No matter who the manufacturer is of your medical equipment, choosing the right technical support and service entity to assist you is critical. So is it better to go with the manufacturer's own service department or third party service offerings?

Just as an example, let's say you're a small to medium size medical facility with a Medivators Automatic Endoscope Reprocessor that's due for a service or repair. Who should you call, Medivators customer service or a 3^rd party service company?

That's a loaded question with a ton of things to consider if you're willing to consider it. The easiest and most obvious answer might not be the right one for your company as it really depends on your specific circumstances and the issue(s) with the machine itself. But we wanted to go over some options to consider before making this decision. 

Let's consider the obvious. "Medivators Technical Support"

The manufacturer's own service offerings are generally the recommended option for servicing AERs regardless of who the manufacturer is, right? How could you go wrong with that choice. After all, they were the entity who designed and manufactured the medical device in the first place. And for a period of time after releasing the device to medical facilities around the world the manufacturer had the advantage of being the only entity with any real-world experience with the new AERs even if it was just producing them. So, in this case it might make sense that just after the release of a new AER the manufacturer's technical support service may offer you an advantage over any 3^rd party technical support and service alternatives for maintenance and or repairs it would seem. 

What about AER part replacements?

Because the manufacturer sourced and or created the parts, they should be able to provide replacement parts at will. But with manufacturing demands high, this might not always be the case. Sometimes parts are spoken for with regards to assembly line production. And with the growing logistics issues with parts supplies locally and overseas this could be a variable as well.

Most of the large reputable manufacturers would probably set aside a strategic stock pile of replacement parts when launching new medical devices however as their reputation would depend on it. So maybe this isn't as big of an issue as it might seem. But with this being the case, those parts would also be available to any 3^rd party service technicians who might need them as well so it's not really clear that there is a huge advantage for the manufacturers service team with regards to availability of parts for replacements. 

What about AER technical expertise and knowledge?

So, the next question we might ask is does the manufacturer's service department have additional technical expertise and knowledge than a 3^rd party service department about repairs or maintenance of an AER?

The first fact to consider is that the manufacturer literally wrote the manual on how to do repairs and maintenance on the AER. And if you don't dig any deeper into this fact it might clinch the decision as how could anyone know more, or even the same about a product than the person or team that wrote the manual on it?

But consider this. The person or team that wrote the manual is probably not the person or team that will be servicing your machine. While this doesn't exclude the manufacturer's support department, it clearly doesn't mean the manufacturer's service techs are the obvious answer. The more obvious answer in this author's opinion would be to use the technician that is most qualified to do the job with regards to experience, intelligence, resources and overall technical ability. In our example circumstance, that might be the Medivators service tech or a third-party service tech. After all, a third-party technician would have access to the same Medivators service manual that the factory service tech will have access to. And both should be referencing it to make sure everything is in good working order and in alignment with the manufacturer's recommended procedures. 

What about certifications and regulatory requirements?

This is another area that is extremely important as well of course. Most, if not all medical equipment manufacturers offer certification and training programs. This would be the only way to train their own service technicians in their service department bringing them up to speed on how their new machines work and procedures for keeping them in good working order. But those same manufacturers typically offer those same certification and training programs to third-party service providers as well. So both 3^rd party and the manufacturer's service department teams might have equal training in this area.

But the 3^rd party service providers might have an advantage in this argument. Consider this. When it comes to training most 3^rd party support and service providers provide service for more than one medical device. This means that 3^rd party service technicians may actually have more training than the manufacturer's own service team members with a broader scope and understanding of AERs in general and the issues and problems that they face to keep them in good working order. Sometimes issues as well as "best practices" are not manufacturer specific. And having a broader knowledge due to additional training might bode well for your medical practice.

Another thing to consider with regards to regulatory requirements is location. The requirements can vary depending on the location and the equipment being serviced. So, it's important to make sure that whoever you choose to service, maintain or repair your Medivators Automatic Endoscope Reprocessor has the necessary certifications and comply with any applicable local regulatory requirements to ensure the safety and effectiveness of your medical equipment. 

What about the manufacturer's warranty?

If your equipment is still under warranty you will of course need to find out if having a 3^rd party service provider will in any way void your warranty. 

What about Quality of Service?

The quality of service at both the manufacturer and most reputable service centers can vary greatly of course. The good news is that quality of service can sometimes be shared and evaluated by using social media solutions like Yelp. This is especially true of 3^rd party service providers as typically if someone has a bad experience with a company those reviews are posted. And if a company has hundreds or thousands of legitimate 4-5 star reviews, typically those companies are reputable. It makes sense to take the time to read a number of reviews to see if there's a theme to make an informed decision. 

What about data security Risks?

Some medical devices store sensitive patient information. If that is the case with your device would want to ask the provider what practices are in place to reduce or eliminate the risk of a data breach or unauthorized access to your patient's private information. 

What about Downtime?

Downtime is a critical factor. You'll need to consider your specific repair or maintenance issue with this in mind and discuss it with the service facility you are considering. This is an area that might make your decision easier if one solution offers you loaner machine or have expedited service that is a better fit for your specific situation. 

The bottom line...