Tuesday, September 9, 2014

By Colette Foreman


Hospital equipment costs are growing with time, and this is forcing hospitals to look for options regarding the allocation of resources. Managers struggle with balancing acts, and each hospital department seems to need money just as much as the other. A viable alternative seems to be renting or buying old equipment. Today, a used C arm for sale seems a better alternative than buying a brand new machine.

The biggest advantage of renting or buying used equipment is the cost. Rentals are definite cheaper than buying new, and the extra money freed up can be redirected towards other sectors of the hospital to improve the service delivery. Rentals require little down payment and in the short term, are a cheaper option when compared to the purchase of new equipment.

Rental is a cheaper short term option than buying new. For most hospital managers, when they approve the purchase of medical equipment, they do so thinking it gives the superior quality. However, most medical equipment last for very long. They are designed so that even after a few years, they can still function as well as they did when brand new.

With rentals, hospitals get as much quality as they would, at a much lower cost. Renting hospital equipment is hugely advantageous because it gives hospital staff and management a lot of freedom. Within medical equipment market, there is a lot of movement in terms of technological advancement and purchase options. With so many options, it is important to choose the best before purchasing.

There is no commitment with rental, and if the equipment does not fit, it is returned. Cost should factor in the long term expenditure involved in the repair and maintenance of equipment throughout the years. For many people, when they think of equipment purchase, all they think of is the initial purchase. However, there are other long term commitments to keep the equipment working well.

With rental, the cost of repair and maintenance is covered by insurance and the company renting out. Long term commitment is not only to the equipment in terms of keeping it working. There is also the commitment to the hospital and the patients in terms of providing them with the best available services. This almost always means upgrading the hospital equipment. With rentals, there are no logistical or financial challenges with upgrade.

Hospital staff and management commit themselves to using the resources at their disposal to provide the best available medical care to patients. This often means upgrading of medical equipment in hospital. With rentals, the upgrade happens at any time without any challenges. More hospitals find themselves needing rental services in medical equipments today, and this is an encouragement to the rental companies. The opportunity encourages more of them to venture into the rental business.

When accountant reconcile the books, rental charges are often filed under overhead charges or operational expenditure. As such, they are not taxed and the hospital enjoys tax reprieves. Hospital managers should however be careful when choosing equipment and rental companies. Cheapest is not always the best quality available.




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