In this world, who hasn’t heard the phrase, "reduce, reuse, and recycle?" Most people don’t hesitate to buy a used car or a used home to save a few bucks, but individuals can also save a lot of money buying used medical equipment. If you trust a used car with your life, there’s no reason not to trust used medical equipment, that is, if you buy smart. So how do you buy smart?
First, you need to make sure you’re buying durable medical equipment, equipment that is still in good condition. The best way to do that is to check and see if the equipment is still under warranty. Warranties are like insurance on a product. If a product is under warranty, it means that the manufacturing company will replace or repair it, if it malfunctions. Warranties on medical products usually have exceptions to prevent fraud. So it’s important to not only see that the used medical equipment is still under warranty, but also to check out the limitations of that warranty. Another option is to contact an independent warranty group to have an extended warranty added to the product. If a company is willing to give you a warranty, it generally means the product is in good shape.
If a piece of used medical equipment is not under warranty, that doesn’t mean it isn’t durable medical equipment. It may just mean that only a limited warranty was offered. In this case, previewing the item before buying is often your best bet. You can find quite a bit of used medical equipment online, and many of the sellers will allow you to inspect the equipment prior to purchase, in addition to sending detailed pictures and information.
The final, and probably most crucial, step to follow when buying used medical equipment is to trust your gut. Checking out warranties and doing personal inspections is necessary, but if you’ve never heard of the brand being offered or you simply don’t like a particular brand–don’t buy it!
Buying used medical equipment can be a great way to save money, if you’re cautious!
