Tag: refurbished radiology medical equipment - page 4

Ideas How To Budget for Upgrades In Oncology Equipment

Upgrading oncology medicinal equipment is a main prospect for every healthcare provider. However, with the present healthcare reforms and diminishing budgets, the need to keep cost low while enhancing patient care can be challenging. It is a must need to search for cost-effective ways to invest limited capital, so before upgrading your oncology medical equipment, consider the following tips

Smart Financing

Spending money for the upgrade of oncology equipment can be attractive; it has the setback of cutting into your working capital that you may need for other expenditure. Strict leases are a good choice for bringing down the upfront cost associated with the upgrade of equipment and shielding your organization from future tech discoveries that may make the new equipment to be obsolete. Loans are another great choice although both lease and loan include interest rate that increases the equipment final cost. In lieu these, consider capitalizing equipment cost over time and recording equipment as an asset. These promoted expenses can incorporate most of the logistic cost associated with oncology medical equipment.

Go for the Warranty

It can be expensive when needing to upgrade oncology equipment. To understand that oncology equipment is not unintentionally repaired at a large cost, it is imperative for your department to monitor what is under warranty and have that information readily available.

Provide thorough explanations for expenditures

The budgetary needs of your department will be subject to the endorsement or dissatisfaction with the financial department. Giving clear clarifications of why you’re settling on a specific budgetary choice for your oncology medicinal equipment and how it will impact overall performance of your healthcare delivery.

Team up with an Equipment Planner

A medical equipment planner has the knowledge and experience to help evaluate your organization’s needs alongside the total ownership cost of oncology equipment, and also guaranteeing everything adjusts to local regulations.

Equipment Delivery Process

Research merchants and wholesalers can select equipment that offers an excellent track record. A decent merchant will guarantee that everything is legitimately named and that oncology equipment gets conveyed on time and to the desired location.

Involve the Appropriate Departments

Any department that will be regularly interacting with the new equipment ought to participate in the whole capital equipment procurement process. This will shield your organization from purchasing equipment with expensive, unneeded components or functions, and in addition getting you the appropriate feedback for future options.

Examine and Test Before Ownership Transfer

Before marking the last papers, have your Biomedical Engineering experts review the oncology medical equipment. They ought to do an electrical safety inspection and additionally testing for operations before they give the final affirmation.

Acceletronics is an independent service company dedicated to delivering the best equipment performance and service reliability from Linear Accelerators and CT Scanners across all major brands and models. Learn more about Acceletronics and their selection of new and refurbished linear accelerators and CT scanners today at http://www.acceletronics.com.  To contact one of our LINAC experts call 610.524.3300.

Servicing Medical Equipment Using Refurbished Replacement Parts

Are you wondering if it is safe to buy refurbished linear accelerators?  Thanks to the unrelenting spirit of radiation technology expert’s linear accelerators continue to maintain their place among the most sophisticated tools in the treatment of cancer.  They produce and deliver radiation with the utmost precision and thus are one of the main equipment sources in our fight against cancer.  In order to stay within a budget for medical equipment, medical facilities often consider refurbished equipment such as linear accelerators.

A refurbished linear accelerator does not mean that the machine is faulty or ineffective.  In fact many times a refurbished linear accelerator is tested more thoroughly then new OEM equipment.  A refurbished linear accelerator may have been used, parts replaced but still in pristine conditions.  The machine might have been used in one of the largest institution and perhaps it has been sold because they have upgraded theirs or have proceeded with a new machine or option in treatment.

There are many reasons to invest in a refurbished linear accelerator.  It allows you to meet the new challenges in treatment without maximizing the budget on a single piece of machinery.  This is extremely helpful when opening a center, expanding a facility, bringing new treatments to your hospital, when budgeting is crucial.

Refurbished linear accelerators are pretty much essential so having a back up piece of equipment often pays off in a big way.  When your main machinery fails your facility will not experience a stall in treatment because you have furnished your facility with a spare refurbished linear accelerator.

When you are able to invest in more machinery your facility may be able to offer more and better treatment.  The new refurbished equipment will allow your medical facility to turn into the go-to location for treatment therefore leading to expansion.

Refurbished medical equipment allows facilities to have peace of mind.  Reliable equipment that has been tested relentlessly can live up to providing proper treatment to patients.  When equipment needs to be maintained hiring a specialized medical equipment service company is important.  Many times refurbished components can actually be used to maintain and repair equipment.

Outsourcing medical equipment repairs also saves companies money as they are not required to keep a technician on staff. A reliable repair team that is able to service your machinery as repairs and maintenance are needed remain a part of the crucial aspects of ensuring the prosperity of your facility and the positive results of treatment.

Acceletronics is an independent service company dedicated to delivering the best equipment performance and service reliability from Linear Accelerators and CT Scanners across all major brands and models. Learn more about Acceletronics and their selection of new and refurbished linear accelerators and CT scanners today at http://www.acceletronics.com.  To contact one of our LINAC experts call 610.524.3300.

Boost the Healthcare Services You Can Provide By Financing the Equipment You Need

Health care equipment costs are continuing to increase. The high cost of medical equipment required for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of various diseases makes every medical care unit pause to think about the purchase and create a plan to manage the financial side of buying equipment.

When planning to acquire any medical equipment, the points which need proper consideration and evaluation are as follows.

  • The type of equipment needed
  • The budget for medical equipment
  • The cost of each individual piece
  • The cost of maintaining the equipment
  • The possibility of purchasing refurbished medical equipment
  • The ability to acquire a machine with reduced capacity

Once all of these things are taken into consideration it is important that the medical facility choose the right partner to finance the deal to make sure you are getting the most bang for your dollar.

Check into Alternatives

While considering financing options for medical equipment such as linear accelerators and CT scanners facilities may have to think about all affordable alternatives available because equipment is costly and a high part of the total cost of new projects within the hospital.  It is also important to note that the equipment is also not simple or inexpensive to operate.  This encourages the emergence of the refurbished medical equipment industry.

There are a number of reasons to consider refurbished medical equipment.  If the number of patients that you will be seeing and treating is significantly high facilities may want to consider a brand new linear accelerator.  If the number of patients is starting small, in hopes for the expansion of services the choice to find a high quality refurbished linear accelerator.

Buying or financing a refurbished piece reduces the burden on the overall budget for the project, will allow you to treat more patients while working to expand the size of your medical facility and treat your patients better by using those extra financial resources that have been saved by not purchasing new medical equipment.

Financing Companies

Once the decision has been made to purchase a new or refurbished medical device facilities should seek the help of the right financing company for the project.  There are a number of companies that will help you to reach the right decision on the right piece of equipment for your facilities needs.  They guarantee the latest state of the art version of the equipment of international standards, the newest upgrades, complete transportation and set up of the equipment, testing, and training of the personnel to ensure that the equipment is ready for use.  The financer is there to back you in case of any operational or maintenance difficulty.

Many finance companies also allow for a partial initial payment and deferred or regular installments later to enable companies to manage their budgets well.  Many of them offer a completely customized project to specifically meet your needs.  They also offer to handle the complicated tax implications in such a way that the facility will only have to pay the minimum required taxes.

Leasing Equipment

Financing oncology equipment again requires a plan on lines similar to financing for new or refurbished linear accelerators.  The only difference is that the cost of other oncology equipment may not be as high as linear accelerators or CT scanners.  Medical facilities can be more at ease when planning to lease or purchase less costly equipment.

There are many financing companies that offer a turnkey project, financial incentives, training, and maintenance back-up deferred payments.  It is even possible to lease equipment.  This reduces the capital requirement and allows medical facilities flexibility in their healthcare venture.  Some of them offer terms that enable facilities to pay for the equipment from the fees that are collected by treating patients with that equipment.

Another advantage in financing linear accelerators or other oncology equipment is that the facility will be disciplined in their profession. Medical facilities will think more carefully about what is needed right now verse what can be put on hold for a bit.  Facilities learn to handle their finances knowing the exact time and amount due.

Acceletronics is an independent service company dedicated to delivering the best equipment performance and service reliability from Linear Accelerators and CT Scanners across all major brands and models. Learn more about Acceletronics and their selection of new and refurbished linear accelerators and CT scanners today at http://www.acceletronics.com.  To contact one of our LINAC experts call 610.524.3300.

Relocating Medical Equipment is a Job For Specialists

Medical equipment has evolved enormously over the past half a century. In addition to entirely new machines, new improved versions of older equipment keep being introduced all the time.  So there arises a constant need to shift old equipment to a different location and commission the latest version in your premises. Also, more and more medical facilities are coming up across the world making it frequently necessary to install a complete new set of medical equipment.

Handling medical equipment is no simple matter. The equipment can be quite bulky in size as it has to accommodate the patient, who is being examined or treated. It is usually quite delicate too. A machine from the technologically advanced era is bound to have many electrical, electronic and digital aspects. The equipment often has many separate parts. And medical equipment is almost always quite costly. So it has to be handled carefully so that it is spared any damage, even a small one, during transport and installation. Obviously, we need specialized experts to install and commission all new medical equipment.

A linear accelerator facilitates external radiation treatment for cancer patients. It can treat every organ of the human body. A linear accelerator is a big machine. Relocating linear accelerators is a job best left to the experts who specialize in such jobs. They will be able to de-install the equipment at the present site, pack it in the right type of crates designed for the equipment, transport them to the new site, care specifically for each part of the accelerator during the entire process, reinstall it at the new site, commission it and test it adequately to ensure that it is functioning properly.

Relocating CT scanners is again a job that should be entrusted to people who are logistic specialists in the field. It is a large machine. It prepares pictures of parts of the patient’s body using X-rays, while the patient is lying on the CT scanner table. The scanners are computerized. Any such relocation needs a well-informed agency equipped with proper packing and transporting amenities handled by experts familiar with the machine.

The oncology branch of medicine involves prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of all types of cancer. It uses an extensive range of equipment including various types of radiation equipment. So relocating oncology equipment becomes a specialized job that demands experts in that field. These experts not only have a clear idea about the machine they are handling but they also have the right type of system to perform the job in the best and quickest possible way.

Relocating medical equipment has become a complicated job, needing a group of specialized persons to handle it. Such groups know the job thoroughly and have the means to handle the process competently. They also ensure that they do the job in the least possible time, and without disrupting the other functioning of the medical unit. Many of such groups can work in post-office hours and through the night so that the unit functions normally most of the time.

Acceletronics is an independent service company dedicated to delivering the best equipment performance and service reliability from Linear Accelerators and CT Scanners across all major brands and models. Learn more about Acceletronics and their selection of new and refurbished linear accelerators and CT scanners today at http://www.acceletronics.com.  To contact one of our LINAC experts call 610.524.3300.

The Working Procedure of the Equipment

Each of the radiation oncology equipment works varies but the principle is the same. The Linear Accelerator (LINAC) microwave technology which is similar to that used for radar is designed in such a way that electrons move in a part of the accelerator called the “wave guide.” It is the wave guide that allows these electrons to collide with a heavy metal target which now produces high-energy x-rays.

Next, the energized x-rays take up a shape that fits the patient’s tumour as they flow out from the machine. The customized x-ray is directed to the patient who is already lying down on the moveable treatment couch where lasers help to keep the patient in a position that is most suitable. The beam is emitted through a gantry that can be rotated around the patient. The tumour could be target from any angle by rotating the gantry and the treatment couch.

Maintenance of Radiation Oncology Equipment

For your radiation oncology equipment such as CT scanners and linear accelerators to work at optimum capacity it is advisable you use the machine carefully and also use it according to the manufacturers’ guidelines.

Radiation oncology equipment needs constant check-up and maintenance. If the equipment is faulty, it can affect the force of the radiation that you feel and this can be dangerous to both the technician and the patient.  If the air-filter has holes, it should be constantly cleaned and free from dust.

You will need the input of a radiology equipment technician who can review the error logs, provide much needed maintenance and repairs. You may occasional check for connections, test the image quality, clean the fans, grease bearings, and backup your system data but most maintenance is best left up to professional medical equipment technicians.

In conclusion, you may need to replace some parts of the equipment to get effective therapy from your radiation oncology equipment. Before you feel your treatment is no longer at an optimum level get your service technician out to perform maintenance.

Acceletronics is an independent service company dedicated to delivering the best equipment performance and service reliability from Linear Accelerators and CT Scanners across all major brands and models. Learn more about Acceletronics and their selection of new and refurbished linear accelerators and CT scanners today at http://www.acceletronics.com.  To contact one of our LINAC experts call 610.524.3300.

The Use of Radiation Equipment in Treating Cancer

Each year around 14 million cases of cancer spring up globally. It is estimated that radiation therapy heals 3.5 million people and provides palliative relief for another 3.5 million people. These approximations have been made based on the fact that radiation therapy has benefitted over 50 percent of all cancer patients.

What Is Radiation Therapy?

Radiation therapy employs the high-energy particles or waves, such as X-rays, gamma rays, electron beams, or protons to kill the cancer cells. The radiation is delivered by the linear accelerators which customize the high-energy x-rays or protons to adhere to the tumor’s shape and eliminate cancer cells but being mindful of the surrounding normal tissue. The radiation might be delivered from outside the body or a radioactive material placed inside the body near the cancer cells. This is called internal radiation therapy or brachytherapy.

The systematic radiation therapy makes use of radioactive substances that travel in the blood killing the cancer cells. One such element is the radioactive iodine.

Almost all the cancer patients use radiation during their treatment period. These radiations deploy oncology equipment to operate the patients.

How Does Radiation Therapy Kill Cancer Cells?

The rays from the linear accelerator destroy the DNA of the cells. Either it destroys the DNA itself or creates charged particles within the cells to do the damaging. The ruined DNA is unable to repair itself or divide. The linear accelerator uses electricity forming a stream of fast moving particles.

The linear accelerator or LINAC is cures cancers of all types. Patients lie on an adjustable and movable couch. With the help of spatially calibrated lasers and X-ray imaging panels the beam in maneuvered. The couch too can be adjusted with sub-millimeter accuracy.

The several other oncology equipment employed are:

  • 3-Dimensional Conformal Radiation Therapy (3D-CRT)

Many sophisticated machines and software target the affected region by this method.

  • Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy

Several tiny radiation beam-shaping devices, called collimators, deliver a single dose of radiation. These devices might be stationary or move in order to control the intensity. IMRT is planned in reverse, which means the oncologist picks the radiation dose to different areas of the tumor and surrounding tissue. After this, a high-powered computer program calculates the required number of beams for the treatment.

  • Image-Guided Radiation Therapy

Iterative image scans are performed which are then processed by computers to identify the size and location of the tumor. The treatment and dosage is then done accordingly. This method increases the accuracy of the treatment.

These are just a few of the many forms of the oncology equipment the doctor’s use. The doctors though have to be careful about the dosage, one dose of the total dosage given. That is twice a day. Doctors have to be careful since

  • The damage to the normal tissues should be minimized.
  • To ensure that the likelihood of the radiation hitting the DNA of the cancer cell are on the point where damage would be maximum.

Patients receive radiation before, during or after the surgery. After the treatment the patients receive a follow-up by their oncologist to monitor their health.

Acceletronics is an independent service company dedicated to delivering the best equipment performance and service reliability from Linear Accelerators and CT Scanners across all major brands and models. Learn more about Acceletronics and their selection of new and refurbished linear accelerators and CT scanners today at http://www.acceletronics.com.  To contact one of our LINAC experts call 610.524.3300.

Budgeting Tips for Upgrading Oncology Medical Equipment

Upgrading oncology medicinal equipment is a key prospect for each healthcare provider. Be that as it may, with the present healthcare reforms and diminishing budgets, the need to keep cost low while enhancing patient care can be challenging. It’s important to search for cost-effective ways to invest limited capital, so before upgrading your oncology medical equipment, consider the following tips

Smart Financing

Paying money for the upgrade of oncology equipment can be attractive; it has the setback of cutting into your working capital that you may require for other expenditure. Strict leases are a good choice for bringing down the upfront cost associated with the upgrade of equipment and shielding your organization from future tech discoveries that may make the new equipment to be obsolete. Loans are another great choice, yet both lease and loan include interest rate that increases the equipment final cost. In lieu these, consider capitalizing equipment cost over time and recording equipment as an asset. These promoted expenses can incorporate most of the logistic cost associated with oncology medical equipment.

Go for the Warranty

The upgrade of oncology equipment can be expensive. To guarantee that oncology equipment is not unintentionally repaired at a high cost, it is imperative for your department to monitor what is under warranty and have that information readily available.

Provide thorough explanations for expenditures

The budgetary demands of your department will be subject to the endorsement or dissatisfaction with the financial department. Giving clear clarifications of why you’re settling on a specific budgetary choice for your oncology medicinal equipment and how it will impact overall performance of your healthcare delivery.

Team up with an Equipment Planner

A medical equipment planner has the information and experience to help evaluate your organization’s needs alongside the total ownership cost of oncology equipment, and also guaranteeing everything adjusts to local regulations.

Equipment Delivery Process

Research merchants and wholesalers can select equipment that offers an excellent track record. A decent merchant will guarantee that everything is legitimately named and that oncology equipment gets conveyed on time and to the desired location.

Involve the Appropriate Departments

Any department that will be regularly interacting with the new equipment ought to participate in the entire capital equipment procurement process. This will shield your organization from purchasing equipment with expensive, unneeded components or functions, and in addition getting you the appropriate feedback for future options.

Examine and Test Before Ownership Transfer

Before marking the last papers, have your Biomedical Engineering experts review the oncology medical equipment. They ought to do an electrical safety inspection and additionally testing for operations before they give the final affirmation.

Acceletronics is an independent service company dedicated to delivering the best equipment performance and service reliability from Linear Accelerators and CT Scanners across all major brands and models. Learn more about Acceletronics and their selection of new and refurbished linear accelerators and CT scanners today at http://www.acceletronics.com.  To contact one of our LINAC experts call 610.524.3300.

What To Look For With Refurbsihed LINAC Systems

Radiotherapy works by targeting high-energy ray electron beam onto cancer cells, which are more prone to radiation damage than the normal tissues. Linear accelerators are usually multi-modality ionizing radiation generators with associated imaging devices, currently used for delivery of external beam radiotherapy.

2010 Siemens Artiste Linear Accelerator
2010 Siemens Artiste Linear Accelerator

 

The contemporary linear accelerator provides either 6 MeV photons in the “little energy” range machines, or dual/triple photon energy and several electron energies.

The following systems are incorporated into the linear accelerators: multileaf col-limator (MLC) for beam shaping, the capability to deliver intensity modulated radio-therapy (IMRT) and a 3D imaging treatment beams.

Other additional features may be incorporated into the linear accelerators, such as arc-based IMRT delivery, total body irradiation, high-dose rate electrons, etc.
Despite the high capital cost of purchasing them, their high patient through put over a long lifespan makes them extremely cost-effective compared with the other treatment options.

The operation of linear accelerators should be according to the existing standards and regulations which include: IEC standards, radiation, guidelines for radio therapy room design, ETC.

Technical Considerations:
The technology used in conventional linear accelerators is essentially the same for all linear accelerates. The high-energy generation can be achieved either by implementing the “travelling waveguide technology” or by applying the “standing waveguide technology”. The first approach is simpler and very reliable, while the second method features a more stable treatment beam. The generated radiation beam is flattened and shaped using collimation devices to form a beam matching the shape of the tumour. The wave guide, the filters and the collimator are mounted on a gantry which rotates around the patient, allowing the tumour to be irradiated from multiple directions. There is a linear accelerator patient coach primarily designed to allow irradiation of the patient from multiple addresses.

Modern linear accelerators are designed to enable intensity – modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). This is a dynamic radiation delivery method which allows real control over the three-dimensional dose distribution: the delivered beam instead of being flat changed the intensity at different points within the beam.
There are different types of linear accelerator IMRT delivery methods:
Step and shoot method: this method consists of delivering a series of different shape fields formed by the MLC to build up a variable intensity pattern. The irradiation is stopped between each area.
Dynamic MLC methods: in which the radiation runs constant, while the MLC leaves move across the field at variable speeds.
Arc therapy methods: in which the radiation runs continuously, and the gantry collimators and MLC leavers are all running (always). The dose rate also varies during the delivery. Treatments are delivered in an arc (or sometimes in two arcs). This is probably the best choice for IMRT.
The multileaf collimator is a delicate computer-controlled mechanism. The performance of the collimator depends on its resolution, the leakage radiation and the system penumbra.

The electronic portal imaging device allows verification of patient position on orthogonal two-dimensional images produced by the high-energy treatment beam. The detection used for the portal imaging consists of an amorphous silicon indirect detection flat panel imager.
The image systems differ in the degree of complexity of software provided, as well as the ease of use.

The linear accelerators three-dimensional imaging systems can be materialized in three different ways:

1. Applying diagnostic X-rat cone beam, in plain or orthogonal to the linear accelerators high enery beam.
2. Using the high-energy treatment cone beam of the linear accelerator
3. Using a CT machine combined with the linear accelerator.
Photons and Electron Energies
Typically, X-ray energies of 6 MeV are used for head and neck, breast and lung radiation. Abdominal treatments usually utilize 10 MeV X-ray. Large patients may require higher X-ray energies.
Electrons are usually required in the 6-15 MeV range. The total electron treatments require 4 MeV electrons.

Record and Verify systems
In modern radiotherapy departments, the linear accelerators are operated using record and verify systems, which deliver the treatments, as well as make a record of them.

These systems are usually connected to the general information network, which allows an extended functionality, including booking and scheduling, recoding of patients notes, recording costs, image handling, etc.

Acceletronics is an independent service company dedicated to delivering the best equipment performance and service reliability from linear accelerators and CT scanners across all major breands and models. Learn more about acceletronics and their selection of new and refurbished linear accelerators and CT scanners today at www.acceletronics.com. To Contact one of our LINAC experts call 610-524-3300

What Type of Radiation Therapy is Right for Me?

Many cancer patients get at least one type of radiation treatment over the span of their treatment. Medical specialists will recommend one of the diverse sorts of radiation treatment as an independent tumor treatment. They could likewise recommend a mix of chemotherapy and radiotherapy depending on your circumstance. No two patient’s conditions, tumor size, area, and stage are the same – that means different treatments requires a unique plan.

Radiation is a standout amongst the most widely used treatments for cancer. Different names for radiation treatment are radiation therapy, x-ray therapy, radiotherapy or irradiation.  The Radiation therapy utilizes high-energy particles or waves, for example, x-beams, protons, gamma beams, or electron rays, to decimate cancer cells.

Your cells regularly develop and shape some new cells.  As always be, tumor cells develop and separates faster than most typical cells. Radiation works by making little breaks in the DNA within cells. These breaks shield growth cells from developing and isolating and destroying them. Some nearby typical cells can likewise be influenced by radiation, yet most recoup and continue working the way they should.

The therapy is not like chemotherapy, which for the most part uncovered the entire body to cancer battling drugs, radiation treatment is typically a type of local treatment. By and large, it targets and influences just the piece of the body being dealt with. Radiation therapy was designed to destroy cancer cells, with as little damage to healthy cells.

Types of Radiation Therapy

1. The External Beam Radiation –

This type is the most widely used sort of radiation treatment. It includes a machine that coordinates high-energy light emissions at cancer cells. The machine enables radiation to be focused at particular destinations, which is the reason specialists utilize external beam radiation for a wide range of cancers. It is painless and is like having an X-Ray taken. This treatment devastates cancer cells and keeps them from separating and growing. Since radiation treatment likewise reaches healthy cells, radiation oncologists partition the treatment into little dosages regulated five times every week. This enables healthy cells to recover.

2. The Internal Radiation-

Internal radiation is likewise called brachytherapy. Here, a radioactive source is put inside the body into or close to the tumor.  With this type of treatment, the radioactive inserts are embedded into the prostate amid surgery. After some time, the radioactive materials will bit by bit kill cancer cells. This implant can be brief or perpetual.  The Brachytherapy is basically utilized for patients with low risk and moderately risky prostrate tumor.

3. The Systemic Radiation Therapy-

These are radioactive treatments given by mouth or put into the vein in order to treat certain sorts of tumor. The treatments at that point go all through the body.  Despite the fact that this kind of radiation travels all through the body, the radioactive substance generally gathers in the region of the tumor, so there’s little impact on whatever is left of the body.

As you can see, type of radiation therapy you may get relies upon the kind of cancer/tumor you have and where it is located. In some cases, more than one type of radiation therapy is utilized.

Acceletronics is an independent service company dedicated to delivering the best equipment performance and service reliability from Linear Accelerators and CT Scanners across all major brands and models. Learn more about Acceletronics and their selection of new and refurbished linear accelerators and CT scanners today at http://www.acceletronics.com.  To contact one of our LINAC experts call 610.524.3300.

How to Upgrade LINAC Systems on a Budget

When you’re researching an upgrade path to your LINAC system, consider all the necessary factors to ensure the continued success of your practice. LINAC machines are essential to every practice that prides itself on providing a complete care solution for their patients.

LINAC machines are understandably complex and rather expensive devices. If budget is a primary concern, then one angle you should consider for your upgrade path is the purchase of a Refurbished LINAC machine.

LINAC machines are not mass produced, as all are handmade, which means that each unit will have unique idiosyncrasies regardless of the manufacturer. As each device is unique from any other, the service history is an all-important consideration to go through before purchase.

Check the beam hours to determine how hard the machine has worked each day. Perform a physical check to carefully examine the device and speak with the clinicians who used the machine on a daily basis.

Refurbishment costs will be a deciding factor in your final choice. There are two types of refurbishment; mechanical and cosmetic. A machine that looks the part in your practice is important, but it’s the mechanical refurbishment that will have the biggest impact on total cost of ownership. Ensure that you have a written record of the services that have been performed.

Another important consideration with a refurbished LINAC system is the installation process. The install team will need to be suitably experienced and understand the machine at both a hardware and software level. Check that guarantees are in place to protect you should your LINAC system fail to meet manufacturer specifications.

The ongoing operation of your linear accelerator will depend on your level of equipment support. Many facilities will opt for the OEM (original equipment manufacturer) to perform all of their maintenance tasks.  Refurbished linear accelerators must meet OEM standards before they are able to be sold.  When service is performed whether by OEM certified repair technicians or an independent source you will want to ensure that the machine passes OEM acceptance test procedures.

Third party support is always an option for cost savings, but you will need an uptime guarantee in place, along with a minimum response time during emergencies.  If a refurbished LINAC is your upgrade path of choice keep the above in mind and you will ensure a long-life for your machine and peace-of-mind for you.

Acceletronics is an independent service company dedicated to delivering the best equipment performance and service reliability from Linear Accelerators and CT Scanners across all major brands and models. Learn more about Acceletronics and their selection of new and refurbished linear accelerators and CT scanners today at http://www.acceletronics.com.  To contact one of our LINAC experts call 610.524.3300.