How to Choose the Right Medical Equipment for Your Practice

When opening a new medical practice, you’ll soon find that one of the most important (yet very challenging tasks) you need to complete is choosing the right medical equipment. In addition to the basic medical tools and supplies, choosing the correct medical equipment for your patients will provide your practice with its essential foundation by which it can begin helping others.

The goal should be to create a smooth and efficient medical practice, but it’s unlikely you have an unlimited budget or amount of space to work with. Therefore it’s worth taking some time to consider everything you may need, then carefully deliberating what equipment you’ll invest in. We understand that it isn’t always the easiest or most enjoyable task, but at the medcom group we’ve worked with numerous different practices of all scales and locations, and we hope the following guide will help you choose the right medical equipment for a great start of your own.

Define Your Specialty

The first and perhaps most important factors are what you consider your specialty to be and what the services are that you will offer. There is, of course, a plethora of different facets to medical care, from dental and pediatric to rehabilitation and surgery. All of these different specialties require unique equipment, such as laboratory, testing, dental devices, imaging, and more, and it is nearly impossible (especially for a new practice) to be able to acquire all of them, nor is it practical. If you’re a pediatric practice you’ll need equipment suited to the size of children, for example, and if you’re a dermatologist you’ll likely need a dermatoscope and a laser device. If you’re focusing on orthopedics, it would be wise to have several different types of therapeutic equipment such as cold therapy and CPM machines. A general practitioner might have the most widespread types of equipment, but then again there will be several other specialized types of equipment that will easily be checked off the list.

Consider Your Patients

The second thing you should consider is the type of patients you intend to treat. The needs of patients, such as ease of access, size of equipment, and other variables will largely depend on their demographics. Elderly patients, for example, may require equipment that caters to certain health conditions, ease of access, and adaptability. Younger patients like children, on the other hand, will need equipment that is sized to fit their smaller bodies, and they could benefit from an improved experience if your equipment is colorful, interactive, and fun. It’s also critical to consider the location of your patients - those that live far away from your practice might benefit from taking home various orthopedic and therapy equipment to use on their own in between appointments. By tailoring the equipment you acquire to your patients’ needs, you can enhance patient satisfaction with your practice.

Construct a Comprehensive List

With your specialty and patient demographics defined, it’s wise to create a comprehensive list of all the equipment you could possibly need regarding the services you intend to provide and the unique requirements of those patients. Start with the obvious and easy things, such as the most common and most used medical supplies, equipment, tools, and devices, then branch out into the specialty equipment that is necessary as well.

With a comprehensive list of equipment, it’s possible you may not be able to get everything. In this case, begin to prioritize your list, selecting the most essential equipment while simultaneously identifying the non-essential items that can be acquired later on if need be.

Define Your Budget

Your budget is the total amount of money that you can allocate towards purchasing medical equipment. At this time, be sure to understand just how much you will be able to spend as well as the cost-effectiveness of the equipment on your list. Consider each equipment in turn, specifically the purchase price, lifespan, expected amount of use within your practice, the warranty, and its importance to your practice’s operations. Then you will begin to gain a better picture of which equipment is more financially beneficial to you.

You should also factor in the advantages and disadvantages of purchasing new, used, and refurbished equipment. Newer equipment may have more advanced features whereas used and refurbished equipment may come in at a lower price and allow you to purchase more equipment overall.

Factor in Your Available Space

The size of your medical practice will certainly have an effect on which equipment will be right for you. As an example, the weight, size, and mobility of your equipment should be functional within your office or clinic, and it should never detract from the operational quality of your services. Additional factors that can have an impact on your available space are the power supply, ventilation, lighting, noise, and relative heat of the equipment, as well as any storage space that will be required. It’s wise to never overstock your equipment to a level that your practice cannot maintain otherwise you may run into issues beyond just a wasted budget.

Cross-Check Regulatory Requirements

Depending on the type of medical practice you intend to open as well as the state, region, or country in which you’re located, you may be required to comply with certain regulatory bodies regarding the safety of your equipment. When working in the United States, for example, you may need equipment that is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), and the Joint Commission. Choosing the right medical equipment for your practice therefore means selecting equipment that meets all regulatory and statutory requirements in addition to the legal, ethical, and professional standards of your practice and field.

While you’re considering this, it is also worth taking note of the registration, accreditation, and certification of your equipment. Safety, legal, and ethical standards should never be bypassed by selecting lesser-quality equipment.

Consult a One-Stop-Shop Medical Equipment Supplier

Evaluating and selecting the right medical equipment for your practice can be stressful and even overwhelming given all the variables that can affect your choices. One great resource to acquire the best quality medical equipment is to rely on the advice and professionalism of a reputable medical equipment supplier. Sourcing your medical equipment from different suppliers can create inefficiency and confusion, but by working with a company that can provide all or nearly all the equipment you need, you can streamline the process by which you acquire your equipment and restock your supplies.

Are you starting a medical practice and need help acquiring the highest quality, affordable medical equipment? Consider reaching out to the experts at the medcom group to learn why our clients love working with us!