By Rachel Fields, ASC Review
September 16, 2011
Jesseye Arrambide, RN, BSN, CNOR, executive director at Oregon Outpatient Surgery Center and vice president and program chair of the Oregon Ambulatory Surgery Center Association, shares 10 ways surgery centers can save money on supplies and equipment.
1. Purchase refurbished or demo capital equipment. While some capital equipment should be purchased brand new, Ms. Arrambide says ASCs can save money by purchasing some demo or refurbished equipment. “There are options out there for demo equipment that’s only been used a couple of times,” she says. “A lot of times, companies will refurbish it and give you the same warranty that comes with a new piece of equipment.” When you talk to sales reps, she recommends asking for a quote on a particular piece of equipment, then asking the rep if the company has options for demo or refurbished equipment.
She says she usually has to ask sales reps for the option of demo or refurbished equipment, but once she does, the companies are often willing to work with her. “You usually have to ask the question and let them know you’re looking at other companies,” she says…
8. Reprocess when possible. Ms. Arrambide says ASCs can recognize a 50 percent savings on equipment by reprocessing supplies with an FDA-approved reprocessing company. She recommends doing thorough research into respected companies in your area and then sending appropriate items for reprocessing whenever possible.