2022 Medical Equipment Acquisitions by Latin American Hospitals

Hospital infrastructure in Latin America continues to grow steadily.  According to the HospiRank ranking by Global Health Intelligence (GHI), in 2021, there was a high level of surgical equipment penetration at various hospitals in the region. For example, electrocardiograph penetration reached 86 % in the basic equipment category, while the penetration of CT scanners reached 35% in the specialized equipment category.  This type of equipment is distributed among the 21,951 hospitals registered in the ranking.

The type of surgical equipment available at each hospital varies according to factors that include the needs, resources, and type of population they serve.  However, so far in 2022, various hospitals in Latin America have purchased or received valuable new equipment to achieve more precise surgical interventions and speed up post-surgery recovery times. 

Some of the most notable surgical equipment purchases this year have taken place in the following countries.

Medical Equipment Acquisitions by Hospitals in Argentina in 2022

In March, Hospital El Cruce Dr. Néstor Kirchner in Buenos Aires inaugurated a state-of-the-art nuclear magnetic resonator as part of its renovation and technological modernization efforts. This purchase means the hospital will be able to double the number of resonance scans it offers to adult and pediatric patients, and supplement its range of electrosurgical equipment.

Similarly, the hospitals of San Benjamín de Colón, San Antonio de Gualeguay, and Santa Rosa de Villaguay, in the province of Entre Ríos, recently bolstered their network of health and patient care services with the acquisition of modern laparoscopy towers.  The institutions are hoping to take advantage of this equipment to offer less invasive surgical procedures with fewer complications.

Brazil: Medical Equipment Acquisitions by Hospitals in 2022

Hospital São José, in the municipality of Criciúma, Santa Catarina, obtained new digital linear accelerators to enhance their radiotherapy treatments for oncology patients.  The new equipment reduces the number of sessions oncology patients require thanks to its 6D table system, which offers greater precision during irradiation therapy. 

For its part, Hospital São Marcos, in the state of Piauí, was able to replace equipment it had been using for more than 50 years by bringing in a new X-ray machine. As with the hospitals mentioned previously in other countries, this Brazilian hospital is aiming to have more suitable environments to better serve the population. The new equipment will not only make it easier to conduct medical examinations, but also to get the results to the patient’s doctor.

2022 Medical Equipment Acquisitions by Hospitals in Chile and Peru

Hospital Traumatológico de Concepción (HTC) in Chile now has new portable X-ray equipment thanks to an initiative by the National Regional Development Fund (FNDR).  The portability of this equipment facilitates diagnostic exams and follow-up on hospitalized patients who for whatever reason cannot be moved to the hospital’s imaging department. 

Meanwhile, in Lima, Peru, Hospital Arzobispo Loayza purchased several new items of equipment, including a digital X-ray machine, a urodynamics machine, and a neurostimulator.  Considered as state-of-the-art equipment, the hospital is hoping to meet the high demand that exists for its services and specialties.

Hospital México de Costa Rica Purchased New Surgical Equipment in 2022

Earlier this month, new CT scanners were installed at the Calderón Guardia, San Juan de Dios, and México hospitals, located in San José, to ensure continued operation of tomography services and double their current capacity. Hospital México also boasts an innovative surgical tower, and is considered to be one of the best equipped hospitals in Latin America for its top-of-the-line surgical and neurosurgical equipment, and state-of-the-art technology.

Medical Equipment Acquisitions by Mexican Hospitals in 2022

Over the summer, Hospital Ángeles in the city of León, Mexico, inaugurated the sophisticated Da Vinci robot, following an investment of 45 million pesos.  Although high-tech surgical equipment is uncommon in Mexican hospitals (robots, for example, only have a 1% penetration in most Latin American hospitals), we are seeing an increase in purchases of this kind. Hospital Ángeles de León has renovated its operating rooms with this purchase and expanded its care to oncological, heart, pediatric, and gynecological conditions. In HospiRank 2022, GHI has included a list of hospitals in Latin America that have purchased robotic surgery systems between 2008 and 2022, and it is a list that will continue to expand as hospitals purchase more of those systems. In fact, according to GHI’s Medical Equipment Market Report 2022, there was a 39% increase in robotic surgery systems in Mexican hospitals during 2021, and there is likely to be an increase in 2022 also.

In addition, in September 2022, Hospital Municipal Margarita Maza de Juárez in the coastal city of Mazatlán, introduced new imaging equipment consisting of a CT scanner, an X-ray machine, and a mammography unit. The importance of this equipment to the hospital lies in its early and timely detection of diseases such as breast cancer.

Future Trends in Medical Equipment Acquisition in Latin America

There is no doubt that Latin American hospitals are looking to prioritize the modernization and expansion of the medical services they provide to their patients. GHI’s HospiRank reports that there are almost 59,000 operating rooms distributed throughout key Latin American markets, which have basic and specialized equipment.  For example, there is a 75% penetration of X-ray machines, while the penetration of specialized equipment such as linear accelerators is 2%.  This would indicate that the amount and type of equipment hospitals are seeking to replace or purchase in Latin America might depend on factors such as the specific healthcare needs of each country and issues related to the manufacture and regulation of the available medical equipment.

Next Steps

Contact us to learn more about these recent equipment purchases and other topics.  If you need a competitive outlook on the sector of medical equipment solutions, our HospiScope and ShareScope databases can provide you with high-level information.  We can also offer you personalized research to meet your business needs.