From the August 2017 issue of HealthCare Business News magazine


The right fit
MES contracts come in many shapes and sizes and each company executes them differently.

Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation has an MES solution globally that primarily includes capital acquisition and support. In the U.S., Toshiba has one program comparable to an MES solution, but refers to it as asset management, says Joseph Graham, vice president of service, sales and marketing for Toshiba America Medical Systems.



In the U.S., Toshiba began an asset management pilot program with Pinnacle Health in Harrisburg, Penn., with an agreement that includes service for not only Toshiba equipment, but all clinical equipment, including diagnostic imaging, medical lasers, cardiology equipment and laboratory equipment. The agreements stipulate that the hospital must purchase a percentage of all their equipment from Toshiba, though it does support equipment from other companies.

Pinnacle maintained its in-house clinical engineering organization, which was integrated into Toshiba’s program. Facilities like Pinnacle are looking for operational compliance and financial savings.

“Our program provided both,” Graham says.

By bundling everything together, Pinnacle was able to save more than 10 percent on its expenses.

“In my opinion, some of our competitors are passionate about controlling their service delivery,” Graham says. “Toshiba’s philosophy is very customer centric. We were ambivalent as to whether clinical engineering service was insourced or outsourced. It was more important to collaborate with clinicians and develop a mutually beneficial service delivery plan. These programs are highly successful when the customer and the vendor are collaborative and believe in a full partnership model.”

GE Healthcare also offers MES contracts, covering periods ranging from seven to 30 years. The average GE MES contract term is for 15 years, and it is tailored to meet each client’s needs, including the supply of both GE and non-GE equipment, installation and refreshes, service and maintenance and a comprehensive funding solution, says Helen Stewart, managing principal of GE Healthcare Partners. In addition, depending on the facility’s requirements, GE includes an element of consulting services as well.

GE recently began fulfilling an MES agreement with Humber River Hospital in Ontario, Canada. Since the implementation of the agreement, data indicate that aside from updating its technology, Humber has reduced equipment downtime and simplified the procurement process.

August 2017 Magazine

Read more stories from the August 2017 issue

More Magazine Features

Parts And Service Homepage