Medical equipment doesn’t come cheap. That’s why when looking to purchase, you need be extra careful since it is a long-term investment. To help you out, here are 5 tips to buying medical equipment. By following these tips, you are guaranteed to buy equipment that not only serves your needs, but is also right on the budget.
- Get the right financing
The fact that medical equipment is expensive means that you might need to get loan financing for you to acquire it. However, to ensure that the financing doesn’t hurt you later along, get financing whose repayment is way lower than the expected return, and life span of the equipment. For instance, if the expected life of the equipment is 10 years, you can choose to go for long-term financing. Long-term loans are usually cheaper and more flexible. In essence, by going for a long-term loan, you get to utilize the equipment, maintain it, and still manage to keep up with the payments.
- Check the warranty
When buying medical equipment, check out for the warranty period. The longer the warranty period, the better. On top of that, make sure that you are conversant with the warranty terms and conditions. Most medical equipment have a clause in the warranty stating that the manufacturer will service the equipment, for a given period. For best results, make sure that your warranty has this clause in it. Otherwise, you might end up paying hefty costs maintaining the equipment, beating the whole point of purchasing it in the first place.
- Check the shipping procedure
Most medical equipment is bulky and should also be handled with care. That’s why before you purchase, you need to have a clear delivery plan in place. For instance, you can arrange with a logistics company that handles specialized equipment to do it for you. Alternatively there are manufacturers that handle the logistics for their clients. You can choose to go with such a manufacturer, and save yourself the hustle of having to transport it yourself. This is the best option since the manufacturer understands the equipment better, and knows how to handle it carefully, while in transit. For instance, http://saveritemedical.com/ provides free shipping for all medical equipment that is above $300.
- Test the equipment before completing the transfer
Before you sign the ownership papers of a medical equipment, test it to ensure that it is working. This will save you time that you would spend trying to get the manufacturers technicians to come and repair it. It can also save you money since some repairs, if you do them yourself, might void the warranty.
- Compare prices
Before you purchase medical equipment, compare the prices of different manufacturers and dealers. This is the best way to get good value for your money. You will be surprised to learn that different sellers have very divergent prices on the same equipment. Good price research can save you lots of money. Remember medical equipment doesn’t come cheap, so every penny spent should be worth it. Nevertheless, don’t cut corners as you look for bargains. Quality should be your guiding principle even as you compare prices.
