Blog

When to Buy New Medical Equipment and Supplies: 4 Tips

Lab equipment

If you have a medical practice in Australia, there’s a lot to manage. But that can prove difficult if you don’t have all the right medical equipment that you need to run your practice. However, these pieces of equipment are often not cheap. And it can be tempting for you to ignore the need to buy more. But there are certain times when buying medical equipment is a necessity.

   1. Equipment unavailability

In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, Australia has struggled to maintain steady supplies of a chemical reagent that is needed for testing. And that brings to the fore the importance of having relevant lab equipment and other medical supplies that you need infrequently.

Be prepared for eventualities by having at least some equipment that you probably won’t use often. Even one piece is better than having none available. So, think about investing in medical equipment that you don’t have at all. When a pandemic occurs, you may be grateful that you bought it when you thought you did not need it.

   2. Equipment breakdown

Studies show that 70% of Australian patients want their healthcare providers to embrace digital tools and new technology. If you have medical equipment that breaks down constantly, it’ll need replacing and probably updating. There comes a time when it is counterproductive to keep on repairing old equipment to save money.

That could be a sign that you need to invest in new and advanced equipment that your patients would appreciate.

   3. Complaints from patients and staff

Doctors

Do you keep on hearing complaints from your patients and staff about the work that you do? Are the troublesome tasks caused by equipment breakdowns and failures?

If your employees are constantly complaining about the equipment they have to work with, listen to them. Otherwise, they may become disengaged and you will lose them to other medical businesses. Patients who are unhappy with the way you treat them may also leave. Their complaints may stem from issues such as long queues arising from slowly functioning equipment.

Pay close attention to what people say. Their unhappiness could be fixed by making simple changes that include buying new and more efficient equipment for testing and treatment.

   4. Your business is growing

If your medical practice is growing, you will need to expand. That may include getting more space and more employees to help you out. But medical equipment and supplies should also feature in your expansion plans. These will help ensure that the additional staff you bring in can work efficiently and quickly. There may be more staff to treat more patients but they may not be able to share or wait for the equipment.

The need for additional lab equipment or other kinds of medical equipment and supplies is not always a bad thing. It can help you grow your business or provide access to technological advances that patients want to see. So, if you realise that you need to invest more money in these things, take the plunge and make the investment.

About the Author

Scroll to Top