When given the choice, most medical facilities would rather have the latest and newest equipment. Unfortunately, they rarely have the means to do so. Besides, it’s not always necessary and there are many cases where it makes more sense to buy a slightly used or refurbished piece of equipment instead.
However, it isn’t always the case and you will need to ask some important questions before you decide to go for a pre-owned unit. Let’s take a look at a few things you’ll need to consider before buying pre-owned medical equipment for your business.
Choose the Right Supplier
The very first thing is making sure that you choose the right supplier. This will make a world of difference when it comes to before and after-sales care, warranties, shipping, quality, and price.
You also want to go with a specialist preferably. If you’re looking for a laser sale, go with a supplier that specializes in medical and aesthetic lasers. These will usually have a better selection and better prices. These will also be more likely to help in case something goes wrong with one of your machines. Some will have exchange programs, additional warranties, and offer training and installation, so these are all things you’ll have to look at.
Ask the Pros
Don’t be afraid to ask experts around you for recommendations on certain pieces of equipment. Try to speak not only to doctors but nurses who may be more familiar with working with these machines. They will be able to give some of the pros and cons of certain models and some machines they prefer over others. They’ll also be able to tell you which machines or manufacturers you should avoid at all costs.
Don’t Believe Suppliers at Face Value
When someone advertises something as refurbished, don’t assume that it will be spot-free. Refurbished might mean something very different to one person than another, so you have to make sure that you know to which extent the unit was refurbished and reconditioned. You also want to see if and how it was tested. Ask if you can get any documentation supporting that as well.
Another thing you have to do is trust your gut if you feel like anything isn’t right. For instance, you should think twice before buying a unit with a recent manufacturing date. After all, why would anyone want to sell an almost brand-new unit? Check the average usage period for this type of unit so you can get a better idea of how much service time it has left.
Don’t Forget the Details
Some details might seem to have little importance on the surface but are crucial. For instance, some units may have accessories, parts, or disposables that are not in production anymore. This is why you must ask all the questions and get as much information on any piece of equipment you were thinking of buying, especially for older units.
These are some of the things you need to take into consideration when buying used medical equipment. The most important is getting sufficient advice from people who are familiar with these units and do your homework on any supplier you were thinking of working with.
