How to Buy Safe Refurbished Medical Equipment for the Philippines

Kary Van Arsdale, Ed.D.

Certified International Commerce Specialist and Director of International Operations, Avante Health Solutions

There is a major difference in the quality of medical devices offered by companies that sell refurbished medical equipment. On one end of the spectrum, there are companies that sell broken or dirty used equipment and call the equipment "refurbished" in an effort to take money from unsuspecting customers. The good news is that there are some trustworthy companies in the United States with a long history of providing the highest quality of refurbished equipment at a fair price. Medical equipment buyers in the Philippines should carefully evaluate a refurbishing company prior to sending money to an overseas equipment provider.


The Key to Finding Refurbished Medical Equipment in the Philippines

The best way to find affordable refurbished medical equipment for the Philippines is to seek a trusted refurbishing company that has decades of experience testing and certifying pre-owned equipment. Experienced refurbishing companies are usually located in the USA, so it is important to make sure that a company has experience shipping equipment to the Philippines. When evaluating refurbishing companies, you should also ask for the items on the following checklist:

Items to request when evaluating refurbishing companies:
  • Photos of the company's facility and warehouse
  • A copy of the company's FDA registration
  • Photos of the equipment being considered for purchase
  • Three references from customers in the Philippines
  • Confirm the company's total number of years in business

Requesting the items on this checklist can help you separate the good refurbishing companies from the bad ones. Most important, these details will help make sure that you receive high quality refurbished equipment from a trustworthy company.


How is Refurbished Equipment Different from Used Equipment?

Many equipment buyers do not realize that there is a major difference between used equipment and professionally refurbished medical equipment in the Philippines. Doctors and surgeons should be very careful because some companies will state that their products are refurbished when the devices being sold are actually untested, dirty and unsafe for use. Here is a summary of the key differences between used/untested equipment and professionally refurbished equipment:

Professionally Refurbished Equipment Used Equipment – BE CAREFUL!
  • Biomedically tested and certified
  • Cleaned and professionally painted
  • New accessories are included
  • Includes a warranty (often up to one year)
  • Securely packaged for protection
  • Arrives patient ready with instructions
  • Price is much lower
  • May not work; often untested
  • Often unclean and unsafe
  • May arrive without accessories
  • Often sold without a warranty
  • Might not be safely packaged
  • Usually not patient ready
  • Price seems too good to be true

Tip: Be aware that the lowest prices may mean the lowest quality!


What is the Best way to tell if a Refurbishing Company is Trustworthy?

By carefully evaluating a refurbishing company, you can help make sure that you are investing in high quality medical equipment for your hospital or clinic in the Philippines. Whether you care for patients in Cebu City, Manila or Quezon City, you can optimize your savings by purchasing refurbished hospital equipment. We invite you to contact us to find out how you can improve quality of care for your patients with professionally refurbished medical equipment. We look forward to hearing from you!