How to Choose a Mobile CT or MRI Provider

By Eric Davis

Choosing the right provider for your next mobile CT or MRI system can seem like a daunting task. How do you know whether your provider is setting your facility up for success with the proper qualifications and capabilities? Read this article from Eric Davis, Vice President of Operations for the Avante Health Solutions Center of Excellence in Ferndale, Mich., for his expert advice on finding a mobile imaging partner.

How to Make Your Next Mobile CT & MRI Lease a Win

With so much on the line to maintain patient care and continuity of clinical services, choosing a high- quality mobile provider when the need arises is paramount. Whether your project entails the replacement of your existing CT or MRI, adding capacity to manage your existing patient load, or as a long-term solution for your scanning needs, a quality mobile provider, like Avante Health Solutions, can contribute to making your project progress smoothly.

Just as installing a replacement system requires prior planning, there are several things to consider when leasing a mobile. You should choose a provider that can provide site planning services. Mobiles are large and heavy with specific space and power requirements. Your mobile provider will need to help you navigate those issues. They will be well-versed with what is needed and can quickly let you know what upgrades or changes to your facility are required to ensure that your next lease is a success.

How to Choose the Right Type of Mobile Provider

Choosing the right type of provider will have positive effects beyond helping you choose the correct mobile for your needs. Dealing directly with the mobile owner eases the process as they will have the documentation, such as physicist reports and system options, available so you can quickly determine if the mobile meets your requirements. 

Does your mobile provider also provide other services? Inquire if your mobile provider can service your other medical equipment, and you could possibly help the bottom line of your budget. If the provider also deals with capital equipment, you will find that they are able to present a bundle that includes the mobile lease packaged with the purchase of replacement equipment. Not only will having your mobile provider sell you the replacement equipment save you money, it will eliminate scheduling challenges as they will be coordinating two major portions of your project. Explore purchasing as many services and equipment possible, including the mobile lease, from one provider. Bundling as much as possible pays large dividends through a volume discount, but also takes out a lot of the work of coordinating multiple vendors with various details of your project.

Make sure the mobile provider has complete control over the unit to be able to guarantee on-time delivery. Delays can occur during shipping or if the previous facility extended their lease. A late arrival will cause a domino effect to the next steps of your project, delaying installation of your new equipment and coincidentally the day you can start using your new equipment. In extreme cases, it may even require you to lease the mobile for a longer period of time than what was initially contemplated. The old adage, “time is money” rings true with CT and MRI projects.

The availability of service delivery is important to ensuring your mobile unit performs to the best of its abilities. You will want to know where service personnel are located, and how quickly they will be able to respond to service requests. An equipment provider with a national presence will allow you to keep your patient throughput in place while you upgrade your equipment not wait for an equipment repair or have a maintenance issue addressed.

Applications training is also a big help. Technologists unfamiliar with the mobile will need training to be successful. Most mobile providers will provide applications training for an additional fee, and it is well-worth the money spent to ensure high-quality patient care. However, applications training lasts three to four days and prohibits a full patient load. If training is needed, you will want to plan early to ensure that your regular CT or MRI is available while applications training is underway.

Choose your mobile provider carefully. Do not hesitate to ask as many questions as necessary to ensure that your project progresses with the least amount of interruption. You want a mobile provider that partners with you and your facility to understand your needs and concerns. Quality service starts with an open discussion of your needs, and when they are met, you will appreciate how smoothly your project reaches completion.  

Avante Health Solutions will stand by your side through the entire mobile leasing process. We have a large national presence giving us the ability to offer a full range of diagnostic imaging solutions, while still offering the customized personal attention of a smaller company.  We hope you will consider us for your next mobile lease so you can put a win in your column.