Anesthesia Plus has been assisting hospitals, surgery centers, and physicians with finding high-quality new and refurbished medical and OR equipment for over 25 years. We ensure that all equipment we sell looks and functions like new and, with our knowledgeable tech support, we provide information to promote the optional function of all the equipment we sell.
A medical facility can experience expansion in many ways. More patients and staff, as well as the decision to offer more services, are all forms of expansion, some or all of which your facility may be currently experiencing. All of these instances are likely to require you to take steps to modernize your medical practice.
What Elements of Your Practice Can Be Modernized?
Depending on your budget, you may choose to modernize one or several aspects of your practice or facility. You can improve wait and checkout times, update the furniture, and invest in new equipment.
Waiting and Checkout
No patient wants to wait to get in to see a doctor. Likewise, no patients prefer having to wait in the office following an appointment. You can modernize your practice by improving both of these for maximum efficiency. Doing this will require taking a closer look at your current processes and identifying where slowdowns occur.
You may even be able to get feedback from your patients about what they do and do not like about coming in to see you and leaving. You may also wish to consider whether the purchase of used medical equipment like computers can add to efficiency.
In addition, considering the demographics of your unique group of patients; it may be that a mobile solution is the better option if your patients are of a younger age and want the opportunity to pay while on the go.
Furniture
Although you may not have recently thought about the furniture in your practice, it is a very important part of the patient experience, and should, therefore, be a top priority. Furniture communicates the personality of your practice to patients. If it’s showing its age, it’s time to replace your furniture with new pieces.
How to Tell When You Need to Replace Your Furniture
One red flag that your furniture needs to go is the condition of its upholstery. If it appears ripped, stained, or worn, it won’t convey a sense of professionalism or hygiene to your patients. Not only that, but, if you’ve had your furniture for a long time, it may not be as suited to a healthcare environment.
Choosing the Right Furniture
The new furniture you choose for your practice should not only be attractive to and comfortable for your patients, but it should also adhere to safety standards. Furniture should be easy to maintain, as well as have smooth and non-porous surfaces.
Modern furniture for your facility should have resin or metal frames, backs, and seats that can be replaced in-office; polyurethane arm caps; and anti-microbial fabric. It should also reflect the seating needs of the majority of your patients.
Furniture can also be considered a form of refurbished medical equipment because it provides visual consistency, which some patients may find calming. As well, an attractive style, color, or pattern can also put patients at ease. In being consistent with your furniture, you will also communicate professionalism to your patients, which can elevate their trust in you.
Equipment
Just as furniture can age, so can your equipment. Equipment can mean literally anything you use in day-to-day interactions with and treatment of your patients. Beginning with your reception area, your staff should have a modern means of keeping track of patients. This includes updated electronic health record systems, as well as the computers needed to handle them.
The other equipment in your practice will be the tools you use with all of your patients. From anesthesia machines, vital sign monitors, and other equipment to the wide variety of surgical instruments used to complete any number of procedures, all of these will need to be replaced at one time or another.
Why Upgrade Your Anesthesia and Other Machines?
There are many reasons to upgrade the machines you use, but the most important is safety. Today’s modern medical machines are not only faster, but they are more accurate. As well, they have many security measures built in so that patients can remain safe, even when something like a power outage occurs.
Today’s Anesthesia Machines
Almost all modern anesthesia machines use what’s called a “circle system.” This series of internal connections and compact circuits not only reduces the possibility of line disconnection, but new or refurbished medical equipment for sale also allows for the quick changing of gas composition at low flows.
In response to the need to be able to replace CO2 absorbers with little or no disruption to gas delivery, today’s machines feature automatic bypass valves, which allows this no-disturbance replacement.
Electronic flow and auto check are also two vitally important additions to today’s anesthesia machines. The electronic flow meter uses a microprocessor to control flow, and auto check allows for any problems with the system to be identified and repaired.
Surgical Equipment
There is a host of benefits to upgrading your surgical equipment. Today’s implements are made from the latest materials, including new and improved steel alloys or composites. These materials not only make implements easier to handle because they are lightweight, but they also improve the strength, durability, and stiffness of the instruments, which add to their overall longevity.
The enhanced shape retention of today’s surgical implements makes them able to withstand high temperatures and radiation. This allows for more effective sterilization. In terms of capability, today’s new implements allow for easy adding of inserts or replacement of certain parts with ease. They are also more versatile, safer, and more reliable.
Lighting
The surgical lights available for your medical practice have also changed. They are now brighter, longer lasting, and mobile. These qualities are all beneficial, but, if you have a small practice or need to be able to move your equipment around, mobility can provide your practice with a significant boost.
Patient Monitors
Today’s used medical equipment also refers to patient monitoring systems, which include several options. Digital LCD displays eliminate glare while clearly displaying vital signs and other crucial information to ensure patient health at all times during treatment and recovery.
Surgical Tables
It may also be time to replace your surgical tables with more modern products. Today’s modern options allow for seamless integration into any facility, but also allow surgeons to tend to their patients without having to be concerned about fatigue, which means more time spent on procedures.
New vs. Refurbished
Regardless of the items you need to purchase for your facility, you will eventually need to decide between new and refurbished items. There are many advantages to both options, and it really depends on your budget. Purchasing new will require a much larger budget than buying refurbished medical items.
Of course, with new items, your staff and patients get to benefit from the latest technology right away. However, even the newest item will become obsolete. Purchasing new will require you to identify the value of doing so to your practice. You will need to ask yourself whether an item will possess enough value for you to justify its cost.
If the answer is “no,” your other option for getting the latest technology in your facility is to purchase refurbished items. There are also many advantages to doing this, as long as you have chosen a reputable company.
Assessing the Condition of Refurbished Items
There are several important factors to consider when purchasing refurbished medical equipment, including quality, need, size, and price.
Equipment Quality
The quality of the medical equipment you are considering is absolutely critical. Any refurbished equipment should contain the features you need, but also operate and look like new. A reputable company will ensure that all of its refurbished equipment undergoes rigorous testing for optimal operation.
Equipment Need
You must determine what your equipment will be used for; this will allow you to choose the best equipment for your facility. Consider whether equipment will be used for a particular area of specialty or whether it will be used for several purposes.
Size of Medical Equipment
The size of equipment in your facility will be incredibly important. If a piece of equipment is too large, it will restrict movement in examination or operating rooms. Thankfully, modern equipment is compact.
Still, you will want to ensure that you get the proper size of items. This can be done by measuring the size of the room the equipment will be placed in. Consider cabinet and ceiling clearance in all room measurements.
The Price
Comparison shopping is a must where price is considered, as costs can vary widely. However, don’t mistake low price for high quality; checking a company’s past history will reveal what customers have experienced while using their products.
Making a Smart Investment
The equipment you purchase for your practice can not only help your existing patients but bring new patients to you as well. If it’s offered at the right price, buying refurbished medical equipment for sale can also save you thousands, allowing you to divert funds to other areas of your practice.
The experts at Anesthesia Plus specialize in the sale of OR equipment, as well as anesthesia machines. Learn more about how our new or used medical equipment can modernize your practice—call 1-800-887-8161.