Competitive analysis of the medical market based on data from public registers – Example for diagnostic imaging segment

To develop in such a competitive environment as the medical market, you need to know the market situation very well. And one of the key elements of market research is the competitive analysis that helps to identify other players, recognise their strengths and weaknesses, and develop your strategy for growth, sales, marketing, and pricing policy.

For competitive analysis in the medical market, it is worth reaching for publicly available data. Public registers present important information and allow you to carry out many detailed analyses for any medical category. However, when analysing data from these sources, you should be careful, as the data usually come directly from reports or forms sent by institutions and are not subject to appropriate verification procedures.

Below, we show examples of analyses done for the diagnostic imaging segment, and more specifically for the magnetic resonance imaging laboratory. We also indicate what further steps can be taken to obtain the most accurate description of the competitive environment in this market segment.

Number of organisations

Data from the Register of Entities Performing Medical Activities quite well show the structure of the market of the diagnostic imaging laboratories. However, to find out more about historical growth dynamics, additional analysis should be carried out. Its purpose would be to classify data in areas where there are deficiencies. Classification can be carried out based on data from other sources or by using statistical methods. Such data would allow identifying the exact changes taking place in the number and structure of individual types of medical laboratories, their ownership, and their presence on the market. A significant part of the missing data relates to organisations that have already ceased operations, so they do not update the entries in the registry. Among diagnostic laboratories operating in 2000, over 30% are not classified in any speciality.

The number of diagnostic imaging laboratories in Poland based on the Register of Entities Performing Medical Activities (in thousands).

Available data show that magnetic resonance imaging laboratories have been the most dynamically growing category in recent years in the whole imaging diagnostics segment. Currently, there are almost 500 laboratories (as of September 2019).

The number of magnetic resonance imaging laboratories in Poland registered in the Register of Entities Performing Medical Activities.

Market ownership structure

The magnetic resonance imaging laboratories are dominated by those belonging to private entities. The dynamic increase in the number of private laboratories has been going on since 2008.

However, due to numerous shortcomings, historical data regarding the ownership structure of this market segment are not complete, and trends resulting directly from the analysis of this data may differ from reality. Therefore, the laboratories with missing data should be analysed further to classify them accordingly.

The number of magnetic resonance imaging laboratories in Poland by their ownership form.

Main players

Data from the Register of Entities Performing Medical Activities also allow identifying key players on the private healthcare market, including these for the diagnostic imaging segment.

After 2000, the development of four large networks of diagnostic facilities that offer magnetic resonance imaging can be observed in Poland. These are Tomma, Affidea, Lux Med and Voxel.

To correctly reproduce historical data, additional analysis is required to identify duplicated laboratories. Duplication of information can take place when any network has several separate companies registered, and each of them places the same laboratories into the register. An example of such a situation is Affidea and Voxel before 2011. The decrease in the number of laboratories for both the networks in 2012 results from harmonisation of entries in the register.

The number of magnetic resonance imaging laboratories belonging to the four largest private networks (based on the Register of Entities Performing Medical Activities).

Medical equipment

Another source of data that can be used for competitive analysis of the medical market is the Register of Medical Devices in the Healthcare Resource Register System. It contains information about the equipment used by the medical facilities. However, not all organisations are covered by the register, so it can be used to describe general market characteristics rather than to analyse selected entities.

By analysing the data accessible from the register, you can learn the age structure of current resources and identify the major manufacturers. Additional analysis would provide a more accurate description of the equipment used, including specific models and their parameters.

Publicly available data show that over half of the magnetic resonance imaging devices used in Poland were produced in 2011 or earlier. Their main suppliers are Siemens, General Electric and Philips.

The number of magnetic resonance imaging devices by production date (based on the Healthcare Resource Register System).

The number of magnetic resonance imaging devices in Poland by manufacturers (based on the Healthcare Resource Register System).

Additional data

Examples indicated above focus on the data available in public registers and on the competitive analysis. It would be worthwhile to conduct some further studies in order to receive a complete insight into the market environment. In the case of a magnetic resonance imaging laboratory, these could be analyses regarding contracts with the National Health Fund, queues, or tenders for the purchase of equipment.

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