RT spoke with Doug Smith, vice president critical care, Maquet, about what it takes to win the Frost & Sullivan Market Leadership Award and how the company plans to continue demonstrating market strength.

RT: What were the reasons Maquet won the 2005 Market Leadership Award?

Smith: Maquet is very proud to have received this prestigious award and be recognized as the global leader in the mechanical ventilator market. The award is given to the company that has exhibited market share leadership through the implementation of market engineering strategy. The company must display excellence in all areas of the market leadership process, including the identification of market challenges, drivers and restraints, strategy development, and methods of addressing market dynamics. In addition, the award recipient must have continually demonstrated solutions for monitoring market changes and for implementing superior market engineering strategies. Frost & Sullivan then presents the award to the company that received the number one industry rank based on these strategies and excelled substantially in the following criteria:

  • Market share
  • Revenue growth rates
  • Profitability
  • Market and technology innovation

Maquet is capable of facing market dynamics competitively and to meet changing customer requirements. Our commitment is to provide our customers with new technologies that improve clinical performance and assist customers in improving outcomes in a cost-effective solution. The bottom line is our real end user is the patient, and our focus is on them and the health care providers in our industry.

RT: What is Maquet’s marketing strategy?

A: Maquet brings together innovative medical technology, knowledge, and support services to help critical care providers achieve tangible, sustainable patient outcomes while contributing to cost-effectiveness. We maintain a total marketing focus on the ventilation industry and our customers. From R&D through sales and service, we work closely with our customers to constantly improve our technology and support. The SERVO ventilator technology can assist customers in minimizing costs, improving outcomes, and reducing length of stay. The recent edition of our publication Critical Care News highlights a facility that was able to realize substantial cost savings by using a team approach when incorporating new ventilator technology.

Q: As the US ventilator market becomes increasingly saturated, how does Maquet plan to grow and prosper?

A: Maquet and Servo have been known for more than 30 years of ventilator technology innovation. Our unique platform design allows for enhanced flexibility and configurability. Every Servo-i can be upgraded to the latest functionality and capability available today and into the future. Tomorrow’s technology will allow for the highest level of patient synchrony, lung protection, and enhanced outcomes. Maquet invests 9.7% of our overall revenues into research and development. With this focus on the future, we are well positioned to meet the needs of our customers.

RT: What gives you optimism about the future of mechanical ventilation?

A: The recent focus on lung protective strategies and advanced treatment modalities are advancing the care of patients in the ICU. This focus is directly in sync with Maquet’s research efforts with our Open Lung Tool and future product developments. We see a great opportunity to work closely with the respiratory care and medical communities, such as the AARC and the ACCP, to increase awareness of current trends and continuing education in ventilator management.