Service Calls For Out Of Warranty Instrumentation

Eventually, every piece of medical equipment needs servicing. If the equipment is under warranty, most service issues are clearly spelled out for you. But what do you do if the equipment is out of warranty? As with many pieces of equipment, the first consideration is where you got the machine. There are two different approaches whether or not you purchased the machine from a vendor or non-vendor source.

Most vendors have a professional association with the various manufacturers. It is not exactly the same relationship as between an auto dealership and an a auto manufacturer, but there are important similarities. As with a car, an associated medical vendor has a pipeline to the newest service options, and a good vendor will contact you with these options long before the expiration of the warranty. These options may cost you an additional fee, but they will save you a great deal in both down time and repair costs.

The vendor may also offer you a replacement machine instead of an warranty extension. Don’t discount this offer, but don’t immediately jump at it either. Look at the supply and maintenance costs to see if which would be more economical, the new machine or keeping the old model operational. Review the repair logs, and look for an increase in the number of calls, or a repetition in the reason for the calls. In either case, retiring the old machine may be a better option in the long run. These types of warranty negotiations are a perfect time to address this with your vendor.

If your medical equipment was purchased used, you are not out of options. If you haven’t already, contact the manufacturer of your instrument. They will be glad to tell you about the service options they offer for used medical equipment. Then you can begin negotiations as you would for a new machine.

Now, if you run into a dead end from the manufacturer, and the option of a new instrument is beyond you right now, it’s time to talk to your technicians and become creative. Assess what is exactly wrong. If it is a catastrophic failure, it may be time to retire the old machine. But if the quality of the results has not been greatly compromised, or there is a way to work with the problem, then you might be able to let the old machine continue on. You should institute a monitoring program with complete documentation, of course, but the old work horse may be able to give you a bit more service before she is put out to pasture.

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