Considerations When Choosing Diagnostic Tools

• 589 Views Health & Safety, Business, Industries, Manufacturer, Medical
• MacRAES

As technology advances in the medical care industry, so does the level of care, the ability to save lives, and the length of recovery. Part of that advancement in technology comes by way of diagnostic tools. These are used to help diagnose diseases with a higher degree of certainty. By providing healthcare providers with this ability, it means procedures will be directly on point to treat what ailment the patient has and lessen the recovery time. Medical diagnostic equipment is a mainstay for any ambulance, doctor’s office, hospital, pharmacy, or clinic.

Diagnostic tools are not just limited to the medical community. The automakers have standardized the scan tools connection port to an OBD II connection. That began in 1996 and it revolutionized auto-repair. With a scanner, auto-technicians were able to get specific codes from the computer of a vehicle to determine what was wrong with it. The old adage of knowledge is power, still holds true today. If you have knowledge of the problem then it can be easier to fix. Rather than hunting for what could be the problem, now you merely have to fix the problem.

Factors to Consider When Buying Medical Diagnostic Equipment

While doctors and other diagnosticians rely heavily on their medical monitoring devices, the knowledge and understanding of the information they provide is key to offering sound medical advice and diagnosing symptoms appropriately. All the information in the world is only helpful if it can be interpreted. That is why most medical diagnostic equipment comes with certifications required for proper use. If the device is not understood, and the information not interpreted correctly, it can lead to misdiagnosing diseases and conditions. When this occurs, procedures can be recommended that are unnecessary and invasive not to mention expensive.

• Reputation of Equipment Manufacturer
• Health Canada Certification
• Medical Equipment Quality
• Size of Medical Equipment Inventory
• After Sales Services
• Equipment Functionality

Reputation of Equipment Manufacturer

Many times, it can be difficult to distinguish between genuine products and fake ones. Unfortunately, even in the medical community there are scams. It is important to do research on the equipment manufacturer. It is also strongly recommended to network with others about their equipment purchases. Gleaning information from your network can make all the difference when narrowing down your potential supplier of medical equipment.

Medical Equipment Quality

This might seem like an obvious factor when choosing equipment, but it needs to be said. ISO certifications can be key when choosing which supplier to go with. This is an independent, unbiased confirmation of quality. As an external certification body, there is no input from the manufacturers or suppliers. It is entirely separate from those entities. Look for the label when considering medical diagnostic equipment supplies.

Size of Medical Equipment Inventory

When trying to determine the best supplier for your medical diagnostic equipment, inventory can be a telling sign. A reputable supplier will have a variety of medical equipment. They provide the customer with:

• Technical Expertise
• Equipment Knowledge
• Customer Onsite Product Testing
• Customer Analysis of Equipment

After Sales Services

Regardless of the quality of a piece of equipment, there can be problems. For most medical equipment, problems typically arise in the first 30-90 days. It is important the medical supplier has a solid after-sales service reputation. The problems might range from a simple adjustment in the calibration to a complete component replacement. Part of your satisfaction with your medical diagnostic equipment purchase has to do with the after0purchase care you receive. 

Questions to ask about after purchase service:

• Response Times
• Clinical Support
• Contact Numbers
• Warranty Information in Writing

It is also important for them to have a service team which has all the appropriate certifications to ensure any service or repair to your equipment will be done correctly.

Technical knowledge is another aspect of the after-sales service that is important. They should have the appropriate OEM service training certificates. Proper technical expertise is critical to your hospital or clinic maintaining a profitable and productive reputation. This helps serve patients with little to no downtime because of equipment failure.

Equipment Functionality

When purchasing medical equipment Canada, quality if key. It should be the highest priority when making your purchase. Knowing how the equipment is supposed to function and the ease of operation it is supposed to have can be important in determining how functional it will be for your environment. If the equipment is too complicated to use, then staff will avoid employing it. It may require additional training for your staff, which is another factor in the cost of purchase. It is important to review the user manual and look at product reviews before purchasing. The information from those sources can alert you to those concerns.

Final Thoughts

The highest rated manufacturers and suppliers will pride themselves on their sales record and customer reviews. They will have that information posted prominently on their website and social media outlets. Those suppliers and manufacturers are committed to customer satisfaction. Without positive customer reviews, their business would be dead in the water. Make sure to check their website for past reviews. Make sure to see how they respond to a negative experience. Did they post comments to remedy the situation or did they simply ignore the negative comment? 

When considering medical monitoring equipment, it is important to consider all of these factors. Sands Canada can provide advice and guidance for your medical equipment purchases.

Share on social media: