GIBF E Magazine AUG-SEPT-2019 GIBF The Business Tycoons Magazine Aug-Sept | Page 38

THE TOP HEALTHCARE COMPANIES IN THE WORLD
United Health Group
United Health Group, Inc. UNH (United Health) is the largest health
care services company in the world, serving over 50 million
individuals in the United States as of late 2018 and 5 million in
Brazil. The company provides a wide range of health care products
and services, such as health maintenance organizations (HMOs),
point of service plans (POS), preferred provider organizations
(PPOs), and managed fee-for-service programs.
Medtronic
Medtronic plc (MDT) is a global device manufacturer that develops
pacemakers, defibrillators, orthopedics, diabetes management
tools, and many other medical devices. The company has a 50%
market share of the core heart devices industry. It is also a leader
in spinal products, insulin pumps, and neuromodulators for
chronic pain.
Abbott Laboratories
Abbott Laboratories (ABT) is a diversified health care products
company that focuses on nutrition, diagnostics, generic drugs,
and medical devices, following the spinoff of the AbbVie
prescription pharmaceuticals segment in 2013. The company has
recently implemented cost-cutting plans that should propel
bottom-line growth.
Thermo Fisher Scientific
Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc. (TMO) offers analytical
instruments, laboratory equipment, software, services,
consumables, reagents, chemicals, and supplies to
pharmaceutical and biotech companies, hospitals and
clinical diagnostic labs. The conglomerate was created by
the 2006 merger of Thermo Electron Corporation and Fisher
Scientific to create a company with an extensive product
offering with diverse geographic coverage.
McKesson Corporation
McKesson Corp. (MCK) is the largest pharmaceuticals
distributor in the U.S. and provides drugs, medical products,
and health care information technology. With over $100
billion in annual revenue, McKesson is positioned favorably
as a powerhouse in the industry.
INDUSTRIES WITHIN THE HEALTHCARE SECTOR
The healthcare sector contains a diverse array of industries, with activities
ranging from research to manufacturing to facilities management.
DRUGS
Drug manufacturers can further be broken down into biotechnology firms,
major pharmaceuticals firms, and makers of generic drugs. The biotech
industry consists of companies that engage in research and development to
create new drugs, devices and treatment methods.
MEDICAL EQUIPMENT
Medical equipment makers range from firms that manufacture standard,
familiar products – scalpels, forceps, bandages, gloves – to those that conduct
cutting-edge research and produce expensive, high-tech equipment such as
MRI machines and surgical robots. Medtronic plc (MDT) is an example of a
medical equipment maker.
MANAGED HEALTHCARE
Managed health care companies provide health insurance policies. The "Big
Five" firms that dominate the industry are United Health Group Inc. United
Health (UNH), Anthem Inc. (ANTM), Aetna Inc. (AET), Humana Inc. (HUM) and
Cigna Corp. (CI).
HEALTHCARE FACILITIES
Health care facilities firms operate hospitals, clinics, labs, psychiatric facilities
and nursing homes. Examples include Laboratory Corp. of America Holdings
(LH), which operates facilities that perform blood tests and other analysis; and
HCA Healthcare Inc. (HCA), which operates hospitals and other healthcare
facilities in the U.S. and UK.