Disposable NPWT" perspective article by Terry Hayslett, SmartTRAK Senior Analyst, Advanced Wound Care, just click the button below.

The success or failure of medical technology often hinges on dynamics occurring within healthcare policy and reimbursement. In this article, SmartTRAK highlights policy and reimbursement themes from SAWC Spring 2023

SAWC Spring 2023 welcomed clinicians, researchers and industry to Washington, DC, to share knowledge and network on the latest developments in advanced wound care. While the attention centered on advances in disease management and technological innovation, SmartTRAK noted compelling discussions involving healthcare policy and reimbursement that may have been missed by some industry participants.

In this article, which can be downloaded here, SmartTRAK explores coverage and payment dynamics surrounding the following topics:

• Artificial Intelligence: Implications for Advanced Wound Care
  • Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the hot topic of the day. Companies seek to capitalize on it, governments want to regulate it, some workers fear it ...
    
• Medicare Advantage: Growing Concerns About Claims Denials
  • Medicare Advantage plans are under fire for reportedly restricting access to medically necessary care ...
    
• Topical Oxygen Therapy: Reconsidering Local MAC Coverage Policy
  • In 2017, industry stakeholders requested that CMS remove the non-coverage of topical oxygen therapies (TOT) from the National Coverage Determination (NCD) Manual ...
    

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the hot topic of the day. Companies seek to capitalize on it, governments want to regulate it and some workers fear it. Given the attention, it is fitting that sessions touching on AI bookended SAWC Spring 2023. Daniel Kraft, MD, opened the keynote address with captivating slides on how medicine is positioned within the fourth industrial revolution, where robotics, big data and AI are transforming care and leading to ...

To download and read the complete "Underlying Dynamics in Healthcare Policy and Reimbursement" by Terry Hayslett, Senior Analyst, Advanced Wound Care, just click the button below.

SmartTRAK identifies the top trends impacting the Compression Therapy Market in 2023 and beyond, including reimbursement, diagnostic aids, 3M’s spin-off and growth in compression wraps.

Over the next several years, reimbursement changes in the US could impact the US Compression Therapy Market, In 2020, SmartTRAK noted that industry participants should expect increased activity from US advocacy groups seeking to raise awareness of reimbursement restrictions on compression therapy products. 

Among the top trends impacting the Compression Market in 2023 covered in detail in this article are:

• Trend #1: Expanding Coverage of Lymphedema Compression Therapy
  •  In December 2022, advocacy efforts were rewarded when legislators added coverage of lymphedema compression treatment items to the $1.7 trillion US Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (H.R. 2617). Among many other provisions, the Bill provides Medicare coverage of ...
    
    
• Trend #2: Innovation in Diagnostic Aids
  • The lack of objective measurement of lymphatic function hinders the effective diagnosis and treatment of lymphedema. Lymphedema is typically diagnosed based on a patient’s underlying risk factors and physical symptoms. In some cases, imaging technology such as ...
    
    
• Trend #3: 3M’s Health Care Spin-off Shifting Market Dynamics
  • SmartTRAK noted in a recent article that 3M’s spin-off of its Health Care business could lead to a more focused and stronger leader in advanced wound care. SmartTRAK does not categorize compression therapy as advanced wound care, however, compression is ...
    
    
• Trend #4: Growth in Compression Wraps
  • SmartTRAK continues to track the growth of compression wraps via publicly available data sources. Compression wraps are growing strong in the UK, driven by the belief that the products improve patient compliance, reduce the need for professional intervention and are more cost-effective. The same drivers support growth in the US; however, the US Medicare system only provides reimbursement of compression wraps for qualifying wounds ...
    

To download and read the complete "Compression Therapy Trends to Watch in 2023 and Beyond" article by Terry Hayslett, SmartTRAK's Senior Analyst, Advanced Wound Care. just click the button below.

SmartTRAK looks at trends in the Diagnostic Aids market for 2022 with an eye on hard-to-heal wounds, regulatory and reimbursement checkpoints and investment deals and financing.

• Hard-to-heal wounds continue to drive resource utilization and cost
• Clinicians need diagnostic tools to help guide more efficient and effective product selection
• Companies are making incremental progress navigating regulatory and reimbursement checkpoints
• Investors see potential value as evidenced by deals and financing

In 2007, the World Union of Wound Healing Societies (WUWHS) published a consensus document on the Principles of Best Practice in Diagnostics and Wounds. The authors identified the need for new diagnostic tests to help identify why some wounds do not respond to advanced therapies. The document further suggested that the ideal diagnostic tool can detect and quantify biomarkers that impact wound healing, such as molecules, biofilms, oxygen content and temperature changes. SmartTRAK looks at trends in the Diagnostic Aids market in 2022 with a focus on ...

To download and read the complete article "Wound Care Diagnostic Aids: Trends to Watch in 2022 and Beyond" just click the button below.

In recent years, leading manufacturers of static compression devices have expanded their product portfolios by investing in adjustable compression wraps (ACWs). A quick search in SmartTRAK shows that in 2014, Lohmann & Rauscher* acquired Solaris and added ReadyWrap*and TributeWrap brands to its portfolio. In 2016, Sigvaris* acquired Biacare, a US-based company with a strong reputation as a leader in the design and production of medical short-stretch wraps. Sigvaris now promotes and offers a range of compression wraps, including CompreFlex*and CoolFlex*. In 2019, medi* USA announced the launch of its new ready-to-wear circaid juxtalite hd inelastic compression wrap, and in 2020 Juzo*added a new compression wrap that has a slip-on feature and a new patent-pending inner connector.

Given the attention and investment dollars allocated to ACWs in recent years, this article explores the ACW market to provide greater visibility into key market dynamics, underlying value drivers and the outlook for future growth.

It is estimated that over 200 million people worldwide (WW) have venous and/or lymphatic conditions that are treatable with compression therapy. Some of the more common conditions include chronic edema, varicose veins, venous leg ulcers (VLUs), lymphedema and deep vein thrombosis. SmartTRAK estimates that ...

To download and read the complete Adjustable Compression Wraps Market Outlook article, please click the button below.

Whether you are a patient, a provider or product manufacturer it’s difficult to make it through the day without being reminded that healthcare is expensive. Many patients see it in their rising premiums, copays and deductibles. Providers feel it when their reimbursement gets cut or is capped, and product manufacturers experience it when they hear, “it’s too expensive.”

I’ll be the first to admit that I am not a New England Patriots fan. As a matter of fact I get rather irritated when they win year after year. Nevertheless, it’s hard to not appreciate the spirit of teamwork that has propelled the Patriots organization to win six Super Bowl titles. As we know, teamwork does not suggest the absence of conflict; however, it does express the willingness of a group of people, with individual talents, to work together to achieve a goal. Teamwork between clinicians, policy representatives and product manufacturers is crucial to winning the battle of healing wounds, salvaging limbs and saving lives. Three key takeaways from Day 2 of Desert Foot 2019 lend support to this point.

Clinical thought-leaders and product developers convened in the heart of downtown Phoenix, Arizona at Desert Foot 2019 to share knowledge and showcase innovative technologies that aim to improve the quality of life of patients with lower extremity disorders. As a demonstration of the eagerness and commitment to share knowledge, Day 1 began bright and early at 6:00 am with a session highlighting cases in limb preservation and ended at 6:45 pm with a session questioning if there was a resurgence in amputations in patients with diabetic foot. Whether planned or not, this was a thoughtful way to bookend the day by emphasizing the potential good and bad outcomes of this vulnerable patient population...

Ahead of the Desert Foot conference, SmartTRAK interviewed Dr. Michael Shore, Director of Medical Education and a founding member of PRESENT e-Learning Systems, to preview the conference which is being held Dec 4-7, 2019 in Phoenix, AZ

The multi-specialty conference provides comprehensive education for the overall management of the high-risk foot and lower extremities for podiatrists and other clinicians. Attendees will benefit from a wide variety of presentations, hands-on workshops and scientific research and will see cutting edge technology presented by the largest medical device and pharmaceutical companies in the industry.

To find our more about Desert Foot 2019, as well as PRESENT e-learning Systems, click on the following video to listen to SmartTRAK’s interview with Dr. Shore. (16:45 min)