Facts About Renting Medical Equipment

By Lila Bryant


The practice of medical service requires investment in some of the most sophisticated and rather expensive machines. The individuals and organizations that specialize in this field need the latest tools if they are to realize the best impact, particularly on their patients. Nevertheless, obtaining medical implements is a rather daunting task due to the high costs involved. Also, the tools are often rendered obsolete sooner than expected. It is because of this that many health facilities have resorted to renting medical equipment.

When it comes to renting, there are varieties of implements that can be accessed fairly and under favorable terms. Such include, but not limited to surgery implements, EMR software, X-ray and ultrasound machines, MRI machines, computers, imaging and diagnostic machines and surgery tables. Before renting, remember to consider some important insights, as outlined below.

To begin with, it is important to first of all carry out a lease vs. Buy analysis. The analysis enables you to be sure that you are engaging in the best financial decision. The process entails comparing the item prices across different major manufacturers, against lease quotes obtained from numerous medical tools leasing companies.

A good supply of information is important for a complete financial analysis. You should therefore access the most vital and pertinent financial information before embarking on the analysis. The data will be helpful in assessing the feasibility of the particular project, which can only be arrived at by estimating the cash flow of the investment. The incremental cash flow denotes the additional expenses and revenues accruing from the project. It is from this cash flow that one can know how a particular project will better the performance of the business, which is contrary to a rather unidirectional approach as to whether a particular project will generate profit on its own.

Although many businesses usually stop here, this should not be the case. You should further evaluate the data with other such analyses as break even, payback value and net present value. The long term and short term implications of a given investment can only be evidenced through this evaluation, including the payback period.

While comparing a buy versus rent decision, you should put in mind that the rate of the lease, is determined by some other factors, some within while others beyond your control. An example of a controllable factor is the rental period. Consider the duration of rent and the financial implication associated.

Before renting, one should also consider the frequency of service (repair) and the type of the lease (capital or operating lease). For maintenance, consider the service schedule; the number of times and how convenient it is. Does it allow on-site servicing or must it be taken in for repair? Capital leases (with capital allowances and residual ownership) are more expensive compared to operating leases (are pure rental agreements).

The decision to buy or rent a medical appliance depends on determining which of the two choices is more beneficial especially for your practice. The best investment is one that fits well with your overall business plan and is quite promising compared to other investment opportunities, both on the short run and the long run.




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