| Categories: MRI Machine | Author: Resonant Healthcare Imaging Solutions | 0
Purchasing a new MRI machine is a major investment that could cost your facility $150,000 or more, so it’s normal to feel apprehensive, and maybe even a little overwhelmed, as you consider your facility’s options. The good news is that, with proper planning and consideration, purchasing a new MRI system can help your facility grow and generate increased revenue for years to come. However, buying a new MRI system without having a solid plan in place could create unnecessary stress and financial strain.
If your facility is in the market for a new MRI system, here a few things you should know before making a purchase:
When it comes to MRI system acquisitions, having a ‘buy-it-and-they-will-come’ mentality is dangerous and could result in a lot of wasted time and money. Before you begin your search for a new MRI system, your facility needs to conduct a thorough analysis of current referral patterns, reimbursement patterns, MRI capacity, payer mix, and revenue. Based on your facility’s current information, your facility should be able to make projections about patient growth and annual revenue as a result of a new MRI purchase, including realistic best-case and worst-case financial scenarios. Your facility should consider buying a new system only if the projected numbers support the purchase.
Having a handle on your budget will help you to make some important decisions about what MRI systems to consider, including whether you should be looking at new or pre-owned units and whether you should be considering a purchase or a lease. Your budget should extend far beyond the cost of the MRI machine itself and factor in other expenses related to your MRI project, such as any construction or renovations required to accommodate the system, marketing costs, additional staff, MRI service contracts, and additional equipment and supportive services.
Before your facility spends a dime on a new MRI machine, all stakeholders should agree on a plan that outlines everything, from how the new unit will be used (as a replacement or as an additional unit) and what it will cost, to where the unit will be located within your facility and how it will be staffed.
Purchasing a new MRI system will provide several benefits to your patients and referring physicians, such as updated technology and increased MRI access. However, patients and physicians who don’t know about your facility’s upgraded MRI services won’t take advantage of them. That’s why you need to develop a comprehensive marketing plan to get the word out about your latest MRI acquisition. The best time to develop your plan it is before you even begin shopping for your new MRI.
You need to develop a plan that targets your facility’s current referring physicians (to try to get more MRI referrals) and reaches out to other physicians who are not currently referring patients to your facility. Also, you need to look at what makes your facility stand out from your competition and develop a compelling campaign to attract more MRI patients.
Crunching numbers, creating a budget, outlining a plan, and developing a marketing strategy for your facility’s new MRI is a time-consuming project that requires lots of patience and attention to detail. And with a busy imaging facility to run, many administrators find that they simply don’t have the time to take on the extra work.
To help with this complex initiative, many facilities opt to hire a third-party MRI acquisition consultant to help them prepare projections, develop plans, and create a budget to determine if their MRI acquisition project is feasible. If your facility decides to move forward with acquiring a new MRI, your MRI acquisition consultant can also help you to select a vendor, choose an MRI system, and even pick an MRI service contract that meets your needs.
If your facility is considering purchasing a new MRI system, the MRI specialists at Resonant can help your facility perform a detailed feasibility study and select the right MRI system. For more information or to speak with a Resonant expert, contact us.
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