Did you know the anesthesia machinery market is forecasted to be worth $16 billion by 2026?
With so much money being invested into this equipment (and the well-being of your patients on the line), it’s important to take proper care of yours. Whether it’s a repair or basic maintenance, hiring someone to tend to your anesthesia machine is a smart thing to do. It’s especially important that you trust them, but what other things should consider?
Luckily, we’re here to help you answer that question. Read on to learn about what you should look for in medical equipment services.
Reliability
Before you hire a medical repair service provider, it’s important to ensure they’re reliable. Consistency is key with these companies, and ensuring they know what to repair and how to repair are two non-negotiables when it comes to choosing services.
Here are some qualities you should be on the lookout for from the very beginning:
- Proper communication
- Setting clear expectations
- Transparency with procedures
- Access to customer feedback
- Supportive company culture
Learning each one of these things can take some time and research, but it’s well worth the effort you put forward. A lot of these questions can be answered either on their website or with a quick Google search.
Turn-Around Time
Most medical equipment is used around the clock each day. You want to ensure your repair provider can be available around the clock as well to help maintain and repair your machines properly. Some companies might even offer short-term rentals while they work on your machines, which is something to always take advantage of.
When a repair service can offer you minimal downtime and the best quality, they’re also helping to preserve your reputation as a valuable healthcare provider. When your patients are happy, everything else can thrive.
Return Investment
This is one of the last things you want to look for in your repair service. It’s essential that your provider understands that high-quality work and efficient service is vital for the well-being of your practice. In some cases, your patients’ lives are quite literally dependent upon it.
With that being said, they should also offer budget-friendly pricing. Their onsite operation shouldn’t be too disruptive unless total removal or replacement are needed, and it shouldn’t dig into your budget any more than it needs to. The last thing you want to do is end up spending more time and money on repairing your anesthesia machine than you have to.
It’s also worth asking about these things when you’re in the middle of the hiring process. If they’re clear about their pricing and can provide you with an itemized list of their pricing, they’re definitely a trustworthy company.
How Clear Are Their Processes?
In many cases, a medical repair service will have its entire process laid out online. Whether it’s how to book a visit or how they go about diagnosing and repairing your anesthesia machine, you should have a clear picture of what’s going to happen during their visit.
Further, if you ask about these services, their answers should be similar to what you read online. If you end up meeting with a technician and they’re telling you something completely different from their website, it might be best to keep looking around.
Most medical equipment is complex machinery made up of a lot of smaller components, and you have to trust your service provider to diagnose and care for all of it. The best service providers are going to be able to look at your machinery and diagnose even the most minute problems.
Make Sure You Ask Around
If you can, you should ask other local practitioners or hospitals about the repair service you’re considering. Word of mouth marketing is almost always the most trustworthy kind out there, and you’ll be hearing about these services directly from people you trust rather than reviews online.
That doesn’t mean third-party reviews should be discounted, though. Other medical professionals are leaving those reviews, meaning it’s invaluable for you and your entire decision-making process.
Easy to Work With
Is your technician easy to work with? Aside from transparency and reliability, you also need to get along with them. The best technician knows their work might end up saving a life, and they’re going to put pride in that fact. They work in high-stress environments and have rigorous work schedules just like you do, and that should be a point of connection for both of you.
If you end up meeting with a technician only to find they’re never on time, don’t communicate well, and leave you hanging whenever you need to contact them, forming a working relationship with that person is only going to be difficult.
You and your technician don’t need to be best friends, but you should both be able to work as a team on whatever services you need to be provided. Having an autonomous relationship that’s able to last for years to come is the number one thing you should look for before you make any hiring decisions.
Don’t Neglect Your Anesthesia Machines
Once you find a great anesthesia service, it’s best to stick with them. Having one company work on your anesthesia machine is a great way to avoid its maintenance falling into neglect. When you keep up with regular maintenance, you’re also going to end up saving money on potential repairs.
Luckily, we’re here to help. At Heartland Medical, we’re committed to giving the best service, no matter when it’s needed. Contact us today to get started.