From shifts with reimbursement rates, regulations, and patient trends, it is important to keep your medical imaging equipment expenses and maintenance top of mind. One area to keep a pulse on is your equipment service plan.
Covering medical imaging equipment with some type of service plan is valuable, not only to a facility’s bottom line but also to the peace of mind of its staff.
Below we will give you the top three reasons why your facility should have a service plan for your medical imaging equipment, and the options from which you can choose.
Steady Your Operating Cost
Keeping your operating budget steady is vital for maintaining stability and peace of mind in your facility. Without a service plan in place, unforeseen events like system downtime, broken parts, OEM coverage issues, or expensive service calls can disrupt your operations and strain your budget.
If your day-to-day operations are running smoothly with your current budget, imagine how difficult it could be if you experience any of the above examples.
By opting for a service plan, you can focus on providing patient scans while keeping your budget steady and predictable.
Instead of dealing with a large, unexpected bill when your system breaks down, you will have peace of mind knowing you have a monthly payment structure that covers these issues as they come up.
Part & Component Coverage
Medical equipment has components that are incredibly expensive.
For example, an X-ray tube for a CT scanner, without a service plan, could cost $60,000 - $90,000, not including the installation!
If these parts must come from the OEM, they cost even more. In many cases, a service contract can pay for itself with just one or two component replacements (tubes, detectors, image intensifiers, etc.).
Minimize Risk
A service plan minimizes the risk your facility is willing to take on should high-cost expenses come up.
Tolerance for risk will be different for every facility.
In favor of keeping risk low, imagine having to suddenly pay a five-figure sum (plus labor) to replace a critical component. This type of sudden expense can be catastrophic, especially for smaller imaging centers/clinics. Versus a stable monthly amount for a service plan.
From a budgeting standpoint, a service plan is easy and offers additional major benefits.
Maximize Uptime
To put it simply: you want your system up and functioning to benefit patients and present revenue opportunities for your facility. Operating without a service contract ups that risk factor we mentioned before. So, how exactly can a service contract maximize your systems' uptime?
A full-service contract provides maximum stability through year-round coverage, a 24/7 service hotline, parts coverage, and preventative maintenance. If you are comfortable with some risks, a preventative maintenance service plan could also be a good option for your facility.
The Takeaway
Having a service plan for your medical imaging equipment is a must-have in our book. From an uptime standpoint, a budgetary standpoint, and a stress level standpoint. Set your facility up for success with full-coverage or preventative maintenance service.
Our team would love to assist you in taking the next step in equipment maintenance. If you're ready to start the conversation, contact us to tell us how we can help.
Josh Nunez: April 25, 2024
