Flexicare enters U.S. ostomy market

IRVINE, Calif. - After several years of feeling out the United States, Flexicare, a medical device company based in the U.K., has now targeted the homecare market and has set up an official outpost for its ostomy and continence business here.

Flexicare has had a sales office in Irvine, Calif., for going on six years, but, until now, it has focused its efforts mainly on selling its anesthesia breathing systems and accessories to healthcare organizations.

“This is one of the things about the U.S. market: It takes time,” said Dr. Ghassem Poormand, managing director. “You need a good track record to be taken seriously. We've done that, and now we're ready to grow the business with confidence.”

Flexicare manufactures a wide range of disposable medical devices, everything from critical care to resuscitation products. In addition to the U.K., it already has a presence in the Middle East and Asia.

Two things attracted Flexicare to the U.S. market, Poormand says. First: The United States makes up about 30% of the world market for medical devices, making it the single largest market in the world, he says.

Second: “In Europe, you have 25 different languages,” Poormand said. “If you manage to get in the U.S. market and be successful, it's much easier, from all aspects, to manage.”

Flexicare hopes to work with distributors like Invacare Supply Group, Independence Medical and McKesson, and regional dealers like Midwest Medical to get its ostomy and continence products into the hands of users.

“In the United States, there are a lot more stakeholders involved—the clinician, the home health agency, the distributor, the dealer—then you throw the payer source into the mix,” said Joel Morrell, director of sales, ostomy and continence division. “Our strategy is to create brand-specific demand for Flexicare and to make sure everything is in line for them to get what they want.”