Simple scope repairs can become monstrosities
How to evaluate third-party repair companies
A hospital system had two bronchoscopes that needed new biopsy forcep channels. Instead of repairing the scopes, a third-party repair company damaged the image bundles. The hospital had to send the bronchoscopes to the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) at a cost of $6,500, not including downtime on the scopes, which translates into lost revenue.
Sound like an isolated situation? Not necessarily, say same-day surgery experts. Managers may send the broken equipment to a third-party repair company, only to find no loaner scopes are available and the equipment won’t be repaired and returned for as long as a month. Or the same-day surgery program may obtain a loaner scope, only to find out it doesn’t work properly.
So why not simply send the broken equipment to the OEM and avoid these problems? "The cost, turnaround times, and they never had loaner scopes," says Kathy MacInnis, RN, medical/surgical services manager at Grace Hospital in Detroit. Managers may want to consider repair and loaner agreements upfront when they buy equipment.
In the last five years, as managed care has grown and same-day surgery managers have searched for ways to reduce costs, the third-party repair industry has taken off. Representatives of these companies promise the same outstanding service So how can you choose? To assist readers, Same-Day Surgery interviewed scope repair experts who offer a checklist (see p. 65) and these tips:
• Determine turnaround time.
Ask whether minor repairs take one or two days, says Deborah Barker, an independent consultant who handles marketing and business development for MedServ International, an endoscopic repair service based in Laurel, MD. "If they say two days, it should only take two days," Barker says. Also, find out how long major repairs take.
If a repair takes longer than the company estimated initially, the facility should be notified and given the option of having the scope returned or sent on to the manufacturer.
• Examine the pickup and delivery system.
Shipping costs vary depending on the method regular vs. express and whether the scope is shipped on to the OEM, which doubles the cost. At Grace Hospital, the third-party repair company uses Federal Express same-day service to pick up the broken scopes.
"Prior to this, when I was sending the scopes to the manufacturer, I had to send a purchase requisition to purchasing to get an estimate. That would take a couple of days," MacInnis says. "Now I have a blanket order up to certain amount, and we use the same PO. I don’t have to wait for the paperwork. " MacInnis has the repaired scope back as quickly as the following day.
At Del Webb Hospital in Sun City West, AZ, the third-party repair company in the same city picks up the damaged scope within 12 hours by courier, says Pat Felton, endoscopy technician. The repaired scope also is returned by courier.
• Check the quality of the components.
Some companies use makeshift components, Barker warns, so be specific with your questions. "It’s not enough for them to say, We make them ourselves,’" she warns. "You need to know, How do you make them? Engineers? Are they made to OEM specifications?’"
Choose a third-party repair company that uses only new components, Barker advises.
• Check out the technicians’ capabilities.
All third-party repair companies say their technicians have been trained by the manufacturers or worked for the manufacturers. "That means nothing," Barker warns. "They could have worked there for six months. "Ask how long they worked for the manufacturer, she advises.
• Examine the company’s preventive maintenance program and inservice training.
"If you’ve had a scope for four or five years, and it needs major repairs, ask how many repairs have been done," MacInnis advises. "That often will determine whether to fix it or trade it in and get a new one."
Some repair companies offer a free quarterly preventive maintenance report for repeat customers, MacInnis says. These companies examine the scopes to see if there are any problems and track repairs and costs by serial number.
The company should work with the same-day surgery program to help staff members understand how to handle the equipment, Barker says. "Even doctors are very rugged and don’t know how to properly care for and handle equipment," she says. Fluid is the No. 1 "killer," she says, but that problem is the easiest one to correct by conducting regular leak testing.
• Examine the warranty.
There should be a 90-day warranty on parts and labor, MacInnis says. Ask about the warranty return rate, which should be less than 2%, Barker suggests. Also, the third-party repair company should carry liability insurance, MacInnis says.
• Find a company that does major and minor repairs.
Beware of a company that quotes you a low price for the repairs but can only do 88% to 90% of the repairs at its facility. "Find a company that can do 95% of the repairs, at least," Barker says.
MacInnis agrees. "Lots of companies do minor repairs themselves, but the major ones have to go back to the manufacturer," she says.
Consider the total price at the end of scope repair, Barker says. "One of the first things I would ask is, Do you do all of your repairs in-house, and do you have your own facility?’" she says. "I want to know where my scope is going, and who is doing repairs."
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