Certification A Must For Refurbished Equipment

Healthcare facilities require a complete range of medical devices for diagnosis and treatment, the costs of which can run into thousands of dollars. Therefore, healthcare professionals are increasingly opting for the low cost alternative of refurbished equipment as it will cut costs and in turn, make medical services more affordable for the community.

There are scores of refurbished medical equipment providers and each one claims to employ a rigorous inspection and repair process to bring the machine back to manufacturer standards. However, with the patients’ wellbeing at risk, medical professionals need foolproof assurance that the say, Baxter infusion pump, Datascope spectrum patient monitor or Newport ventilator will perform as expected.

What if the device only looks like new but fails to work like one? What if you have to cancel tests, appointments or surgeries because of faulty equipment? What if the improper or unexpected functioning proves to be life-threatening or even fatal?

Certification to the rescue

Certification works as a guarantee that the decision to go the refurbished route will not backfire. It indicates –

• That the medical devices have been carefully selected and then restored to conditions that meet (or even exceed) the original equipment manufacturers’ specifications.
• That the worn parts have been replaced with original spare parts and that all components have been obtained from the manufacturers.
• That all inspections, repairs, replacements, recalibration, upgrades and testing has been carried out by professionally certified, skilled and experienced personnel. Many times, the technicians are factory trained and hold manufacturer certifications.
• That a rigorous quality control process is in place wherein the devices are subject to a battery of tests after the repairs to ensure that they perform on par with new equipment.
• That every step of the restoration process is clearly and thoroughly documented. Even the technical background, expertise and experience of the technicians is verified and recorded.

ISO standards are in place for the refurbished medical business and the DotMed certification is one of the leading worldwide accreditations. Refurbished medical equipment suppliers who meet the exalted requirements will proudly display the official recognition. This means that they not only scrupulously fulfill the rigorous standards but also abide by a firm code of ethics.

Yet, even new equipment is not always malfunction-free. For added peace of mind, the certified equipment is also backed by a solid warranty, generally on parts and labor. It follows that suppliers who do not provide comprehensive warranty coverage may not be confident of their refurbishment in the first place.

Therefore, certified refurbished medical devices are reliable and safe. For instance, a certified refurbished Baxter 6201 is sure to perform effectively and provide the same level of service as a new one so that you can save money without sacrificing on quality. And you will never regret the decision in the future.

The author is a medical practitioner and has fervent knowledge in this field. He has penned the article down to highlight facts about some medical devices and to guide you how to buy it online.