Abstract
The best way to enter the Chilean market is through a well-established import
company. This report is ideal for executives wanting to understand the key
drivers in the medical market and have access to a wealth of statistical data,
including five-year market projections. Included with the report are 3 free
quarterly updated outlook reports, enabling you to keep up to date with market
developments for a year.
During the last five years Chile' s economy has generally performed well.
Reforms have improved living standards of its 15.4 million population over
neighbouring countries, although unemployment remains high at around 10%.
Chile faces the traditional problems of poverty, environmental conditions and
infectious diseases associated to developing countries, together with other
problems more associated to the developed world, including an ageing
population and chronic illnesses.
As in much of Latin America, healthcare provision is a complex mixture of
public, private and social insurance, although the current government is
implementing plans aimed at creating a more efficient public system. Chile has
a relatively well-developed system of private health insurance, the ISAPRE
system, although this has been hit financially in recent years.
"Equity, participation, solidarity and quality" are the four pillars of the
Chilean Healthcare Planning Objectives 2000-2010. This is a major step to
strengthen the primary care system, enforce and expand the AUGE programme,
improve IT health systems and improve management and auditing needs.
Chile produces very little medical equipment, so the market is largely
supplied by imports. The USA is the dominant supplier, accounting for 40% of
imports each year. The European Union supplies a further 25-30%, of which
Germany accounts for half. The best way to enter the Chilean market is through
a well-established import company. The market is relatively small, and much
emphasis is placed on personal contacts when selling to end-users. While the
national health service is the leading purchaser of medical devices in Chile,
mainly through tenders, it also encourages hospitals to make many of their own
purchases. The reputation and market position of a product will be the
greatest influences over purchasers' buying decisions. Importing into Chile is
reportedly not difficult. Most products require import licences, but these are
normally granted as a matter of routine.
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