Frequently Asked Questions
Here you’ll find answers to frequently asked questions. If you have other questions or didn’t find the answer you were searching for, please do not hesitate to contact us directly here or via e-mail.
Who’s who?
Where to sell used medical equipment?
At FlexRay Medical we sell pre-owned diagnostic equipment almost anywhere in the World. Depending on modality and brand-typical markets would be Africa, Eastern Europe, Middle-East and South-East Asia. Very high-end systems sometimes also find a new home in the USA.
Why choose FlexRay Medical ApS?
FlexRay Medical management consists of people with a lifetime of experience in this field and an impeccable reputation with happy clients across the Globe. Also, we conduct thorough quality control to all our equipment prior to deinstall.
Who uses used imaging equipment?
A typical buyer of a used or refurbished piece of medical equipment is a small/medium sized clinic/hospital. A site which needs a cost-effective workhorse system to “get the job done”.
Who sells used medical equipment?
Dealers, brokers, wholesalers, independent service companies, OEMs etc. Just make sure whomever you buy from actually owns the equipment they are offering. “Brokering” without owning the equipment, is, unfortunately, a common thing in the used medical industry.
Why used medical equipment?
Why buy used medical equipment?
From FlexRay Medical you get a system which is well maintained and fully tested before de-installation from a European hospital. You get high-quality equipment at a fraction of the cost of a similar new system. You will have a great return on investment.
Benefits of buying used medical equipment
Proven excellence. Yesterdays “state of the art” at a fraction of its original cost. Together with the right supplier, your ROI will be mindblowing.
Things to consider when buying used medical equipment
There’s a LOT to consider. First of all, make sure you trust the person from whom you are buying. Secondly find out what you need to have, not what you would like to have. For instance, you might want to buy a 128-slice CT, but for the studies, you will be doing a 16 or 64 is more than enough.
- Clinical needs vs. budget restraints
- Overall lifetime costs and maintenance of the system
- Environment for installation of the equipment (room size, power supply, cooling etc.)
What is the difference between used and refurbished medical equipment?
This is a never-ending discussion and the jury stays out on this one till the end of days. A USED system is typically sold in exactly the same condition as it left the hospital. A REFURBISHED system is typically re-painted. Often (if done right), all wear and tear parts, which are checked at a preventive maintenance visit, are also replaced on the system.
If you buy a refurbished system you will of course also have a higher initial investment. Therefore make sure your supplier can document upfront exactly what is included in their refurbishment process.
New is not always best
What to consider regarding "total cost of ownership”?
For instance, some CT systems are relatively cheap to buy, but due to a massive tube (like 8 MHU) it gets very expensive to service as it’s an expensive wear and tear part, which will not last for the lifetime of the equipment. Cost of a high-performance tube is easily double or more of a standard tube.
Also, keep in mind it is easy to buy a system too cheap. You can’t buy something cheap and get a lot. It can’t be done. There’s a reason why it’s cheap. Chances are you will pay your price in extra trouble, parts and headaches.
In short, the total cost of ownership would be:
- The initial cost for a system.
- The installing of the system.
- Shipping costs to your facility.
- The expenses of the service contract.
- Parts (If not included in the service contract.)
- Preparing the facility (i.e. building works, power requirements, AC etc.)
Depending on what system you decided to buy each of these costs can vary greatly.
Is new always better?
A new system would, of course, carry the newest functions and levels. But do you need all the bells and whistles? If you are on a budget (and most are these days!) buying a used 5-year-old high-end system will cost about the same as a brand new budget system. So what’s the best? We know what we would choose.
When is medical equipment considered too old?
A system is too old even as pre-owned when there are no longer spare parts available on the market. The more popular a model was, when it was introduced to the market, the longer the life expectancy on the pre-owned market.
Typically the Original Equipment Manufactures defines “end-of-support-status” to 10 years after the last unit of said product is installed. We would say you could typically add 10 years to this on the basis of 3rd party service and parts. Some modalities even live longer, if the technological advances during the past years have been limited.
Is my equipment too old to sell?
At some point, the value of a used system no longer exceeds the cost of proper testing, de-installation, handling/packaging and further shipping of the equipment. It’s always free to ask if FlexRay Medical ApS would help evaluate your system and possibly place an offer for such.
How to care for your preowned medical equipment
Each clinic has unique needs. But make sure your system provider can support your future needs in terms of service and parts. Or at least they can refer you to someone who can do this on their behalf and who is represented in your area of the World. Keeping your system up and running with minimum “downtime” is the key for your return of investment.
Does used medical equipment come with a warranty?
Used equipment is (normally) sold “as it is, where it is” with no warranty expressed or implied. This is why you should only buy equipment which is fully functional. Preferably you should inspect the system prior to deinstallation – if not possible make sure your supplier can at least bring you documentation for the functionality.
A so-called “Q&A” report would normally do the trick. A more pricy alternative would be to have your supplier also handle the installation and provide you with a “first scan warranty”.
Are there any countries FlexRay Medical will not trade with?
FlexRay Medical will not sell a system to a UN, USA or EU embargoed country.