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March 2002

Tom Campanero

The fitness equipment industry, like the rehabilitation industry that it partially serves, has been influenced and changed by factors such as technology, reimbursement cuts, and the growth of athletic training. Tom Campanero, CEO/president of Engineering Fitness International (EFI)/Total Gym, San Diego, spoke to Rehab Management about these and other topics.

Q: How is new technology affecting the fitness equipment industry?
A: The market has taken a swing away from electronics and into a simpler, more functional mode. For example, if you blew out a knee 10 years ago, you would have been rehabilitated in open-chain mode, using isokinetic resistance and other nonfunctional methods. If you had a knee or back problem, wouldn't it make sense to use rehab in a manner as close as possible to what you would be doing in the real world, in terms of actions and functions? That's how we feel as a company. We see a simpler approach to rehab. Basically, rehab equipment has been a serious problem for therapists because it is not very functional and it tends to be very expensive.

Q: How have changes in the industry, such as reimbursement cuts and the growth of athletic training, helped or hindered the fitness equipment industry?
A: Actually, the whole reimbursement situation has helped us as an industry a great deal. The average cost of our total gym is $2,500, and the product allows you to do 250 exercises with one piece of equipment. Therapists certainly do not want to buy a lot of individual pieces, because it is so expensive to do that now. And I believe the growth in athletic training is good for us, too. With the rise in athletic trainers, you are seeing a number of people out there who really know equipment and have used it for years. The only problem is that in some cases, patients are being treated by trainer assistants, and the quality of care is lowered since the patient does not have direct contact with the therapist or trainer.

Q: With funds for rehab being fairly tight, are there economical ways for rehab clinics/departments to buy fitness equipment?
A: I think these issues have really forced therapists to analyze their budgets and watch how they spend the money they have to work with. Things like price, reliability, and versatility in equipment are the big issues now. The biggest problem has been capitation. The idea that the government can stipulate that a certain injury equals a certain amount of rehabilitation time, or number of visits to a therapist, is the biggest hurdle. So, in terms of economics, I believe that clinics and departments would be best served by purchasing all-in-one equipment such as ours. It makes the most economical sense.

Q: What are EFI/Total Gym's plans for the future?
A: Our main focus as a company is to try to further develop the managed care market. Also, therapists are very altruistic people, they truly care about helping people. And that is why they're such great customers, too. They seek the best possible solutions and products, and we want to try to work with them and help their business. Anything we can do to allow a therapist to use his or her expertise more effectively, we will try to do.

-Ben Van Houten, Associate Editor

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