Spending on medical devices has increased every year for the last 20 years, and employment in the field is expected to remain steady as advances in technology—such as the development of implantable defibrillators and new imaging modalities—create demand for workers. The growing U.S. population—especially the elderly—will increase demand for medical technology. Factors that may cause growth to slow include increasing government regulation and changes to the healthcare industry (which may influence purchasing trends for medical technology).