Personal Emergency Response System Market Size, Share, Opportunities, COVID-19 Impact, And Trends By Type (Landline, Mobile, Standalone), By End-User (Hospitals And Clinics, Specialized Services Facilities, Homecare), And By Geography - Forecasts From 2022 To 2027

The personal emergency response system market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 5.70% during the forecast period to reach US$9.850 billion by 2027, from US$6.683 billion in 2020.

Personal Emergency Response Systems also known as Medical Emergency Response Systems, helps people to call in an emergency by pushing a button. It has three components namely a radio transmitter, a console connected to the phone, and an emergency system that monitors the calls.  This is suitable for elderly people whenever they need medical help. It can also be used in panic attacks, life-threatening situations, and security concerns. They come as transmitters, wearable devices like ear aids or wrist holds in hands, or in recent times in smartphones. A user can access the facility in an emergency and presses the button on the transmitter or in the smartphone that sends a signal to an emergency center which reads and picks up the call and provide help to the user.

Rapid use of smartphones and GPS is expected to drive the market growth for Personal Response Emergency Systems.

After the technological expansion, many advancements took place in the healthcare industry, particularly the use of personal response systems by older patients leading to a decrease in the death rates and fewer threats to diseases. Due to the surge in smartphones and smartwatches elderly can now have access to healthcare centers quickly. They can make use of the automatic fall detection provided in the smartphone or smartwatch, GPS sensors, mobile personal emergencies, and smart home transmitters. New development can be seen in wearable technology that tracks and monitors one’s health which can help maintain a long and healthy lifestyle. One of the key benefits of PERs (Personal Emergency Response Systems) is that it is suitable even for those who face language barriers or physical disabilities. The best development is GPS which automatically tracks the geological data when a person faces an emergency. Another one is WLAN and LAN network that allows one to connect to the actual location and provide health services. CDC (Centres for Disease Control) reported that deaths in old age are due to injury related to a fall and more than 37% require immediate medical assistance. The technology detects the patient’s condition and plays alert alarms. The major benefit of this is it does not require any cellular or wired technology.

Some companies such as Philips Lifeline have developed Auto Alert fall detection technology with GoSafe2 and HomeSafe Auto Alert. Another company Bay Alarm Medical has a high-tech smartwatch with a GPS button and a car system with crash detection. These systems are cost-effective compared to a nursing home facility for old age people. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, the average cost of a nursing home is US$225 per day. Another technological development that contributes to the use of PERs is medical compliance and monitoring which help older people to take their medicines on time. As per National Community Pharmacists Association, more than half of older people forget to take prescribed medications leading to more long-term illness.

However, one of the drawbacks to PERs is the outdated systems that have not updated with recent 5g technologies or wifi-based technologies as some of them were 3g or 4g based devices with limited facilities such as GPS.  

Key Developments

• Modivcare announced the acquisition of Guardian Medical Monitoring – a leading provider of health services to remote patients and monitoring solutions to Managed Care Organizations in May 2022. This remote patient monitoring proved to be beneficial for Modivcare to connect to patients easily and reduce gaps in many areas.
• Arvi healthcare solution for senior citizens, situated in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh launched an at-home medical alert system for senior citizens in March 2020 that aims to ensure easy and instant access to senior citizens for medical assistance.
• Freeus and its parent company Beclar along with AvantGuard Monitoring Centers had announced the acquisition of FallSafety – a leading advanced applications and services provider in September 2021 strengthening the health and safety solutions of Becklar company.
• Medical Guardian acquired MedScope America Corporation in August 2021 which strengthened the healthcare expansion and provided senior citizens with 24/7 customer support.

During the forecast period, the Asia Pacific personal emergency market is expected to grow rapidly.

Companies in the Asia Pacific are developing Personal Response Emergency Systems as it is critical to efficient health management. One more reason for the growth of PERs in Asia-Pacific is that developing countries are prone to more diseases and health concerns that require immediate assistance. Several initiatives such as  Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana and Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana in India improved emergency response and health services for the people. The government also recently introduced ERSS (Emergency Response Support System) with a single emergency number 112 to address and reach individuals with emergencies and crises. 

COVID-19 Insights

COVID-19 had a significant impact on the personal emergency response system market. The most vulnerable people exposed to COVID-19 are older people as they have higher risks to catch infections secondly old people are prone to illness as their body functioning and health status deteriorate with age. As per CDC (Centres for Disease Control and Prevention), deaths associated with covid-19 among old age people were due to respiratory failure, cardiac failure, kidney injuries, and coagulopathy. In the USA, 80% of deaths accounted for adults above 65 years of age.

In such circumstances, access to health care services became a priority to them. In such cases, personal emergency response systems like smartphone sensors, SOS, transmitters, and trackers witnessed an increase in demand. For instance, In India, GOI sanctioned Rs 15,000 crores for emergency response and health system which include easy, timely, and cost-effective access to health services and a reduction in COVID-19 threats throughout the country.

Personal Emergency Response System Market Scope:

Market Segments

• By Type
  • Landline
  • Mobile
  • Standalone
• By End User
  • Hospitals and Clinics
  • Specialized Services Facilities
  • Homecare
• By Geography
  • North America
    • USA
    • Canada
    • Mexico
  • South America
    • Brazil
    • Argentina
    • Others
  • Europe
    • Germany
    • France
    • United Kingdom
    • Italy
    • Others
  • The Middle East and Africa
    • Saudi Arabia
    • Israel
    • Others
  • Asia Pacific
    • China
    • Japan
    • South Korea
    • India
    • Indonesia
    • Others