If opening a doctor's office or clinic, consider used and refurbished medical equipment to outfit your office. Many types of used medical equipment will serve your needs just as well as new equipment but for less cost. Suppliers of used and refurbished medical equipment thoroughly test equipment before they resell it, ensuring you get a good bargain.

You can find many types of used or refurbished equipment, including used hospital equipment, used surgical equipment and used medical devices. This equipment can provide electronic instruments, exam beds, stretchers, gurneys, anesthesia machines, monitors, defibrillators, surgical tables and many other items. Ensure you’re making the most of used and refurbished medical equipment by buying from a reliable used medical equipment supplier.

1. Consider specialized used medical equipment for your practice or clinic.

2. List the type of used hospital equipment needed to furnish your lobby, office and exam rooms.

3. Decide what type of used medical devices your office will need.

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Find specialized used medical equipment for your office

Large diagnostic equipment represents a major expense for a doctor's office. Surgical equipment can also consume a significant portion of the budget. Some vendors specialize in selling used and refurbished medical equipment of this type.

I recommend: Barrington Medical Imaging specializes in refurbished and rental imaging equipment, such as CT, MRI and PET scanners. This company carries scanners of various manufacturers such as GE and Siemens and performs meticulous tests to ensure their machines operate correctly. Root International specializes in selling used and refurbished anesthesia and respiratory equipment.

Outfit exam rooms with budget-friendly used medical equipment

A doctor's office or clinic will need certain furniture for exam rooms, x-ray rooms, office, waiting room or laboratory area. Suppliers of used and refurbished medical equipment stock such equipment such as exam tables, carts, stretchers and lamps.

I recommend: Aria Medical Equipment carries used hospital beds, as well as headboards, footboards and other hospital bed accessories in addition to stretchers, gurneys and operating room tables. MEC Used Anesthesia Machines & Surgical Equipment carries a variety of used surgical tablesMEC also stocks surgical lighting, patient beds and future.

Decide what basic used medical devices your office needs

All doctors' offices and clinics require certain types of medical devices. Some devices such as blood pressure cuffs, EKG machines, and scales show up in every office. If out-patient surgery occurs in your clinic, you may decide that used surgical equipment such as scalpels, surgical gowns, IV drips and other items can provide the same value as new equipment.

I recommend: Axcess Medical Equipment sells used and refurbished medical supplies such as defibrillators and patient monitors. Venture Medical ReQuip has used medical equipment for sale that provides huge savings on common equipment like EKG machines, stretchers, scales, autoclaves and x-ray viewers. Venture also sells refurbished medical devices such as patient monitors.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Unlike new equipment, a company may only have used and refurbished medical equipment models for a short time or in limited quantities. Don't wait too long to make your choice because the item you need could suddenly become unavailable.

Whether you are searching for a single item or need to outfit an entire medical center, used and refurbished medical equipment might be the answer you’re looking for. You can save anywhere from 40% to 60% depending on the medical equipment you need, and if you buy from reputable suppliers of used and refurbished medical devices, you won’t have to sacrifice quality, reliability or appearance. Savings from opting for used medical equipment can allow healthcare organizations to put their dollars to use in other areas.

Before launching into a search of used and refurbished medical equipment, consider the following:

1. Is the type of medical equipment you need available used or refurbished?
2. Is the used medical equipment supplier you’re considering reputable? Find testimonials or ask for references.
3. Get the most up-to-date equipment possible. Even though something has been professionally refurbished, you might as well get the newest model possible.

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Find used medical equipment for sale online

Some websites allow you to search for used and refurbished medical equipment from a variety of suppliers. This will help you compare prices as well as any 'extras' like free delivery and setup.

I recommend: At LabX, you search thousands of ads posted by top suppliers of used and refurbished medical equipment. AKW Medical allows you to sign up for periodic email updates of used medical equipment for sale in case there’s a specialized item you are having trouble finding.

Make a deal with manufacturers of used and refurbished medical equipment

Many suppliers of used and refurbished medical equipment are willing to purchase used medical equipment or make a trade for any new, used or refurbished medical supplies you need.

I recommend: Foremost Equipment has refurbished medical patient monitors among other medical equipment; you can also sell your under-used or obsolete equipment to them. Plaza Medical Inc., based in Denver, Colorado, not only offers new and used medical equipment but can also repair problematic medical equipment. They even accept trade-ins and purchase used hospital equipment outright as well.

Consider a used medical supplies consultant

If you're considering starting your own practice, you may want advice on how much to budget for medical equipment as well as how much used hospital equipment can save you.

I recommend: Venture Medical ReQuip, Inc. can provide strategies for implementing used and refurbished medical equipment in your healthcare center.

Cover all your bases before you buy used medical equipment

Evaluate the warranty from the used medical equipment supplier to ensure you have some sort of safety net in case the refurbished medical equipment malfunctions or is not what you were expecting.

I recommend: Ardus Medical offers a one-year warranty on any refurbished medical equipment purchased from its inventory, which includes defibrillators, infusion pumps and more.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Make sure all refurbished medical devices you purchase have been tested by staff trained in accordance to the manufacturer's specifications.
• •  Not comfortable with used or refurbished medical equipment? Consider leasing medical equipment as another cost-effective solution.

When outfitting a doctor’s office, medical facility or clinic, evaluate used and refurbished medical news and trends to determine if the medical equipment needed must be new or if used will provide the same benefit at a greatly reduced cost. Medical equipment represents a significant expenditure, so it makes sense to find used and refurbished medical equipment. Though the medical professionals in an office generally know the equipment they need, they may hire an office manager or other personnel to set up the office for them. These people need to stay up to date on used and refurbished medical equipment news and trends in order to purchase the correct equipment. Such buyers must study used and refurbished medical equipment news and trends to understand the products they review and what might provide the best deal.

1. Join professional organizations that stay abreast of matters related to medical equipment

2. Read magazines to find used and refurbished medical equipment news and trends

3. Look at other news sources that discuss medical equipment.

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Stay current on used medical equipment news

One of the biggest expenses for a medical office remains medical office furniture. Waiting and exam room furniture, imaging equipment, diagnostic equipment become your capital equipment. Find a reliable industry association to learn how you can save money in the used and refurbished medical equipment market.

I recommend: American Medical Resource Foundation refurbishes medical equipment and donates it to hospitals in need world-wide. Medical Equipment & Technology Association has professional members that service and support equipment in the health care industry. The association provides resources, events, networking and news on new and used medical equipment. International Association of Medical Equipment Remarketers and Servicers unites dealers, leasers and refurbishers of medical equipment. The organization works with the USFDA to ensure refurbished medical equipment remains a safe and reliable option for medical professionals.

Subscribe to publications with information on refurbished medical supplies

You can find used medical devices to supply your doctor's office with common medical instruments. Such instruments include the sphygmomanometer (blood pressure cuff), EKG machine, autoclave, microscopes and defibrillators. Online and print magazines and newsletters can assist you with making the best purchasing decision.

I recommend: MD Publishing puts out an online magazine and newsletter that joins buyers and sellers of used and refurbished medical equipment, and used hospital equipment. The company also publishes The Medical Dealer, OR Today and Buyer's Guide to assist the buyer in purchasing used medical devices. Medical Equipment Locator provides a forum for medical professionals to list used medical devices for sale.

Stay up to date on news sources of used and refurbished medical equipment

Some equipment can costs thousands of dollars for one machine, so buying refurbished medical devices from suppliers of used and refurbished medical equipment just makes sense. However, research reliability and availability of different used surgical equipment, refurbished medical patient monitors, as well as the reputations of any used medical equipment supplier before making a purchase.

I recommend: Recycle.Net provides a resource for medical professionals to recycle their old equipment for reuse. This site provides an excellent resource for used equipment, as well as providing a "green" service by keeping large equipment out of landfills. The National Spinal Cord Injury Association compiles a listing of links to sources of used medical equipment. In particular, the association has links for recycled wheelchairs and devices for permanent home use. Read about refurbished medical equipment news at DRE.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Find used medical equipment for sale from vendors on the Internet. Dozens of vendors sell a wide variety of used and refurbished equipment. Some specialize in furniture, while others specialize in instruments or imaging equipment. Some also offer rental or leasing options of used hospital equipment that can also save a great deal of money.

Used and refurbished medical equipment can save you or your business a lot of money. Whether purchased for home health, a medical office, or personal use, used and refurbished medical equipment can help improve health conditions and potentially save lives. Unless you are a medical professional, shopping and ordering these sorts of products can be intimidating if you are not familiar with the medical terminology. Understanding used and refurbished medical equipment key terms will allow you to purchase with confidence.

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Used

The term 'used' is usually synonymous with 'as is' where medical equipment is concerned. It means you are puchasing a product that has not been retouched or improved on in any way prior to the sale.

I recommend: Medical Equipment Finders includes many listings of equipment classified as "used."

FDA

The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) is the governmental organization that governs the manufacturing of medical equipment. Just because equipment is not brand new does not mean it is not subject to safety requirements. Used and refurbished medical equipment dealers are still subject to the rules and regulations stipulated by the FDA.

I recommend: Amber Diagnostics notes on its website that its inventory of used diagnostic equipment for sale is in full compliance with FDA laws.

Refurbishment processes

Certain types of medical equipment must undergo certain refurbishment processes. Each refurbishment process varies slightly according to the medical purpose the equipment serves.

I recommend: DRE is a company that refurbishes many different types of medical equipment. Their page includes links to better understand the exact process that different types of medical equipment undergo to be refurbished.

The International Association of Medical Equipment Remarketers and Servicers

The International Association of Medical Equipment Remarketers and Servicers (IAMERS) was founded in 1993. The mission of this group is to bring together used and refurbished medical equipment dealers across the globe.

I recommend: IAMERS' website is full of information about the used and refurbished medical equipment industry.

Pre-owned

else before it came to you. The pre-owned designation has no bearing on its condition, since the previous owner may have barely touched it or treated the equipment with great care.

I recommend: MedPro's inventory includes pre-owned medical equipment.

Refurbish

Fully refurbished used medical equipment has undergone a process to ensure the product looks and performs almost as well as it did when it was brand new. Regardless of the type of medical equipment being refurbished, all equipment is completely disassembled as part of the refurbishment process.

I recommend: The General Biomedical Service provides a brief summary paragraph of what is involved in medical equipment refurbishment