United Medical Instruments - Diagnostic Ultrasound Blog!

As physicians struggle with the need to diversify patient services while managing their cash flow, one company has implemented an innovative program to help customers demo ultrasound equipment, online, before committing to a major purchase – a program which has increased customer satisfaction by ensuring the ultrasound machine meets their needs.  Providing customers with ultrasound system demonstrations is not a new concept, all the large manufacturers like Siemens, Toshiba, and SonoSite typically go on-site to customer offices’ or hospital departments to demonstrate the equipment prior to purchase. Demoing a system is a great opportunity for customers to engage with a clinical person to ensure the ultrasound machine is going to meet their expectations: See image quality, verify software features for their clinical exams, and ask questions to a clinical expert. In these economic times, a private physician cannot risk spending thousands of dollars on capital equipment and have it not meet his or her needs.

United Medical Instruments, Inc. is a multi-vendor ultrasound reseller, selling both new and used ultrasound equipment, and now they offer its customers a new program to evaluate systems prior to purchase. It’s called UMI Interactive™ and it’s the first program of its kind where physicians and sonographers can evaluate ultrasound equipment prior to purchase.

Purchasing new or used ultrasound machines from a reputable ultrasound reseller is a good solution for those working with a budget. But on the flip side, there isn’t enough money built into these transactions to allow for onsite ultrasound system demonstrations. But with the UMI Interactive™, customers have the ability to schedule a convenient demo time and work directly with one of the registered staff sonographers to participate in live scanning and verify the system features and image quality meet their requirements.

To learn more about this program and schedule an online demo, click here. Explore United Medical Instruments, Inc. by visiting their website.

As the industry for compact ultrasound systems continues to grow, physicians who want to purchase their first ultrasound or trade out a bulky cart-based unit for a laptop sized one, have plenty of options.  Although buying new has its rewards, such as a 5 year warranty from SonoSite, this is a recession after all, and many people, physicians included, are on a budget.  According to imaging trend watcher Harvey Klein, PhD, with Klein Biomedical Consultants, "The compact ultrasound market continues to be the largest segment of the overall ultrasound market in the U.S."  Just like buying a used car, there are risks, but here are 4 tips to buying refurbished or used ultrasound equipment to help you mitigate potential issues during your buying process:

1. Commitment to Quality

What is their process for repair and warranty work?  What is their process for refurbishing the ultrasound equipment? Whether it's just an additional transducer you need or a fully loaded laptop ultrasound system, do they just paint the nicks and send it out the door or is there a comprehensive checklist including safety points that are reviewed?

2. Scope of Resources

How many people work at the company, is it a broker working from his house?  Or will you receive post sale support in the form of onsite training, continued lifetime online training for new staff?  Do they repair the equipment in-house or source it to another company?

3. Price

This is a tricky area and one where you need to make SURE you are comparing apples to apples, not an apple to a grape.  If it seems too good to be true, guess what?  It is!  Make sure you have a quote that details which features are enabled on the system you are going to purchase and that if you have requested a linear transducer for vascular access you are looking at two identical descriptions - there are multiple linear probes from SonoSite for example and they are different.

4. References/Reputation/Relationships

This is either an area you can start with, asking colleagues for references, or end with.... check the website, are there testimonials from past customers?  Can you talk with a customer about their experience?  Online resources such as Dotmed.com post feedback about resellers, be educated about who you are working with.

Get on board and join the millions of physicians who are using portable ultrasound for applications ranging from vascular to MSK to Family Practice.

Get the facts today about buying used or refurbished ultrasound machines - download our Guide today!