Discover what you might sacrifice with an exclusive contract
Sometimes it’s difficult to get the replacement parts that you need at the right price. It takes time to search for parts, evaluate quotes and crunch the numbers – all while maintaining thousands of pieces of medical equipment.
This is why some hospitals and medical facilities consider exclusive partnerships with medical parts suppliers, passing some of the burden on to them. But as with anything you outsource, there are both pros and cons.
What will you sacrifice when you pursue an exclusive contract?
If you have made the decision to pursue a replacement parts partnership, you are trusting another entity with an important aspect of your organization – keeping your life-saving equipment running properly. There are many things about a partnership that can enhance your facility, but a partnership like this can also hold your facility back.
The Pros
If your medical facility or your department is on the smaller side, searching for replacement parts can take a lot of your time. This can also be true if your facility specializes in certain niches or segments of healthcare. Because of this, you might find partnering with a parts vendor advantageous.
Communicating exclusively with one vendor can also make your life easier.
The Cons
Although you save time working exclusively with one vendor, you have significantly less control over what you pay for a part. And unless you obtain additional quotes (defeating the purpose of the partnership) you really have no idea if you are in fact getting the best price.
You also have very little control over the quality. For example, you could contact three trusted parts suppliers for a quote. The responses might include new, used or refurbished parts. You have the option to evaluate the price and condition and select which one fits your needs.
These types of partnerships can limit your freedom to make the best decision for your equipment and your facility.
What should you do?
You need to be very careful when determining whether to pursue a partnership or exclusive relationship. Ultimately you are trusting another entity with your business in some aspect.
We acknowledge that searching for reliable suppliers who provide quality medical equipment parts can be a challenge. Check out some of our previous articles on how to spot reputable suppliers and phony suppliers.
We suggest identifying a handful of trusted suppliers. Develop a strong working relationship with them. In most instances, it’s best to have options from several trusted sources.
Sourcing replacement medical imaging equipment parts
There is a good chance that Parts Consulting Group has the medical imaging or diagnostic equipment parts that you need. Browse our online catalog of parts and see if we have the part you are looking for.
Can’t find what you’re looking for? We’re always adding new parts to our inventory and some might not appear in our web store yet! Feel free to contact us with questions about any part.