by
Nancy Ryerson, Staff Writer | August 01, 2013
From the August 2013 issue of HealthCare Business News magazine
When your equipment breaks down, getting the right part and getting it fast is crucial – but choosing the wrong parts provider can prove disastrous. Experts shared their tips on how to save money without sacrificing quality, and red flags to look out for if you’re dealing with a parts provider you don’t already know.
Know your source
“A lot of the people who sell parts are just brokers. They don’t really have the parts in stock – they just find them for you,” says David Denholtz, CEO of Integrity Medical Systems, Inc. “A lot of times, you’ll pay more if you use a broker versus using someone who has the part and knows where it is.”
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“Check on longevity in the market, and the amount of time they have been involved in the particular modality and with the OEM that you are dealing with,” recommends Daniel “Skip” Person, Customer Service Manager, C&G Technologies, Inc. “Ask a lot of questions if the vendor is new to your experience, warranties, terms, references and so forth.”
Talk the talk
“I would say the most important advice I could give is to see how people term what they’re selling as far as used, refurbished or tested,” says David Trask, director of equipment and sales, First Call Parts. “I would ask them to compare apples to apples — was the system tested at the provider’s facility, or was the room tested before they de-installed? If it’s refurbished, what did they do to it?”
“It’s key to understand what quality controls a facility has. I think certification goes a long way towards demonstrating that quality control. It communicates the level of quality that a parts company has,” says Jason Crawford, President, Block Imaging Parts and Service, Inc.
Red flags
“If I ordered a part from someone, and it was in a used box, and was cosmetically not in great shape, it’s not a good sign. It might work, but when a hospital looks at it, they want to feel confident it’s been checked,” says Denholtz
“If a vendor takes a long time to get back with you or insists that you pay without satisfactorily answering all of your concerns or providing pictures or even credentials be wary. Sketchy behaviors abound in the medical parts business so obviously you want to trust your instincts like you would with any purchase.” says Person.
