20.08.13
Old imaging equipment must be replaced – SFS
Replacing out-of-date diagnostic imaging equipment could cost the UK £294m, new research suggests.
Siemens Financial Services (SFS) found that between 2013 and 2015, this is the cost of replacing equipment which is over ten years old.
The NHS must find ways of accessing finance to fund these equipment upgrades and renewals, the report urges. Diagnostic imaging technologies can improve accurate and early diagnoses, reducing the need for unnecessary invasive procedures.
David Martin, general manager for SFS in the UK, said: “Up-to-date medical equipment plays a crucial role in the provision of quality healthcare services and improvement of health outcomes.
“It is therefore imperative that healthcare providers urgently replace the backlog of outdated medical imaging equipment. At a time of acute budgetary pressure, equipment replacement can often be made affordable through the use of asset finance techniques such as leasing and renting.
“Asset finance allows healthcare organisations to spread the cost of equipment over its useful lifetime. Such financing arrangements often cover not only the equipment acquisition cost, but also maintenance, service and sometimes consumables. Their growing popularity with healthcare providers around the world indicates the usefulness of being able to align payments with benefits gained.”
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