By Mashum Mollah
In the last few years, the medical and healthcare industry has seen and registered high growth. This is true especially since the advent of the pandemic when medical institutions had to invest in extra precautionary care. Everything from hand sanitizer to smoke and fog machines had to be installed in different parts of the premises.
For healthcare institutions and professionals, buying medical equipment is something that they regularly have to invest in. No credible or well-reputed institution can afford outdated medical equipment, does not work properly, or functions without accuracy.
Making these mistakes can cost healthcare facilities, doctors, and diagnostic centers their customers, credibility, and even their medical license!
In this article, we look to help the institutions, as mentioned above, and professionals buy advanced medical equipment. Specifically, we list down-
- The factors to consider when buying medical equipment
- How to choose the best brand or manufacturer for the medical equipment
- Mistakes to avoid when buying medical equipment
- The Final Analysis
If you are looking to get on board a new medical equipment provider, please read the article till the end.
5 Important Factors to Consider when Buying Medical Equipment
1. The Credibility and Reputation of the Manufacturing Company-
The first and probably the most important thing that you need to look at is the brand’s reputation. There is no doubt that there are tons of medical equipment manufacturers out there. They are also located at different price points.
You need to go for manufacturers and brands that have been in the industry for some time. Go for extensive research and online reviews before buying from them.
2. The Warranty Period of the Medical Equipment that the brand is offering-
The best brands in the medical equipment manufacturing landscape know how important it is to make products last. This is because medical equipment does not come cheap. If you do not have a product that lasts, the facility will have to keep reinvesting in it.
Check for warranties and assurances on the medical equipment. Opt for brands that provide a long period of warranty.
3. Select One Supplier that can help take care of all your needs-
As a hospital or a doctor, you cannot afford to work with several suppliers simultaneously. This will prevent you from growing your business or practice.
If you can find a medical equipment provider that can help address all your requirements, you will be free to concentrate on other important areas. The best brands will be able to help you out with all your needs.
4. Post-Sales Service and Customer Support-
You can rest assured that you will need help with the medical equipment once you purchase it. This means you need a brand that has excellent customer service and support.
You never know when you will end up needing help or support. This is why a brand that offers 24×7 customer support can benefit the medical institution or the doctor’s chamber.
5. Assessing the Quality of the Medical Device-
At the end of the day, you want medical products and equipment that are the very best. This means checking for ISO certifications and other licenses that medical equipment comes with. Do not go for products that are not certified, as this can lead to many problems. For starters, checks by government bodies can lead to the cancellation of your institution’s license or practice.
With so many manufacturers and brands in the media equipment space, choosing the right one can get overwhelming. This is why the five factors mentioned above can help you when buying medical equipment.
How to Choose the Best Brand for Buying Medical Equipment?
As we mentioned in the last paragraph, choosing a brand for buying your medical equipment is not as easy as it looks.
In this section, we are going to list down three points that will help you identify the best brands in the space-
Medical Knowledge and Technical Superiority-
One of the most important areas to assess brand credibility is checking out their medical knowledge on things. Brands need to know as much, if not more, as hospitals and doctors regarding medical issues, tools, and gadgets.
A brand’s sales representative needs to exhibit a very high level of technical skill, expertise, and know-how. If you can evaluate this medically and scientifically, you know you are in good hands.
Ease of Use and Functionality of the Medical Equipment-
Everyone wants to have the latest and most advanced medical equipment in their institutions. However, what if the equipment is so complicated to run that your nurses and attendants cannot use them easily and efficiently? The hallmark of the best medical equipment is that they are easy to use.
No matter how important or advanced they are, the setup process, running them, and making them work is straightforward. This helps everyone and runs them right from the get-go.
Online Reviews, Ratings, and Word-of-Mouth approvals-
Great medical equipment providers and brands enjoy stellar ratings and reviews. With so many platforms like Quora and Reddit available to us in 2021, checking the authenticity or credibility of a brand is not tough. You can also visit the social media pages and see what customers of the brand are saying about the same.
Checking the GMB pages can also reveal a lot about the brand, its products, and service quality. This will help you get a comprehensive idea of the brand.
These three points will help you get a fair idea about the medical equipment brand and inform your decision-making.
Mistakes to Avoid when Buying Medical Equipment for your Institution or Practice
While the above two sections can give you an idea of what to do, it is equally important you understand what’s not to be done.
Firstly. If you are looking to buy medical equipment, the first mistake you should avoid making is going after the cheapest products. When it comes to medical equipment, prices too good to be true translate into something problematic. Great quality medical products do not come cheap.
Secondly, try to avoid buying used medical products. The biggest reason for the same is that they do not enjoy the same warranty and coverage as a new product. Additionally, there might be hygiene issues that you will have to contend with. Buying new is the best approach.
Thirdly, do not purchase medical equipment before drawing its business plan, investment returns, and profitability. You should not spend $10000 on something that patients use sparingly. Evaluate the financial aspect of the medical equipment and whether it makes business and financial sense.
Fourthly, do not forget to opt for a free trial period and employee demo sessions. As we mentioned, if your employees cannot use the device, there is no point in buying the same. Instead, request the brand for a trial period to evaluate the equipment and once you are convinced, buy it.
Fifthly, there is much room for bargains and price negotiations as far as medical equipment is concerned. Do not make the mistake of going for the price that the brand or supplier is asking. You should also push for flexible payment terms and periods to help ease the financial burden.
If you avoid making these mistakes, you can rest assured that you will get the best medical equipment for your institution.
The Final Analysis
Medical institutions and doctors also need to ensure that the brand will safely ship and transport the equipment to their facility. This resource article has tried to look at some important things you should keep in mind when buying medical equipment.
If you have any other questions you would like to ask us; please let us know in the comments below. We will be more than happy to help answer as many of them as possible.
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