SUBSCRIBE TO OUR BLOGWhy Pre-Owned and Refurbished Medical Imaging Systems are becoming the first choice for start-ups healthcare centers.
The need for pre-owned and refurbished medical devices is increasing in almost every region in the world along with the advanced and new medical equipment found in the market. Many countries consider this type of medical equipment as a great opportunity to be able to provide high-tech medical imaging such as MRI service to their community at a fraction of a cost of the new devices which may drive the cost of healthcare high. Even though the pre-owned and refurbished medical equipment is found in rural areas, it is also a good solution for new start-up healthcare centers. Here are few beneficial facts when considering pre-owned or refurbished medical imaging systems:
Specific equipment model – This means that the certain medical services required for a community can be achieved by a specific imaging equipment and the related technology to meet the community needs and also it is cost effective. This explains why refurbishing obsolete devices are extremely cost-effective.
Cost Savings – This is one of the most obvious reasons when it comes to buying pre-owned or refurbished medical imaging devices. It is well known that this type of medical imaging system is 50 to 60% cheaper when compared to new and original equipment cost. Every alternative to save a significant amount of money has to be considered, especially when a medical professional starts a new healthcare center.
High-quality medical imaging system – It is important before purchasing a refurbished or pre-owned medical imaging system such as MRI, Nuclear Medicine Scan, Pet/CT scan etc., a due diligence and research are necessary to avoid future problems. Initially, specs, year of manufacture, age of equipment, software version and pictures will offer indication about the equipment and the manufacturer. A visit to the manufacturer/supplier of the medical item for inspection by your technical service tech and/or you should be the next step. If possible have the supplier install the equipment and do training and run some shots to insure that the equipment is functional, safe and reliable. There are a few key differences between many companies which are selling refurbished or pre-owned medical equipment. The buyer has to be sure that the chosen company is a registered re-furbisher in the market and is responsible for your overall satisfaction and future technical guidance. The staff which is employed needs to possess expert skills to work impressively with clients from the first planning level through equipping existing devices in your clinic or the hospital. You should also follow the main standards about bringing the refurbished or pre-owned medical imaging equipment in the best condition for serving the client.
Eco-friendly – Clients have to know that when they purchase a refurbished medical imaging system they reduce the stressful footprint of their medical business. If they want to have a positive impact and be eco-friendly oriented it can be sometimes difficult but this type of medical equipment is a smart and safe way to stay eco-friendly in their medical office.
The reliability of the product – Almost all medical imaging devices are having complex nature and as such sales support, quality of the medical product provided by the manufacturers and their reliability are important considerations. Believe it or not, there are some advantages in buying pre-owned products which have been in operation with a clinic or a hospital for a period of time because it indicates that the system has been reliable. When the clinician is buying the new and the latest model, he/she knows nothing about how it works and if the machine is good for the clinic and by this fact, the problems may arise. When it comes to an older model, it has had enough time to be tested in the work environment and to discover any deficiencies in the system. If such imaging system was unsafe, it would have been removed from the market. This fact makes the pre-owned and refurbished medical imaging systems a beneficial selection for a buyer compared with new system costing 50% or more.
After Sales Support – This is very important and has a direct impact on the success factors for spare parts, cost and resultant revenue stream of the clinic. When the selected company is a trusted source it may bring some positive perks for the purchaser. The main benefit is the excellent customer service one can receive. There are special market parameters for refurbished medical imaging equipment which are crucial for the seller to achieve success. When the customer has an efficient & timely service support it would also allow setting high standards for their clinic that can be relied on by their patients. The guaranteed support cannot be a reality so the relationship with more than one service tech company or the manufacture should be maintained to assure efficient and uninterrupted service by the clinic to their patients.
Affordability – In most of the cases, refurbished medical equipment cost less than half of the price of the original new machine. New hospitals sometimes, can’t afford this privilege of buying new medical devices. Accordingly, buying refurbished medical imaging equipment could have a significant impact on capital expenditure investment.
Warranty specifications – Many vendors of refurbished medical equipment offer after sale service contracts and the terms and conditions may be the same as buying a new machine. Even paying for the after-sale routine preventive service is recommended to avoid future major breakdown and related repair expenses including loss of revenue.
Summary
It is well known that the new medical devices are very expensive and it is a big challenge starting a new medical office and associated business infrastructure. The medical industry has always more alternatives to saving money simply by planning earlier and also by making smart purchases. One of these interesting and crucial decisions is buying refurbished medical imaging equipment instead of purchasing new one. All refurbishing companies are working for the client’s satisfaction which is the most important thing to them. Every company would try to exceed the client’s expectations and would try to establish a long-term confidence and relationship with their customer.
