MARKET TARGETS

One of the most important factors to consider in the new product development process is the size of the potential market. Since most products are targeted to specific groups of consumers with specialized interests, it is often possible to segment the market into submarkets. Each submarket differs in its requirements, buying habits, or other critical characteristics.

Primary Markets

Medical Facilities Market

America's 5,564 Hospitals.

This iincludes 4,862 community (non-federal acute care) hospitals, 212 federal government hospitals, 401 non-federal psychiatric hospitals, 79 non-federal Long-term care facilities and 10 hospital units of institutions (e.g., prison hospitals, college infirmaries).

Home Health Agencies

In the United States, there are an estimated 12,400 home health agencies, 4,000 hospices, 15,600 nursing homes, and 30,200 residential care communities.

Medicare and Medicaid Services

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services report that there are 4,104 rural health clinics and 5,470 ambulatory surgical centers that are registered participants of the Medicare/medicaid Services program.

Ambulance Services

15,276 Ambulance services in the United States and growing. Agencies staff 840,669 professionals of which 40% use both career and volunteer personnel. 38 Agencies staff paid personnel exclusively and 22 are strictly Volunteer operated.

Additional Primary Markets

FIRE DEPARTMENTS

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) there are 30,165 fire departments operating 52,050 fire station in the United States. This includes fire departments defined by counties, municipalities, townships, and towns as well as 5,873 government authorities. There were 1,148,100 active firefighters as of 2009