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How To Successfully Plan An Imaging Equipment Upgrade

Feb 15, 2021 | How Tos, General Imaging

Purchasing or upgrading a major piece of imaging equipment entails careful planning. It’s an investment that improves operational efficiency, allowing your medical facility to maximize profitability and boost patient care and satisfaction. While incredibly rewarding, the process of upgrading your imaging equipment can be difficult to do. 

You’ll likely be riddled with various pitfalls, making it crucial to plan your upgrade well. A well-executed imaging upgrade allows you to not just avoid these stumbling blocks, but save on costs, time, and operational disruptions. Done poorly, however, you risk not only lives, but profit failure and employee frustration.

From everything gathered, we can safely deduce that imaging equipment upgrades have so much at stake. How can one successfully reduce costs? Consider following the necessary steps below:

 

1 – Plan your transition well

Planning a major equipment upgrade entails more than just your machines—you’ll need to take a look into various factors in place. It affects your facility as a whole, from construction and engineering, down to safety and patient flows. You’ll want to make sure that your processes remain clear and in operation, and this can only be through a seamless transition.

You’ll also need to finalize the type of equipment you need to install, as it is crucial to the entire planning process. Any requirements must also be determined, especially when new systems and structural requirements need to be considered. 

 

2 – Assemble the right team

Your upgrade planning requires the right people, meaning that you will need to assemble the right crew to ease the transition and mitigate potential challenges. Make sure to consult properly with the affected departments, especially safety officers. 

Planning activities around the upgrade process is also crucial—you wouldn’t want to be caught in a fire drill during the process, much less ocular visits from other physicians. You’ll also want to address leaders and the possibility of changing protocol, medical procedures, and costs.

 

3 – Do not overlook the importance of workflow planning 

You’re getting an imaging upgrade for a reason—to improve processes, productivity, and overall patient care. Seeing as your medical facility will always be graded based on the quality of your service, you’ll want to create better workflow management, as this will help you improve the overall quality of your imaging department. A new machine doesn’t always guarantee better patient service, after all.

 

4 – Pay close attention to budgeting needs

Imaging machines are undeniably expensive, and you’ll want to ensure that you have the right budget for your hospital needs. For this reason, you’ll need a reliable and accurate cost estimate, paving the way for a workable budget for upgrading. 

Make sure that your budget also addresses other areas of the process, which goes beyond the machine—including the installation, construction, configuration, and even maintenance. Developing a stringent cost control plan is also vital to your overall success, safely guarding you against unexpected costs. 

 

Enlist The Help Of An Imaging Expert 

When it comes to handling patient lives, you’ll always want to invest in the best. This includes services provided by the imaging department, particularly when it comes to switching to new machines. Given the costs involved, it’s only important that you plan things accordingly—and to the best of your ability.

If you wish to purchase new equipment or simply wish to get better CT or MRI parts, allow DirectMed Parts to help. We offer you the best possible solutions for your imaging needs, ensuring that you have access to not only quality medical imaging equipment but unparalleled service. Reach out to us today to learn more. 

 

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