Used CT Equipment

In recent years, sales of used and refurbished CT equipment have increased steeply throughout the world. Historically, used and refurbished imaging equipment was purchased by medical facilities in third world countries and rural areas. In the mid-1990’s, with managed care perceived as a likely response to spiraling medical costs, demand increased in US urban areas as well as large US hospital chains began opting for used CT equipment.

A limited amount of relatively new CT equipment becomes available as top tier medical centers replace equipment in an effort to maintain a technology advantage over competitive health care facilities, and in order to provide physician-researchers with the cutting edge technology that they need to conduct novel studies. Larger quantities of used CT equipment has become available as medical centers and free-standing imaging centers have been shuttered or downscaled as a result of the economic downturn. Equipment from these centers is sold to raise funds for debt settlement and refurbished for resale.

On the demand side, medical centers in the US as well as around the world are seeking ways to maximize return on their medical equipment budgets. With used CT equipment generally available at half the cost of similar new equipment, purchasing used CT equipment is an ideal way to reduce the cost of providing important diagnostic services. The cost of a new CT can exceed a million dollars, while refurbished equipment may be sold for less than half the original price.

Used CT equipment is refurbished and offered for sale by major CT manufacturers such as GE and Siemens. A number of engineering service companies also refurbish the equipment for resale.

Equipment that is to be resold is inspected at the original site and de-installed. All performance records are examined for evidence of malfunctions. Only CTs for which replacement parts are available—and will continue to be available—are refurbished.

Once a CT has been determined to meet established criteria, it is shipped to a factory or workshop, where the used CT equipment is disassembled and thoroughly cleaned. Painted parts are touched up or repainted. Broken or worn parts are replaced with original replacement parts. System software is checked for bugs and updated to the most recent versions. Systems may be customized. Used CT equipment is tested thoroughly for safety and performance before being shipped to the purchaser’s site for installation.

High Field MRI

High field MRI’s use powerful magnetic fields to quickly generate extremely high-resolution images. Because high field MRI’s also scan very quickly, they are excellent for visualizing physiological processes in addition to structural tissue.

Early MRI’s were based on 0.35 and 0.5 Tesla magnets, which were quickly replaced by 1.5 Tesla magnets by the late 1980’s. Higher power magnets yield relatively lower signal-to-noise ratio, which in turn can translate into higher resolution imaging and/or reduced imaging time. By the 1990’s, advances in producing homogeneous magnetic fields and robust signal reception radiofrequency arrays, as well as mechanisms and procedures to ensure patient safety, led to the introduction of high field MRI’s based on 3.0 Tesla magnets, which offered significant improvements in image resolution. Ultra-high field MRI’s are now being introduced which use magnets of up to 7.0 Tesla.

Significantly, high field MRI facilitate new functional MRI techniques which use blood-oxygen level contrast, angiography and other techniques to map muscle oxygenation and muscle function. Ultra-high field MRI also has relatively greater sensitivity to low-gamma nuclei, enabling assessment of sodium physiology and phosphorus metabolites.

Ultra-high field MRI enables studies of human joints such as knees and wrists, since it produces high resolution images of cartilage, which cannot be imaged by conventional MRI due to its small size. Evaluation of joints is further enhanced by ultra-high field MRI’s ability to evaluate cartilage biochemistry via sodium MRI and gadolinium-enhanced MRI. Bone micro-architecture studies also generate metrics for structural alterations associated with bone disorders such as osteoporosis. Sodium MRI supports physiological assessment of muscle as well by providing information about the sodium-potassium pump and ion balance.

High field and ultra-high field MRI offer great promise in the field of brain imaging. A 3.0 Tesla MRI’s provide spatial resolution as low as 200 µm, enabling imaging of blood flow within the vessels of the brain. At 7.0 Tesla, resolution of 50 µm may allow detection of senile plaques such as those associated with early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. At very high magnetic fields, MRI’s could be used to detect biochemical reactions as well as very small lesions, facilitating diagnosis and early treatment of early stage cancers, myocardial infarctions, diabetes and other metabolic disorders.

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.

CT Scanner Parts

A CT scanner is a complex device that obtains large numbers of X-ray images from every point around numerous “slices” of a patient’s body. Complex algorithms are used to integrate the numerous images from the different vantage points into complete cross-sectional images of the patient’s body.

Buying and Selling Used Medical Equipment on the Web

In recent years, selling used and refurbished medical equipment online has become a growth industry. Previously, used equipment was either simply discarded or purchased by major equipment manufacturers as a service to customers, or to encourage them to upgrade or switch

The Importance of Forced-Air Warming Devices

What Does a Forced-Air Warming Device Do?

A forced air warming system is a medical electrical device used to help keep patients warm during anesthesia and surgery. The forced air warming unit is made up of a reusable controller and disposable, single-use blankets.

A forced air warming system comprises a controller plus a compatible disposable blanket. The controller contains the following components:

• Electric motor and fan
• Electric heating element
• Thermostats
• Air filter
• Hose

In operation the fan draws in air through the filter and the heating element heats it to a selected temperature, controlled by the thermostats. Heated air travels through the hose to the blanket, which connects to the hose nozzle.

The blanket is double layered and inflates in operation. The patient contact surface is permeable to air and the warm air exits the blanket and moves over the patient's skin and transfers heat to the patient by convection.

The most significant operational factors relate to the single use blankets. It is essential that the blankets are compatible with the controller and the range of blankets available for the controller is an important factor in the purchasing decision.

The blankets are bulky and require storage space.

Unplanned hypothermia (a core temperature of less than 36 degrees C) can negatively impact patients in many ways. Even mild hypothermia may contribute to complications such as: surgical site infection, altered drug metabolism, impaired blood clotting, cardiovascular ischemia, prolonged recovery following surgery and shivering.

It is maintained by many professionals in the field that active patient warming is associated with normalizing patient temperature. The literature supports the use of forced air warming devices for normalizing patient temperature and reducing shivering. In addition, the literature suggests that forced-air warming is associated with reduced time in recovery. Also, it is agreed that both the perioperative maintenance of normothermia and the use of forced-air warming reduce shivering and improve patient comfort and satisfaction. It is recommended that normothermia should be a goal during emergence and recovery, and that when available, forced-air warming systems should be used for treating hypothermia.

The Risks of Hypothermia

Inadvertent perioperative hypothermia is a common and preventable complication of surgery. Inadvertent perioperative hypothermia is defined when the core body temperature is drops below 36⁰C and is associated with poor outcomes for patients.

The possible consequences of hypothermia are:

• Increased risk of wound infection
• Increased perioperative blood loss
• Longer post-anesthetic recovery
• Postoperative shivering and thermal discomfort
• Morbid cardiac events including arrhythmia
• Altered drug metabolism
• Increased risk of pressure sores
• Reduced patient satisfaction with the surgical experience
• Longer hospital stay

Preventing Hypothermia Using Forced-Air Warming

Prevention of hypothermia requires the use of simple measures, such as warm clothing, use of a duvet (comforter) or blankets preoperatively and active warming of the patient and intravenous fluids, especially in the operating room. A range of active patient warming devices have been designed for use in the perioperative and critical care environment, including: electric blankets, heated fluid filled mattresses, radiant warmers and forced air warming devices.

The cost of disposable blankets is the most significant cost of forced air warming and purchasers should make use of bulk purchasing arrangements in order to benefit from volume discounts.

Where to Find Forced Air-Warming Devices

MedWOW offers a comprehensive selection of new, used and refurbished Forced Air-Warming Systems from a multiplicity of manufacturers and distributors throughout the world. As the main global eCommerce platform for all kinds of medical equipment, MedWOW features a comprehensive searchable catalogue that allows you to filter for make, manufacturer, continent, condition, price range, seller’s business type, heating intensity, size and uses when looking for the forced Air-warming device best-suited to your particular medical facility.

Currently MedWOW features Forced Air-Warming Systems from the following manufacturers:

Augustine Medical, Cincinnati Sub-zero, Gaymar Industries, Gibek, Kan Med, Mallinckrodt Puritan, Stihler Electronic and The Surgical Company.

If you don’t find the specific Forced Air Warmer you are looking for, you can post a free buying request which typically will bring you a number of competitive quotes from MedWOW’s global distributors.

Buying and Selling Brand New Medical Equipment Online

In today’s competitive market, sellers of brand new medical equipment often need to diversify into various marketing channels to get optimal exposure for their brands and items. These sellers cannot simply rely on corporate websites, or traditional advertising vehicles to increase sales. While these vehicles are an excellent way of reinforcing brand presence and awareness, often a more proactive approach is necessary when it comes to increasing the sales of brand new medical equipment.

One effective method to boost sales is targeting consumers while they are already shopping. In today’s day and age, many consumers have gone online for their medical equipment needs, particularly to ecommerce marketplaces. The reason for this shift is due to the simplicity and accessibility that these online marketplaces offer to consumers that are in the medical equipment market. Similarly, unlike offline vendors, ecommerce marketplaces typically offer a wide range of options by operating “one-stop-shop” platforms that are convenient for buyers and sellers alike.

MedWOW.com, a global online marketplace for medical equipment, has recently seen an increasing demand for a platform that would enable the buying and selling of Brand New Medical Equipment. In response to this overwhelming demand, the site - which until a short time ago was only geared at the pre-owned medical equipment market, recently launched the capability of listing brand new medical equipment.

Brand new listings are posted using MedWOW’s sophisticated search engine and large medical equipment catalog, with over 30,000 devices (Increasing daily). These listings appear over a different background and border color, which make them stand out from other listings on the site. Additionally, each brand new item listing contains the seller’s logo, company name, contact details, and link to the item’s page on the seller’s website.

This new addition offers companies selling brand new medical equipment the opportunity to expand sales to international markets, since MedWOW is completely multilingual in 5 international languages: English, French, Spanish, Russian, and Arabic.

Learn more about Posting Brand New Medical Equipment on MedWOW

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.

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.

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