Buying a refurbished endoscope or AER (Automated Endoscope Reprocessor) both come with similar pros and cons to consider. We thought we'd go over a few of these considerations to help you to make an informed decision when shopping for either.

Cost Savings: Refurbished endoscopes and refurbished AERs almost always cost less that buying brand new ones. These savings can make a huge difference with respect to your medical equipment budget of course. But cost is not the only consideration you have to deal with.

Environmental Impact: While environmental impact may have been found a little lower on the list just a few years ago, it's becoming a much bigger consideration. Refurbished medical equipment including AERs and endoscopes can be much more environmentally friendly. By refurbishing and bringing these units back within the manufacturer's recommended specifications the lifespan is thereby increased. This reduces manufacturing, packing and electronic wastes amongst others.

Quality: Finding a seller of refurbished equipment who's reputation is impeccable is critical. These sellers go the extra mile performing rigorous testing to find anything that is wrong with the units. All repairs are handled based on the manufacturers specific recommendations and the quality control is in place to make sure that all of these repairs were completed and the endoscope or AER meets industry standards completely.

Warranty: The warranty and or service agreement offered by the selling entity will be extremely important to consider as well. You want to make sure the seller is reputable, has been in business for a long time and will be there when you need them. Our suggestion is to do your research in advance with regards to customer reviews etc. making sure that the company is ready and willing to support the units they sell.

While the prior considerations were all reasons that might lean towards supporting the purchase of a refurbished unit there are of course "cons" to consider as well.

Availability: Finding high-quality refurbished endoscopes and AERs is not easy. Even on the MedService Repair web site there is very limited availability. But I'd suggest reaching out to us and talking it through. Because we've done so many repairs and have relationships with so many medical offices we might be able help you find exactly what you are looking for or suggest a solution that will meet your exact needs.

Equipment Lifespan: Even the best refurbished medical equipment will arguably have a shorter lifespan than a new unit. While this might sound like we're attempting to talk you out of buying refurbished, that would be far from the truth. The truth is that because the cost savings is often so high the shortened life span may not matter at all. Medical equipment budgets matter when it comes to staying in business. So when two machines do the exact the same thing and one cost half as much as the other it's hard to justify spending twice as much.

Long-Term or Short-Term: Another topic to consider is how long you intend to use the equipment. Sometimes this is not an easy answer. But other times it is. For instance, if you know a newer model is about to be released that offers more features and new technology that the older unit doesn't have it might make sense to by a refurbished unit to hold you over until the new one is released by the manufacturer. There are so many different scenarios that you might consider in this regard that there's no way we could list them all here. But take some time and discuss this topic with the right people in your organization to make sure you're in alignment with regards to a long-term need or a short-term need.

Cost of Ownership: Don't just consider the upfront cost of the refurbished equipment. Consider the ongoing maintenance and the full cost of operating it. In most cases the maintenance costs might be similar, but if there's specific extremely expensive parts that have to be replaced after a certain number of hours or repairs that the unit might be due for in the near future this might be an expense that throws the cost of ownership higher than you expected.

Refurbishing Process: It's pretty important to ask about the refurbishing processes and testing that the refurbished unit has gone through. Along with a few other questions that outlined below:

• Ask about what industry standards the equipment refurbishing is subject to. These processes must adhere to applicable regulatory compliances in your region.
• Ask about the age of the refurbished endoscope or AER.
• Ask about any expensive replacement parts or repairs that the unit may be due for in the near future.
• Ask about any usage history that the refurbishing entity might have on the unit itself. This might help support a higher price if it wasn't used much or make a good argument for a price reduction due to it being used a great deal.
• Ask about the Return Policy. If you're buying from a reputable refurbishing company the odds of having to return a unit is slim. But it makes sense to find out about their return policies just in case.

The last thing to do is to talk with colleagues or other medical professionals in your specific area of medicine. It's amazing that so few individuals will take the time to call a colleague or competitor about these large purchases. Often, people love to share their experiences, good or bad, about working with specific entities or specific equipment. Even if your colleague bought the equipment new it's valuable information because if they were extremely happy with a new unit, the odds of you being happy with a refurbished unit is just as likely.

Buying a refurbished AER or refurbished endoscope can make great financial sense! But take the time to do your research. We're always happy to discuss your specific needs and situation with you. We can often help with solutions you may have not considered. Give us a call today at the number listed below.