Upgrading your Veterinary Practice Equipment? How to Make Smart Decisions



There
is a simple business argument for upgrading conventional radiography and
imaging equipment to contemporary digital radiography and ultrasound systems.
Initial investment costs need to be considered in conjunction with ease of use,
increased ability to scan and charge for images, along with the return on
investment – in other words, how long will it take for a new system to pay for
itself?

Here
are some key points to arm your argument for equipment upgrading.

ROI on X-ray imaging systems
First,
let’s establish some essential factors when considering the return on
investment for digital radiography equipment. These include typically:

  • Quantity of images per week/month,
  • Cost per image billed/invoiced,
  • Capital investment and operational costs (maintenance, repairs,
    etc.).
Research
suggests that revenue generated from diagnostic imaging for a typical
veterinary practice should be around 8% to 12% of total revenue.

Obviously,
each new system varies in terms of technical specs, expected lifespan, and
operating costs. But by calculating revenue and costs for your existing system,
and for any proposed new digital radiography system, it allows you to project
the return on investment – and make a more informed and smarter decision with
regard to upgrading.

And
don’t forget that new digital systems will also free up time and storage space
in comparison to conventional wet processing systems. These are valuable
resources. You may be surprised to discover just how quickly a new system can
pay for itself – and then continue generating additional profits for your
practice.


Ultrasound scanning options for small animal veterinary
practices
Nowadays,
ultrasound scanners are both small and powerful. Don’t be fooled into thinking
the bigger the system the better it is. Just as laptops can be as powerful as a
desktop PC – today’s state of the art ultrasound scanners offer compact power,
and excellent portability for use within your practice. Also check for
ultrasound scanners which come preloaded with specific veterinary settings for
ease of use.

Digital radiography
The
majority of initial diagnosis work involving imaging processes is now conducted
by first-generation CR equipment; however, newer DR digital-based radiography
systems, such as those supplied by www.photon-imaging.com,
are quickly becoming even more popular due to the positive impact they have on
work flow within a practice, as such systems are able to produce images on
screen, ready for diagnosis within 5 seconds.

Protecting your investment
When
it comes to upgrading key equipment within your veterinary practice, there are
certain critical issues which should be carefully considered before arriving at
any final purchasing decision. These primarily relate to long term aspects of
the equipment and operational issues. Key questions to consider include a
supplier’s policy and provision for:
·        
Equipment failure/breakdown
·        
Customer service
·        
Availability of loan equipment
·        
Planned maintenance contracts
Regular
maintenance and servicing are key elements of protecting your investment and
should be investigated to make sure a supplier can meet your needs. These costs
should also be included in related equipment budgets.

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