While the COVID-19 pandemic has effectively disrupted most people’s plans for 2020, things appear to be settling down with a vaccine finally in sight. While the imaging field was no exception to the lockdown’s economic repercussions across the country, some facilities may have wiggle room in their capital budget that they’d like to maximize.
It may seem impossible to preserve this budget for 2021; it is still feasible to prepare for a larger project with the resources you’ve gained this year. Luckily, there are a few ways you can protect your budget while inching closer to your goals. Here are three steps to consider:
Start a Late-Year Imaging Project
Although it’s already December, you may be exploring the prospect of adding more equipment to your facility. Whether it’s buying more MRI parts or upgrading your CT or MRI systems, you’ll likely feel pressured to install them by December 31. While this isn’t the most logistically feasible option, you can instead split your equipment cost between this year and next year. That way, you can maximize your capital budget while preparing for 2021 without wasting any opportunities.
By planning as early as now, you can take care of some of the costs without exceeding your budget. You can also halve construction, installation, and transportation costs into more digestible sizes that fit within your budget.
Buy Equipment Now and Store It
Once you buy your equipment, you’ll want to store it in a warehouse in the meantime. That way, you can keep or reserve it until your budget resets in the new year, and you’ll have more money for logistics. With this arrangement, you’ll preserve the budget set for 2020 while providing more opportunities for 2021 since you’ll be creating room in that budget as well.
Another upside of buying your equipment and keeping it in a warehouse is that you’ll protect it from any mishaps or unfortunate accidents. Since you’ll tuck it away in a warehouse, it won’t be susceptible to any spills or damage that may occur while it’s in your facility, and you haven’t fully paid for it yet.
Hire a Warehouse Provider With a Project Management Team
If you like the idea of temporarily storing your equipment in a warehouse, then you’ll want to make sure the warehouse provider comes with a strong project management team. Doing so will ensure that someone is continuously monitoring your project and advancing it over a set period.
Having a project manager by your side will help you set a timeline, take care of installation by coordinating with trained field engineers, and even handle apps training for your technicians. With an expert managing your project, you’ll enjoy priceless peace of mind.
Conclusion
Maximizing your budget towards the tail-end of 2020 is no easy feat. Still, with a little creativity, you can create an opportunity for your facility to improve its equipment while taking advantage of your resources. With these three steps, you can entrust a dedicated project manager to oversee your late-year imaging project and ensure it goes smoothly.
DirectMed Parts is the leading source and supplier for medical imaging parts and services. We specialize in CT and MRI parts and coils, along with other specialized medical imaging equipment. Contact us today to find out how we can help your facility!
