Market and customers
client groups 2010
There is a great need for obesity surgery.The number of operations is increasing dramatically on most markets, but remains well short of the actual need.
Greater awareness of the secondary deseases that obesity can lead to and which cause great patient suffering and high health care spending has led to an increased demand for bariatric surgery in many countries. Market growth of 30% per year is therefore not uncommon. Supply is however still low relative to the actual need.
For Global Health Partner's clinics, the main focus is on privately paying patients. In Sweden and the United Kingdom, parts of the operations are financed by the public
sector. The Czech market is dominated by a number of large insurance companies with which all citizens are insured.
The criteria for many payers are that the patient must have a BMI (Body Mass Index, the ratio of weight to height) above 40, or a BMI above 35 and confirmed associated disorders, in order to receive an operation. This means that many potential patients fall outside the criteria, if indeed there is any public sector or insurance company financing that covers these operations. More and more people are therefore choosing to finance an operation using their own means. The cost varies from approx. SEK 80,000–145,000 on the markets where Bariatric Centers are located.