From the March 2011 issue of HealthCare Business News magazine


Facilities receive an instructions and maintenance manual when the door is installed. The experts recommend staff familiarize themselves with the manual and use the knowledge to upkeep the door. Imedco’s Krachon also advises users to inspect the door’s warranty. “If [a warranty] comes with a new door, it could be an indicator of just how strong or how sound that door design is,” he says.

In addition to warranties, many vendors also offer door maintenance programs and advice which facilities can rely on to prevent issues that can lead to equipment downtime.


Invest wisely
An RF shield install typically costs $40,000 to $50,000 but if a buyer doesn’t research their options and check references of the company doing the work, that price tag could be heftier. To avoid investing additional funds into the shield in the long run, vendors encourage end-users to get involved with the RF shielding selection process from the beginning. By neglecting to stay involved during each step of the process, a facility may miss the opportunity to select customized additions which, in today’s competitive health care environment, could be critical in helping its MRI suite trump the competition.

“If you put the decision of the shielding vendor in the hands of the general contractor, you’ve delegated that decision, and where you might have had the opportunity to take advantage of features and services that they provide, you now have missed that,” says ETS-Lindgren’s Turner.

When looking for a vendor, Nelco’s Campedelli recommends finding a “one-sourced” supplier — one company that offers the shielding components, has trained installation personnel and can provide reliable testing services.
SRG’s Lahita says his company has lost a few installation jobs by a couple of thousand dollars because the facility went with the lowest bidder. Afterwards, the facilities ended up calling to fix problems on those enclosures. “They would’ve been dollars ahead just by spending a few dollars more and getting something good,” he says.

“The old adage, ‘you get what you pay for,’ is certainly true in this sector,” says Imedco’s Krachon.

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DOTmed Registered RF Shielding Sales & Service Companies
Names in boldface are Premium Listings.

Domestic
Johnny Ramazini, Excalibur Medical Systems, FL
Anna Srb, Kopp Development Inc., FL
Debbie Thompson, Metrasens Ltd, IL
Benjamin Turner, ETS-Lindgren, IL
Michael Krachon, IMEDCO America Ltd, IN
Lou Campedelli, NELCO, MA
Chaz Beadling, American Xray Equipment Sales, MD
Joe Marino, Spartan Shielding LLC, NJ
Howard Newman, Universal Shielding Corp., NY
Bill Mansfield, Professional Installations, OH
Michael Profeta, Magnetic Resonance Technologies, OH
DOTmed Certified
Michael J. Lahita, Shielding Resources Group, Inc., OK
Marshall Shannon, Image Technology Consulting, LLC, TX
DOTmed Certified
DM 100
John Holberg, Brooks Medical Systems, WA

International
Cicero Oliveira, Kuf Electronics, Brazil
Sunil Aggarwal, Biomex Instruments (P) Ltd., India
Niven Smith, Envirotect Ltd, United Kingdom

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