AME has been involved in the used and refurbished medical equipment industry for nearly twenty years. As time has progressed, we’ve come to understand and appreciate certain advantages and disadvantages that result from purchasing such equipment. As a company that prioritizes our customers above all else, this page is dedicated to you – to help expand your knowledge in an industry that we’ve been involved in for two decades.
Cost
One of the most obvious and valued aspects to acquiring refurbished or used medical equipment is the significant decrease in cost of the unit. A new popular ultrasound system, say the Philips HD 15, can cost on average $60,000. A used one, on the other hand, can be purchased for $25,000 – literally a fraction of the price. Many times, refurbished systems function “like new” and have only been used by a hospital or private diagnostician for a few months. Similarly, dealers and manufacturers will frequently purchase used medical equipment, wipe down just a few scratches or scuff marks, and re-sell the units. Neither diagnostician nor patient could tell the difference at that point, and the hospital or private practice had just saved upwards of $30,000.
Another advantage of purchasing refurbished equipment is that many times manufacturers cease to produce certain popular products. Philips, for example had the Epiq series replace the popular IU22 and IE33 ultrasound systems. Many beloved and popular systems are only available for purchase refurbished.
Servicing
The second primary advantage to investing in refurbished systems is that parts and accessories that may be necessary to replace and service the system are more easily accessible and economical. Instead of going directly to manufacturers like GE or Siemens for a new monitor, probe / transducer, hard drive, soft drive, or any other new part you may need – and finding out that the system is out of production or the part is for sale for an astronomical cost – have no fear! Refurbished parts and servicing, like the actual system, costs a fraction of the price and often is just as good. Again, reputation and experience matters, so be sure to ask around before buying from just anyone online.
Extended Warranties
Often times, dealers and even manufacturers are aware of the stigma that goes with purchasing used or refurbished equipment. To show good faith, and their absolute confidence in the equipment, they will frequently offer extended warranties that last significantly longer than those of new systems. These will last often approximately twelve months, but are known to extend as far as three or four years.
