Can Having the Right Diagnostic Imaging Equipment Help Control Staffing Costs?

In today’s competitive healthcare environment, every facility needs to control costs. One of the biggest line items for any hospital, outpatient facility, or physician’s office is staffing. Finding highly qualified rad techs can be challenging. When you do find one, you want to keep them. With that in mind, let’s talk about how the quality of your diagnostic imaging equipment can help with staff retention, and the impact this has on your bottom line.

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN A TECH & THE DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING EQUIPMENT THEY WORK ON

We all know that the quality of an imaging study depends on the skills of the tech. Getting the images needed to provide an accurate diagnosis requires far more than pushing the right buttons at the right time. Yet even the most skilled, experienced techs can’t work miracles. If the diagnostic imaging equipment they’re working with – whether that’s a c-arm, mini c-arm, ultrasound machine, or x-ray machine – isn’t functioning optimally, the imaging study is going to produce less than optimal results.

The impact of this on your techs can be devastating. There’s nothing more frustrating for a skilled professional than to deliver a sub-standard performance for reasons that are no fault of their own. If your facility is experiencing a higher than normal churn rate of rad techs, it’s important to conduct exit interviews and inquire specifically about their thoughts concerning the diagnostic imaging equipment they’ve been using.

If the quality of your diagnostic imaging equipment is causing you to lose employees, it’s time to consider whether upgrading or replacing your current equipment is in order. The costs of replacing equipment can be fairly minor, particularly when you choose refurbished, compared to the expenses involved in attracting, hiring, on-boarding and training new techs.

THE HIDDEN PERIL OF HOLDING ONTO DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING EQUIPMENT TOO LONG

Do you know the saying “If it’s not broke, don’t fix it”? That sentiment is appealing when you’re trying to control costs – but there’s a peril hidden in holding onto outmoded diagnostic imaging equipment. Older systems may have proven to be reliable, and have the advantage of being paid for, but they may have a hidden impact on your labor budget.

The most affordable rad techs are recent graduates. These individuals have trained on contemporary equipment, with the expectation that these are the diagnostic imaging tools they’ll use at work. Facilities that maintain older, outmoded systems are limited to hiring techs that know how to use them – which often means choosing more experienced, expensive employees.

FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN UPGRADING YOUR DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING EQUIPMENT

The most cost-effective way to upgrade your diagnostic imaging equipment is to choose refurbished. It’s important to emphasize the value of refurbishment, because it’s through this process of returning the equipment to original manufacturer’s specifications that you can be sure that the diagnostic imaging equipment will consistently deliver the high-quality images your rad techs and clinicians desire. This helps mitigate the frustration issues and also reduces the need to test patients repeatedly for the same concern.

The other factor to consider when choosing diagnostic imaging equipment is the cost. Be aware that the cost of refurbished diagnostic imaging equipment can be up to 40% less than what you’ll pay for the same unit directly from the manufacturer. But to get full value, you’ll have to be selective about your refurbished diagnostic imaging equipment vendor. Choose a company that’s experienced, with a track record of providing support as needed. This is one way to help keep your diagnostic imaging equipment in good operating order – a crucial element in staff retention and labor cost control!