Refurbished Medical Equipment

In recent years, a large aftermarket has emerged for medical devices and equipment that have been restored to safety and efficacy. The equipment is refurbished through a process of repairing worn and broken parts or replacing them with original parts, and updating software and electronics. Because no product specifications are altered during the refurbishment process, as for remanufactured products, refurbished products may be sold worldwide without obtaining special approvals. This has created a burgeoning international market in medical equipment and devices, distinct from the market in used—and unrestored—products, and remanufactured products.

The market is expanding at an annual rate of almost 8% annually. By 2017, annual sales of refurbished medical equipment are expected to reach almost $8.5 billion worldwide. Both OEM producers of medical devices and equipment and third party vendors are active in the market. Refurbished equipment is widely used in both developed countries and emerging economies, driven by pressure to contain healthcare costs and environmental concerns. An estimated one third of CT scanners in the US are refurbished.

The refurbishing process generally starts with inspection and de-installation at the site of the original equipment owner. The condition of the equipment is assessed and its performance history is reviewed. If the equipment meets the refurbishing company’s criteria, and if spare parts are available (and will remain available for at least a few more years), the equipment is de-installed by qualified technicians and shipped to a factory, in the case of OEM refurbishers, or to an engineering workshop.

At the factory or workshop, the equipment is fully disassembled, cleaned and disinfected. Parts are painted or their finishes are otherwise restored. All components are checked for wear and operability, and worn or nonfunctioning elements are replaced with original parts. All software and systems are updated. In many cases, systems will be customized to meet customer requirements. Finally, the equipment undergoes testing to ensure that it performs safely and accurately.

Once the restoration process is complete, the equipment is shipped to the purchaser’s site and installed. It undergoes an on-site testing process and, when necessary, safety certification. Some vendors provide training in the use of the new system. In most cases, refurbished equipment is sold under warranty and with a service contract.

An extremely wide range of medical equipment and devices are sold as refurbished, including diagnostic and imaging equipment, surgical equipment, monitoring devices and biotechnology instruments.

Refurbishing CT Scanners

Professionally refurbished CTs look and perform similarly to brand new devices. They offer medical centers and imaging centers of all sizes affordable solutions and outstanding value.
The performance, reliability and lifespan of a refurbished CT scanner depends on the condition of the scanner prior to refurbishing; the quality of replacement parts; the expertise of the technicians who work on it; and, finally, the thoroughness of the pre-sale testing process.

Tips For Buying Used Or Refurbished Medical Equipment

Medical Equipment

Healthcare providers are increasingly interested in buying used or refurbished medical equipment so that they can save money while not sacrificing quality care. There are many things to consider when purchasing used equipment. The equipment must meet the high standards of care in your practice. The vendor must be able to guarantee the same functionality as new equipment. Ask about warranty coverage and servicing. Another important consideration is if the product is safe for clinical use. Does the vendor have a good reputation? Customer service is extremely important, as you need a representative who will guarantee a smooth transaction. If purchasing the equipment online, make sure that your purchasing information, such as, credit card and account information is confidential and secure.

MedWOW Meets the Challenge: Worldwide Belt-Tightening Strengthens the Used Medical Equipment Market

The international financial crisis has caused hospitals, medical, dental and veterinary clinics and other healthcare facilities to find creative solutions to maintaining and upgrading their medical equipment and devices, while keeping within the confines of their dwindling budgetary constraints. MedWOW.com, the leading global online marketplace for new and used medical equipment, was created to assist facilities with the purchase and sales of everything ranging from one device to the entire inventory of a hospital.

The MedWOW team has found that the demand for used medical devices is increasing steadily as many organizations are interested in upgrading their equipment; while others are closing and are being forced to sell off their inventories. In all situations, MedWOW is committed to making the transition as comfortable and stress-free as possible. Upgrades are accomplished through buying used and refurbished high-end equipment such as MRI’s, CT scanners, ambulances and ultrasound machines. MedWOW has also found that dental and veterinary sales are increasing, as spending power is maximized by buying less expensive, pre-owned equipment in good condition. With no immediate change in the economy on the horizon, MedWOW is showing thousands of institutions that it is possible to purchase excellent equipment with just the deatures they require, at a fraction of the cost it would cost them to buy newer devices.

MedWOW's value-added services are available 24/7 to assist people in their selling and buying, without compromising on quality or buying unneeded features. Rather than spending unnecessary hours searching online classified ads for the wanted medical equipment, MedWOW does it for you: saving you valuable time and money. MedWOW's multilingual sales and marketing staff is constantly upgrading their services, based on the feedback received from their thousands of customers. MedWOW's catalog consists of over 150,000 items of pre-owned and new medical devices (including complete systems, parts, and accessories); giving medical institutions access to medical equipment and special deals they may have otherwise not known about. Additionally, MedWOW’s international existence empowers facilities to profit by selling their existing equipment to institutions from all over the world, where it is crucial to acquire reliable equipment and it is not readily available without MedWOW's intervention.

Find the True Market Value of Used Medical Equipment

If you have ever been interested in purchasing a used car, then you probably know how essential it is to check the market value for the specific vehicle model, in which you are interested. Since most people buy used cars due to economical considerations, it would be a rather uncalculated decision to go into a purchase blindly without having any background knowledge of market values. The same applies for the used medical equipment market. However, unlike the used car industry, market values in the used medical equipment industry are not so easily-accessible.

With the need for used medical equipment on the rise, there are endless options for medical institutions to choose from on the market. Although used equipment is a more cost-effective solution, health institutions must be clued-in with the price depreciation rates for every device that they are looking into, which can vary greatly from device to device and is not always very easily accessible. Nevertheless, the knowledge of such information is essential as it can prevent buyers from being overcharged by sellers, gives them greater negotiation leverage, and keeps their already limited capital free for other expenses.

MedWOW.com, a leading global marketplace for pre-owned medical equipment has realized the need that exists in the used medical equipment industry to have access to true market values. In response, the site recently launched its Market Value Calculator feature, which enables its users to find the high, low, and average prices of any used medical device, part or accessory.

The Market Value Calculator works by analyzing the pricing trends on the extensive selection of used medical equipment that is currently or was previously posted on MedWOW. Users can modify their searches based on item type (i.e. complete system, part or accessory), medical category, device, manufacturer, model, part name or number (for parts), and year manufactured.

The feature has its clear cut advantages for buyers, but also offers MeWOW’s sellers an upper hand - access to the true market value will reduce sellers’ chances of overpricing or undercharging for items that they post for sale on the site, ultimately increasing their chances of selling. Currently MedWOW is the only website in its class offering users this feature, which is available to the site’s registered members as well as browsing users.

View the Market Value Calculator

Medical Facilities Turn To Refurbished Medical Equipment for Cost Effective and Reliable Solutions

A common factor that all medical facilities share (regardless of their size, specialization, location, etc.) is their ongoing need to possess quality medical equipment. One might believe that medical institutions containing high-end equipment in their facilities may have likely invested a great deal of capital into those devices. However, this may not always be the case, especially if the facility went the refurbished route when selecting its medical equipment.

Refurbished medical equipment continues to be a popular choice for economically minded facilities that wish to replace or add to their existing medical equipment without sacrificing on quality. The price point of refurbished medical equipment can sometimes be in less than half of the price that the device would go for if purchased new.

Additionally, refurbished medical equipment can be in “like new“ condition, since experienced biomedical engineers perform the refurbishing process, and continuously test each device to ensure that it complies with manufacturer safety and performance standards.

In medical equipment terms, devices that have been refurbished may have undergone one or both of the following types of services: visual refurbishment and/or major parts replacement. A device that has been visually refurbished has been tested and is in fully functional condition, but has received a visual enhancement, such as a paintjob; whereas a device that has undergone a major parts replacement has been tested and is in fully functional condition due to an internal enhancement to the device - the system has had its major parts replaced, not necessarily with original parts.

MedWOW.com - a leading online marketplace for pre-owned medical equipment, assists facilities in finding and purchasing refurbished medical equipment. The site is designed to help facilities find the equipment that they require (which can often times be acquired at the fraction of cost that the device would sell for new) by exposing them to the thousands of items listed on the site by medical equipment sellers from all over the world.

In addition to providing medical facilities with access to refurbished medical equipment deals that they may have otherwise not had access to, MedWOW also provides services, which help ensure that the refurbished medical equipment being purchased through the site is in optimal condition. The site’s inspection service allows facilities to guarantee a device’s condition by enabling them to order from a variety of inspection services that can be preformed on a device prior to closing a deal with a seller.

MedWOW also offers facilities thousands of used medical equipment, parts & accessories, including items classified as: as is, remanufactured and never-used.


View Refurbished Medical Equipment posted on MedWOW.

Online Used Medical Equipment Auctions On the Rise

The used medical equipment industry has seen a significant shift into the ecommerce world as of late. With an increasing amount of used medical equipment buyers turning to online marketplaces to acquire equipment, sellers using these online distribution channels have recognized that giving buyers various options to purchase their equipment has a favorable impact on their sales.

While the traditional method of selling used medical equipment online is still very popular amongst many buyers, another large segment of buyers prefer purchasing equipment through online auctions.

The popularity of used medical equipment auctions has been on the rise due to the mutual advantages that they offer both buyers and sellers in the industry. Since auctions implement a bidding functionality into transactions, a win-win situation is established for sellers and buyers alike. By bidding, a buyer sets the price at which he/she is willing to purchase an item if he/she is the winning bidder at the auction’s closing. Similarly, sellers that post items on auction ultimately receive the highest possible true market value for their items, if their auction closes successfully.

Several online marketplaces offer sellers the ability to post used medical equipment auctions and sell their items to the highest bidder, however most of these sites charge a fee for this service. One specialized marketplace for buying and selling pre-owned medical equipment that recently eliminated their auction posting fee is MedWOW.com. Sellers can now post their used medical equipment for auction free of charge. According to MedWOW, this change was implemented to broaden the selling options for sellers.

The site also provides sellers with the option of posting a Purchase Now price on the items which they list on auction, enabling buyers to immediately purchase those items at the preset price, before the listed closing date of the auction.

View recently posted used medical equipment auctions on MedWOW.
About MedWOW
MedWOW.com is an innovative online marketplace specifically designed for used medical equipment professionals. The site connects buyers, sellers and service providers from around the world through unique online tools and features.
To learn more about MedWOW, please click here .

Contact:
Tel: + 357 22 022508
Fax: + 357 22 022509
Email: Service@MedWOW.com
http://www.MedWOW.com

Increase Your Used Medical Equipment Sales with Video Tours

The internet has been an excellent channel for used medical equipment sellers to expand their sales. Sellers in the industry often use online marketplaces to help showcase their inventory to buyers and expand their client base. While there are several ways that buyers can purchase used medical equipment online, websites with comprehensive details included in their listings generally have heightened popularity amongst buyers. Advanced features, such as video tours, can help bring an item’s listing to life, even if only virtually, buyers can really get a sense of the item by viewing a video tour of it.

MedWOW.com, a global marketplace for pre-owned medical equipment, has recognized buyers’ wishes to have comprehensive visual representations of items on the site, and have therefore released video tour capabilities that can be added to seller’s listings. One of the main reasons buyers turn to MedWOW is because of the comprehensive information included in item postings – the video capabilities take this edge to a whole new level.

MedWOW is encouraging its sellers to upload video clips whenever available, as this new video option provides them with upper hand that allows them to showcase their items to buyers. Postings with videos appear first on MedWOW’s search result pages, and therefore sellers that post items with video clips increase their exposure, views, and ultimately sales potential. Similarly, since postings with video clips can help answer buyers’ questions before they even ask them, sellers are more likely to receive requests from buyers that are ready to buy, as opposed to receiving general inquiries about the item’s physical condition.

About MedWOW
MedWOW.com is an innovative online marketplace specifically designed for used medical equipment professionals. The site connects buyers, sellers and service providers from around the world through unique online tools and features.To learn more about MedWOW, please click here.

Contact:
Tel: + 357 22 022508
Fax: + 357 22 022509
Email: Service@MedWOW.com
http://www.medwow.com/