Medical Equipment and Supplies

Medical equipment and supplies are used in medical, dental, hospital, pharmacy, and clinical laboratories. Products range from simple bandages, tongue depressors, and syringes, to sophisticated diagnostic equipment and medical devices. Examples of medical equipment and supplies include respiratory care equipment such as air cleaners, humidifiers, oxygen concentrators, and steam cleaners; X-ray equipment and X-ray supplies; medical imaging equipment for hospital radiology departments; specialized surgical equipment and surgical supplies; and dental tools, dental equipment, and dental supplies. Pharmacy equipment and pharmacy supplies are also available. In addition, medical equipment and supplies encompasses billing systems, medical transcription equipment, and computerized medical information systems.

Medical equipment and supplies can be divided into five broad categories: surgical and medical instruments, surgical appliance and supplies, dental equipment and supplies, X-ray equipment, and electromedical equipment. Products for biomechanical engineering may also be available. Medical equipment manufacturers may provide both medical equipment and medical supplies, or only medical equipment. Typically, distributors sell medical devices and machines to end users such as doctors, dentists, pharmacies, hospitals and medical centers. Medical equipment leasing companies may finance the purchase or provide leasing for expensive medical systems. Medical equipment repair services maintain, repair, or refurbish these medical machines and medical equipment. Specialized types of medical equipment and supplies are also available.

Providers of medical equipment and supplies may provide financing options to help hospitals, doctors’ offices, and clinical laboratories invest in expensive technologies. State-of-the-art medical equipment may involve significant costs that require long-term financing. The traditional approach to financing hospital, dental, or pharmacy equipment is a long-term capital equipment loan. Today, however, medical equipment leasing has become a much more popular and cost-effective form of financing. The leasing of medical equipment and supplies allows health care organizations to spread the cost of a purchase over many years and frees up cash flow for operations. Medical leasing also allows buyers to regularly upgrade their equipment as technology advancements occur. Some suppliers of medical equipment and supplies provide warranties or offer service contracts that include preventative maintenance. Medical equipment technicians can travel to a hospital, doctor’s office or laboratory to perform on-site repairs.

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