Bureau of Labor Statistics August 3, 2012

Unemployment rates

National 8.3%

Bachelors degree and higher, 25 & over 4.1%

Management, business and financial: 4.8%

News You Can Use

The worldwide market for sleep apnea products will grow from about $7.96 billion last year to $19.72 billion in 2017,

according to a MarketsandMarkets report. The market, which is broken down into therapeutic devices and diagnostic

systems, is dominated by the U.S., followed by Europe and Asia, the report notes. MedCityNews.com, 7/23/12.

The U.S. medical device sector is wrestling with multiple issues that threaten the nation’s position as a global

leader in the $350 billion medtech market, a WTP Advisors report finds. The report cites a slow regulatory process, a

looming 2.3% medical device tax, the absence of a permanent tax credit for research and development projects and an

increasing talent gap as key barriers. PlasticsNews,com, 7/18/12.

By 2003, almost 90 percent of Americans living in the nation’s larger metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) faced

highly concentrated provider markets. This wave of hospital consolidation was responsible for price increases for

inpatient services of at least five percent. Also it was responsible for price increases of 40% where merging hospitals

are closely located. National Policy Digest, 7/1/12.

Did You Know

SAIC has announced that it will acquire maxIT Healthcare. SAIC says it will combine maxIT, which is the largest

private, independent healthcare IT consulting company in the US, with its previous healthcare IT acquisition Vitalize

Consulting Solutions to create the country’s largest EHR consulting practice.HIStalk, 7/18/12.

German firm Fresenius has announced that its Fresenius Kabi division will acquire Fenwal Holdings, a company

that focuses on blood transfusion systems. WSJ, 7/21/12.

Hill-Rom Holdings has agreed to pay $400 million to acquire Aspen Surgical Products, a maker of safety blades and

scalpels, fluid collection systems and other disposable devices used in operating rooms. MassDevice.com, 7/26/12.

Web Buzz

What's out? What's in? The new rules of medical device marketing.http://bit.ly/LWbOQ7, MassDevice, 7/11/12.

Hospitals' Readmissions Rates Not Budging.http://bit.ly/PJgCEe, Kaiser Health News, 7/19/12.

Orthopedic Medical Device Trends among Medicare Beneficiaries.http://bit.ly/QOp99A , HealthPointCapital,

7/16/12.

“Reshoring” May Bring Manufacturing Back to the United States.http://bit.ly/PeNrYG, HealthPointCapital, 7/18/12.