Used ultrasound parts and systems are replacing service contracts as hospitals look for more ways to save money. This runs against the tradition of inclusive contracts with the original manufacturers, but those contracts can run about ten percent of the cost of the system per year. When a system costs $30,000 to $250,000, that’s a lot of money. Plus OEM contracts don’t get cheaper as the equipment gets older. With ultrasound use increasing in all branches of diagnostic medicine, hospitals must find a way to keep their fleet of older machines afloat, without sinking the budget.
By now, everyone in the hospital knows which transducers, probes, and VCRs on which models are going to break or fail, so they’re getting more comfortable with letting their in-house engineers do routine repairs. Reconditioned parts cost forty to sixty percent less than their new counterparts, so the savings are substantial. Many reputable firms go out of their way to remanufacture parts to original spec, and carefully package them, but buyers still worry about the reliability of used ultrasound parts. A good warranty goes a long way to calming those fears. But what if the customer needs training, consulting, emergency units, or more complex repairs? That’s what the OEM used to give them. The only way to reassure these customers is with excellent service.
So the task becomes one of comparison-shopping, finding a supplier who meets three criteria: quality refurbished parts, warranties that are reassuring, and a level of knowledge and support equivalent to an OEM. Some firms who sell reconditioned equipment also act as independent service providers, working under a variety of contract options. Unlike the OEM, an ISO can support several brands of ultrasound equipment and is not beholden to a single one. Most parts suppliers sell used ultrasound systems, too, so it’s to their benefit to keep the stream of reconditioned parts and units flowing.
Some hospitals have gone completely to in-house servicing for all ultrasound systems. Others have found that it makes more sense to do a combination of all three options: OEM support for more exotic models, a contract for third-party support, and a commitment to make more in-house repairs. For biomedical and IT engineers just getting started in the care and feeding of ultrasound systems, many parts suppliers and OEMs offer training and support. Technical schools also offer classes in the service of ultrasound equipment. Just handling the first call in-house can cut ultrasound repair costs by fifty percent, according to one estimate.
Doing repairs in-house also leads to more hands-on control of the fleet of ultrasound machines spread from one floor to another and less intrusions from outside. A reputable supplier will ease the transition to the cost-saving world of used ultrasound parts and probes.
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By PA Davis of Full Circle Writing Experts, sponsored by www.conquestimaging.com/ who offers Used Ultrasound Parts, Refurbished Ultrasound Parts, Probes, Peripherals, Machines, Training, Service & Probe Repair.
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