From the December 2011 issue of HealthCare Business News magazine


As is the case with reimbursement, regulations for the equipment inside mobile service trailers are the same as they are for fixed systems. There are, however, rules that apply specifically to the vehicle. “There are some state regulations regarding things like radiation safety, as far as making sure that the structure of the trailer is lead-lined properly so there’s no leaking radiation, so that none of the staff or anybody walking around the trailer could accidently get a dose of stray radiation,” explains Dishman.

Mobile service providers are also responsible for meeting whatever requirements are enforced by the Department of Transportation regarding delivering the trailer to the facility in need. This means routes need to be carefully planned, making sure any bridges or roadways used are approved to handle the weight of the truck and trailer.


Market trends of mobile modalities
It’s hard to pinpoint which type of imaging equipment is currently the most popular in a mobile setting. Different companies are experiencing different trends regarding which modality customers are seeking out the most.

For Medical Coaches, it seems that there has been decreased interest in mobile MRI and PET/CT units recently.

It’s a different story for Shared Imaging’s Stachowiak, who says PET/CT has been seeing good growth rates. “MRI is still growing, but less so, and CT is maintaining itself,” he adds.

“I would say that we’ve seen MR definitely stabilized, maybe a slight uptick, but probably our biggest uptick is in PET/CT,” reports Richter on behalf of DMS Health Technologies.

“I’d say CT is down quite a bit,” says Vartanian. “I think that hospitals are trying to do projects quicker, faster, and more efficiently. CT, the modality is easier to install now than it has been in the past, and I think that’s just one of those things where if someone says, ‘OK I’m going to be without a CAT scanner for four days, five days, let’s go without a mobile,’ or a lot of hospitals may have redundant capabilities, so they’ll just add two shifts to deal with their needs for short term.”

Bumps in the road
Due to the economy and health care reform, price matters more than ever. “Everybody wants more for less,” says Vartanian. “The second thing that comes out of the customer during a conversation after ‘Hello?’ is ‘I need a better price.’”

“There’s a lot of uncertainty out there, people aren’t sure what to do or they’re not pulling the trigger as much as they used to,” says Smith, who mentions that the economy is really affecting specialty vehicle manufacturers in a negative way. “People are reluctant to buy a brand new coach as opposed to a used or refurbished-type coach,” he says, estimating that a new customized trailer costs between $300,000 and $400,000.

December 2011 Magazine

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