我的步行輔助器-商業計畫書

Abstract

許多已開發國家正面臨著新生兒出生率下降、人民壽命增加的人口老化現象。台灣正首當其衝。根據Tim Ferry在2017年5月的資料顯示，老年人口超過總人口的百分之14，可被視為高齡化社會。然而，台灣人口正加速老化，到2025年將成為65歲以上佔總人口超過百分之20的超高齡社會，增加健康照護系統上的負擔[1]。醫生和護理人員的加班、超時工作，已是許多醫院的常態。快速老化的社會將影響整個醫療體系，醫護人員的工作量將增加、需要設立更多醫院來服務人民，甚至整個醫療系統和社會照顧體系，都需要有所改革。這些在未來都將影響老年人、家屬和政府的運作。低出生率會導致年長者缺乏照護、增加家庭的支出，政府的稅收也會因為工作人口減少而受影響。 我的步行輔助器期許在醫療體系和社會照護系統下，把握能協助改革的機會。在造訪過許多復健中心後，我們發現大部分的護理病人，通常皆使用輪椅。大約有百分之25的病患，正處於置換髖關節、膝關節和骨折手術的復原療程中，在8到12週的復健療程期間，助走器正是協助病患的必要工具。我的步行輔助器期望能利用加裝物聯網功能的助走器，搭配可透過網路產生病患報告的客製化服務，協助優化復健療程並有效縮短復健時間。我們期待此產品能協助年長者儘速重拾行動力，進一步減輕家庭、健保系統和政府稅收的負擔。 此助走器為我們最主要的產品，往後會繼續設計更多輔助功能，期望最終能走入家庭服務年長者。

In many developed countries, birth rates are declining and life expectancy is increasing. This results in what is known as population aging. Taiwan is one such country experiencing this phenomenon. As stated by Tim Ferry in May of 2017, “With 14% of its population already considered elderly, Taiwan is aging quickly and will become a super-aged society – with 20% of its population over 65 – by 2025, putting increased stress on the healthcare system” [1]. As hospitals are already running at full or over capacity, doctors, nurses, and other personnel are often working overtime. The effects of an increasingly aged society mean that health care personnel will have to work more, new hospitals must be built and/or deep reforms in health and social care system will be required. Effects will also be felt by elderly, their families and governments alike. Lower birth rates mean fewer people to care for the elderly, increased dependency on fewer incomes, and less taxes collected from fewer workers. My-Walker Enterprises is setting itself up to seize one of many opportunities available in the health and social care reform space. Visiting several rehabilitation centers we noticed most care patients were elderly in wheelchairs. Roughly 25% were recovering from total hip and knee replacements, as well as leg bone fractures. 8 to 12 weeks of the rehabilitation process requires the use of a walker. My-Walker Enterprises seeks to optimize and reduce this rehabilitation period using an enhanced, IoT walker and custom built web-based reporting resources. The effect will be to get elderly back on their feet sooner, reduce demand on the health care system, let families get back to a normal schedule, and governments to maximize tax collections. While the enhanced walker will be our signature product, we hope to build-out our product base to enhance more and more assistive technologies and eventually to enter the elderly at home segments.