September 9, 2015 — Ninety-six percent of clinics and hospitals in the United States that have purchased used or refurbished medical equipment have had neutral-to-positive experiences with the purchase, according to a new survey.
A total of 63 percent of all facilities surveyed in August by Radiation Oncology Systems had purchased used or refurbished equipment in the past.
“We found the survey results very surprising,” stated Jonathan Dixon, senior marketing analyst. “We were pleased to find the responses so positive. Clearly, the vast majority of those buying and utilizing used and refurbished equipment don’t have negative experiences.”
Responses were tabulated from a combination of large hospitals, smaller hospitals, freestanding clinics and veterinary practices. Almost 50 percent of respondents indicated that their centers were likely to purchase at least one used or refurbished system within two years. Equipment discussed included magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems, X-ray systems, computed tomography (CT) scanners and linear accelerators used in radiation therapy.
Most respondents indicated that they purchased used or refurbished equipment due to budgetary constraints, with more than 40 percent citing a deal “too good to pass up.”
Of the different types of equipment, refurbished and used MRI systems were noted as the most likely to be purchased.
“Overall, this is encouraging news for both the healthcare and medical equipment industries,” said Ryan Schock, Radiology Oncology Systems’ VP of imaging equipment. “As the healthcare industry continues to focus on cost-cutting measures, lightly used and refurbished equipment that sells for significant discounts will be preferred over new machines.”
For more information: www.oncologysystems.com