Patient handling equipment market seen reaching $29.78 billion by 2030

The patient handling equipment market is expected to rise from $23.19 billion in 2025 to $23.25 billion in 2026, then accelerate to $29.78 billion by 2030, according to The Business Research Company. Growth is tied to hospital bed demand, home healthcare expansion, labor shortages and a greater focus on patient safety.

Why it matters: - Patient handling equipment supports safer transfers, repositioning and mobility for patients in hospitals and home care. - Growth in the market tracks broader pressure on healthcare systems, including aging populations, chronic illness and caregiver strain. - Demand for this equipment can improve patient safety and reduce injury risk for healthcare workers.

What happened: - The Business Research Company projected the patient handling equipment market will rise from $23.19 billion in 2025 to $23.25 billion in 2026. - The forecast implies 0.3% CAGR over the historical period. - The market is expected to reach $29.78 billion by 2030. - The company released the outlook on August 21, 2026. - The report covered North America, Western Europe, Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Eastern Europe, South America, the Middle East and Africa. - The company also offered a free sample report and the full market report through the sample report and the full report.

The details: - Historical growth has been modest, driven by more hospitalized patients, stricter workplace injury rules, a growing aging population, more long-term care facilities and higher disability prevalence. - Future growth is expected to come from home healthcare services, more bariatric patients, smarter hospital infrastructure, healthcare labor shortages and stronger patient safety standards. - The report flagged wider adoption of bariatric handling equipment as a key trend. - The report also highlighted stronger efforts to prevent caregiver injuries. - Demand is expected to rise for compact and foldable patient handling devices. - Homecare-based solutions and ergonomically designed products are also expected to gain traction. - Rising demand for hospital beds is a major driver of the market. - Hospital bed growth is linked to more admissions, an aging population and more chronic illness cases that require inpatient treatment. - A March 2025 update from Ireland’s Department of Health showed 15,372 hospital inpatient beds across public, private and psychiatric hospitals in 2023. - That total was up 2.4% from 2022.

Between the lines: - The short-term forecast suggests a flat market now, followed by a clearer growth inflection later in the decade. - That pattern points to healthcare systems investing more in equipment that reduces manual handling, supports home care and adapts to labor constraints. - North America leading the market suggests mature healthcare infrastructure and purchasing power continue to shape global demand.

What's next: - Patient handling equipment vendors are likely to focus on bariatric, ergonomic and portable products. - Growth opportunities may concentrate in home healthcare, smart hospital upgrades and markets adding inpatient capacity. - The company says its 2026 reports now include market attractiveness scoring, TAM analysis, company scoring matrix graphics, Excel forecasting dashboards, market hotspots infographics, key technology analysis and updated graphics and tables.