Medical Equipment: Replace or Repair?

There comes a point in the lifecycle of an asset where you are faced with the choice to replace or repair. The significant cost of medical equipment means that many people choose to use medical repair services rather than purchase an entirely new device. But is this even the right choice from a long-term financial perspective, let alone considering the effects that your decision will have on patient safety and wellbeing?

Consider the following points when deciding whether to replace or repair ageing medical equipment.

Performance and reliability

Medical equipment needs to function as expected, when expected. The last thing you want is an important device malfunctioning or simply refusing to turn on when you have a long list of patients relying on it. Even if the issue can be fixed by a technician, you’ll still need to book in time for them to come visit — all the while patient numbers are stacking up. Trying to rely on a faulty device is essentially putting patient safety at risk.

A machine that malfunctions once in a blue moon is no particular problem. One that can’t go a few weeks without needing to be repaired is cause for concern and could be a sign you need to invest in a replacement.

Accuracy

Diagnostic equipment can still function without being entirely accurate, which is cause for concern for clinicians. Doctors and specialists depend on these devices to produce precise results, from which they can make informed treatment decisions.

If your equipment has been recently recalibrated by a technician only to produce inaccurate results a short time later, it may be time to purchase a new device.

Obsolescence

Medical equipment manufacturers are constantly coming up with innovative equipment and devices. While it’s not particularly feasible for healthcare providers to be continually investing in new equipment — particularly small, regional clinics — there comes a point at which current devices may become completely obsolete.

What does this mean from a practical perspective? Well, it will become increasingly difficult to source spare parts. Warranty will become an issue if it wasn’t already. Depending on the nature of the device and the healthcare services you offer, you may even find that doctors direct their patients to other facilities that have current, high-tech machinery.

There comes a point at which you simply need to consider upgrading your equipment and medical supplies in Australia, no matter how functional or accurate your current equipment is.

Cost

Finally, cost. We often talk about how expensive medical equipment can be upfront. But we rarely consider the long-term costs of purchasing and maintaining equipment and devices. This is known as the total cost of acquisition, or TCA, and it’s important to calculate before making any type of decision to purchase, replace, or repair equipment.

Paragon Care offers product, system, and application related medical repair services throughout the entire lifecycle of an asset. However, not all medical equipment providers do the same. If your supplier doesn’t support you in this manner, you might find calling a technician is a particularly expensive undertaking that you can’t financially afford to be doing every few weeks.

So, whilst purchasing new equipment may initially seem like the more expensive course of action, you’ll likely find that it’s better from a long-term budget perspective.

Your decision to replace or repair medical equipment will be made far simpler if you first and foremost purchase from a qualified and experienced supplier. Paragon Care is an industry-leading provider of equipment and medical supplies in Australia. Our local presence means we understand the types of challenges and opportunities currently facing Australian medical facilities and can provide informed, tailored advice on equipment purchase and servicing.

Our medical repair services are comprehensive, with a dedicated technical support call centre and over 50 service engineers across Australia and New Zealand. Whether you need advice on replacing an obsolete device or require immediate assistance repairing equipment, Paragon Care is here to provide support.